The House of Aigas and surrounding grounds contain a whole array of habitats including native pinewoods, heather moorland, a freshwater loch and streams, formal gardens, exotic plantations and deciduous woods. It is this mosaic of different habitats which draws an impressive list of birds to the grounds – 126 species have been recorded here! This ranges from the tiny and abundant Goldcrest to the occasional Scottish giant, the Golden Eagle! Interesting vagrants have included singing Bluethroat and Lapland Bunting, with other great records of Wryneck, Green Woodpecker and Jay, the latter two being rare so far north. Ospreys nest locally and regularly visit our loch during spring and summer, plunging into the cool water to pluck out one of our stocked rainbow trout. Peregrine Falcons have also successfully reared chicks in our area for many years.

A wood close to Aigas holds breeding Honey Buzzard and Red Kite, and once a Black Kite was spotted there! The lochs and burns around us hold a wonderful array of birds from the beautiful Red and Black-throated Divers to the Dipper and the Whooper Swan. If we travel a little further a field then rare birds like Slavonian Grebe and Common Scoter can be viewed at their breeding sites.

During 2006 we made several successful visits to the west coast to view the majestic White-tailed Sea Eagles. Our staff have close links with local and national bird groups which helps us stay informed of the best places to see rare species like the Sea Eagles.

 

The seasons play a big part in the birdlife we hold at Aigas, with every season having something to offer. One thing for certain, there is always something to look at! Despite our latitude, winter does not herald a clear-out of birds, quite the opposite in fact. Scandinavian migrants pile in from September onwards and often stay all winter, with a good flock of Redwing and Fieldfare in the fields or berry laden bushes. Redpolls often arrive from the continent, as well as Siskins, boosting our already healthy population. The same is true of continental Chaffinches and their cousins, the Brambling. Flocks of finches often exceed 100 birds! Our bird feeders attract huge numbers of tits and finches, especially when it gets cold. We even get Yellowhammers on our feeders!

However, it is spring which really sets pulses racing around here, with so many exciting birds returning to Aigas to breed. Many of these are sub-Saharan migrants like the Willow Warbler, Tree Pipit, Wheatear, Swallow, Wood Warbler, Redstart, Spotted Flycatcher and Pied Flycatcher. With so many exotic migrants it is hard to say which species truly signals the arrival of summer, but we think the late arrival of the Swift seals it for us! By then (mid-late May) the place is buzzing with bird song, and a dawn walk could produce over 40 species. If you want to learn bird songs then get yourself to Aigas in May!

The summer provides a permanent buzz on site, with brood after brood of young birds piling out into the estate. Sand Martins, Swallows and Swifts dart amongst the buildings and low over the water and vie for attention with the impressive list of large raptors that cruise over the loch and estate. The long daylight hours and the glorious scenery also allow for fabulous bird watching. Summer visitors to Aigas also get to visit some of Britain’s best seabird colonies, only a few hours drive away. The sight, smell and noise of tens of thousands of seabirds is quite unforgettable!

As summer turns into autumn we say goodbye to many of our Africa bound birds, just as we say hello to Scandinavian migrants. It is a time of plenty, when the largest numbers of birds are around, food is plentiful, and bird watching is easier thanks to the diminishing leaf cover on the trees. Like in spring, interesting and unusual migrants do turn up on site and it is always worth checking flocks of commoner birds closely.

A bird watching trip to the Highlands wouldn’t be complete without seeing Crested Tits and Scottish Crossbills. We have both on site, though often as spill-over from nearby forests. We are hoping to have Crested Tits breeding on the estate in 2007, thanks to an active nest-box campaign. With nearly 100 nest boxes spread over the estate Aigas certainly is a busy place for birds! Our large expanse of Scots Pine and Birch re-growth behind the loch is also becoming attractive to Black Grouse, seen every once in a while. When people visit Aigas they don’t have to wander far to appreciate the bird life. Our tables and feeders are located just outside the guest’s accommodation, so visitors can enjoy birds from the luxury of their cabin, or on their way to and from the main house!

Our rangers are knowledgeable, enthusiastic and well-trained in identifying different species and interpreting bird behaviours to interested guests of all levels – from the complete novice to the more experienced ornithologist. Even if you are new to bird watching do not be afraid to join us, we welcome and cater for bird lovers of all levels on all of our programmes. Even on one of our specific bird watching programmes, your itinerary will take you to beautiful scenic and remote places with rangers who will interpret the land use, geology, history, flora and fauna as well as the bird life.