LOCH WATTEN
Loch Watten and Loch Scarmclate are a designated Special Area of Conservation (SAC), due to the sheer number of wildfowl using the area, and its rich water plant communities. Both are classed as ‘ kettle hole’ lochs, dug out of the soft Caithness sandstone by glaciers. JOHN MILES
WHERE TO WATCH
1 With few lime-rich freshwater lochs in Caithness, these two act as a magnet for wildfowl, especially looking for American vagrants in winter. When you see counts of up 1,500 Tufted Duck you can imagine searching is not easy. Add on 300-plus Goldeneye and you soon become blinded by the sheer number of ducks. Fortunately, American Wigeon can be found with Wigeon, so unless the grass is high you have a better chance to find at least one rarity. Other rare ducks have included Ringnecked Duck, Lesser Scaup, Green-winged Teal and even Smew.
2 Look out for flocks of geese, with Greylags often worth looking through, and the odd Snow Goose plus a wintering Greenland White fronted Geese flock. Summer is always worth a visit to look out for Ospreys or even the resident Barn Owls hunting the marsh area.
3 Check the fields for breeding waders, such as Lapwing, Redshank, Oystercatcher and Snipe in the flushes. Sedge Warbler use the high vegetation and you may be lucky enough to hear a Grasshopper Warbler in this area.
Loch Scarmclate has a track down over the Inverness to Wick railway, offering great views into this smaller loch. Slavonian Grebes may be here in winter, with rarities like Crane, Spoonbill, Black Tern and even Snow Bunting having been seen. Large numbers of Whooper Swans often use the area and even a Rough-legged Buzzard was found. One amazing sighting was of an adult White-tailed Eagle trying to capture an adult Greylag Goose being seen off by a group of Mute Swans!
5 Back along the busy A882 you can scan from where the Dounreay fishermen approach the loch. Check for harriers, as a Northern Harrier was seen hunting the loch. Also give the gulls a good looking at for your Iceland or Glaucous Gull.