So 74843 continued her journey back down south, stopping off in the Cairngorms for about 5 days where she ranged both east and west of the A9 around Dalwhinnie. I have to say she’s been picking some cracking spots to hang out, it’s really stunning in that area if you ever get the opportunity to visit ... I think Steve Murphy and I both have stories about staying in the Ben Alder bothy, Steve’s possibly more exciting than mine! Although I was there very early January so didn't see much in the way of bird life unfortunately.
Being in the same spot for so long seemed a little unusual for this female, was she going to be the first bird from Bowland known to breed somewhere other than Bowland?
74843 being fitted with her satelite transmitter last summer © Jude Lane, RSPB
Well not this time ... as we are now accustomed she decided she’d spent enough time in the Cairngorms (no males tempting her to stay perhaps?) and headed over to the west coast around Arisaig and Loch Sheil for a bit of a mini break. She then headed back east to Loch Tay before ... guess what?
© Stephen Murphy, Natural England
... she came back to Bowland!!!
Sadly for us she didn’t stay long enough for any of us to see her and she’s now back in the Yorkshire dales where she spent the winter.
Thirty years ago I started working for the RSPB on a six month upland bird surveying contract –