Trip reports

Group Holiday To Scotland

Friday, 12 June 2009

Early on Saturday, 30 May, 21 members set off to Scotland for a week's bird watching holiday. The destination was Aigas Field Centre, just west of Inverness, which turned out to be a fascinating place in the centre of magnificent countryside. Our stay was very comfortable and the cuisine superb! We were also lucky with the weather - up to 27˚C - for the first 5 days although our warm clothing and wet gear was needed at the end of the week!

During the week we saw most of the hoped-for species, including capercaillie, crested tit, white tailed eagle, golden eagle, common scoter (rare for this area) red-throated and great northern diver and a host of others, amounting to 123 species in total.

We were also privileged to see the beavers on the estate, good views being obtained each evening, along with excellent views of pine martin.

On the Thursday bird watching had to start early as a new educational building, Magnus House, was due to be opened by HRH Prince Charles, Duke of Rothesay and The Duchess of Rothesay, an event to which we were kindly invited. Aigas Field Centre is visited each year by around 5,000 pupils from across the Highlands and it is hoped that the new building, constructed on environmental lines, will enable this number to be substantially increased. The building is named after the late Magnus Magnusson, and his daughter, Sally Magnusson, gave an excellent speech.

At the end of the week all were able to reflect on a wonderful holiday, with good bird watching, splendid countryside and excellent hosts.

A full report will appear in our autumn magazine.