Birdwatching – and listening – with Martin Cook and Alistair Young

Everyone who went bird watching and listening at Loch Spynie on a sunny April morning had a wonderful time – fine spring weather, a lovely walk, and two very knowledgeable and enthusiastic expert guides – Martin Cook, author of the definitive The Birds of Moray and Nairn and his colleague from the Moray Bird Club, Alistair Young.

We split into two groups of ten, one group beginning at the bird hide, and the other ending there. We saw – and heard – much more than I expected, mainly because our guides were so quick to spot birds on the water and pick up on birdsong and calls. For me anyway it was a great learning experience.

Kevin Stocks kept a list of the birds seen and heard in Martin’s group:

Birds:

Coal Tit
2 Blackcap (male and female)
Gadwall
30+ Greylag Geese
8 Mute Swans
Buzzard
Red Kite
20+ Black Headed Gulls
2 Mallard
2 Blue Tits
Chiffchaff
Song Thrush
4 Herons
4 Goldeneye
20+ Tufted Duck
Little Grebe

Butterflies:

2 Orange Tip
1 Green Veined White
1 Small Tortoiseshell
1 Speckled Wood
1 Comma

In addition, birdsong (but not sightings) were:

Wren
Great Tit
Coot
Chaffinch
Willow Warbler
Moorhen
Blackbird
Woodpecker
Robin
Curlew

In addition to the above, Alistair’s group heard a yellowhammer, and saw a treecreeper. We also saw a pair of siskins and a pair of greenfinches at the bird feeders and a red squirrel.

And at the end, as we were leaving, an osprey flew over the car park towards the Loch.
Many thanks to Martin and Alistair for an excellent morning in the woods and by the loch