Month: September 2017

Determined to see an osprey fishing on the Aigas loch I made my way to the Kingdom hide at the ungodly hour of 4.30am. The hide is situated on the banks of the loch and offers excellent views over the water whilst also providing shelter and welcome relief from the midges. Having had fantastic views of a beaver feeding the previous night I was hoping that my luck would continue. I can tell you now that it most certainly did. Whilst waiting for an osprey to appear I occupied myself by scanning the furthest bank in roughly the same area the beaver had been the night before. Sure enough I managed to spot it again looking like a small furry island breaking the surface of the water.
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The autumnal equinox and our first grass frost this morning.  I was out and about early checking out the very visible animal trails through the frosty grass.  A small group of red deer hinds came through in the night, perhaps 8-10, right through the gardens and past the slumbering guests’ lodges.  Our habitual badgers, normally undetected, left distinct trails and hundreds of snuffle holes where they had been gorging on earthworms and crane fly larvae, building the brown fat they need before the winter closes in.  And, surprise, surprise, a pine marten came through ever hopeful that we had left the hen house hatch open.  He cheekily left a neat pile of semi-digested rowan berries on the top of the gate.  I guess it's his regular run,
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Everyday we take groups of adult guests and school children out in to the wild Highlands to show them the spectacular scenery, teach them about the habitats we visit and look for wildlife in its natural environment. All too often however, and increasingly, these natural habitats have an unwelcome and unnatural invader. It’s not an exotic plant this time, it’s plastic and it’s everywhere. From industrial plastic wrap stuck in trees, like decorations from the Nightmare before Christmas, to crisp packets floating like ugly leaves in puddles, broken fishing nets strewn on beaches, takeaway coffee cups spilling from bins in nature reserves and infinite consumer waste washing up on beaches. It is inescapable and it’s a huge threat to both wildlife and tourism in Scotland. Some of
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A day on the west coast of Scotland is the highlight for many of our guests during their week here at Aigas. I remember experiencing it for the first time during ranger training, which is a comprehensive 6 week training programme set up for us rangers on our arrival to this beautiful place in the wild Highlands. We are taken through absolutely everything there is to know, from geology and history, right through to the best places for wildlife spotting, and within those 6 weeks you start feeling like the Highlands has become your home. The west coast day is the longest day that we take guests on, but well worth the breath-taking views across the Minch (the water between the mainland and the Outer Hebrides), as
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Last week I was lucky enough to see two ospreys perching by the Aigas Loch. It was 6am and the loch was very peaceful, just myself and one of our guests. We were able to watch the ospreys gliding and perching for an hour. I was even able to take an extremely blurry photo. This was such a special experience as the ospreys will be leaving for their migration to Africa very soon. Their route will most likely take them south over England, France and Spain, then crossing over Gibraltar before they fly down the western coast of Africa where they will spend the winter. [caption id="attachment_1030" align="alignnone" width="360"] Two ospreys perched by the Aigas Loch. CREDIT: Alison Tait[/caption] I had fully expected this to be my
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