Early Start...

This morning the day began for Cain and Ciara at 05:45am, although Steve had already been up and out by this time (photographing the setting moon). Cain and Ciara made there way down to the salt-marsh for the first visit to the hide, in order to photograph the Grey Herons. It was high tide at 06:15am so a lengthy period of waiting was on the cards, until the grassy bars of the salt-marsh emerged, giving the Herons the perfect position to strike at their prey. The hide worked amazingly well, at one point a Heron landed only 3 metres away, but unfortunately both cameras were set up in the front window and neither of them wanted to move and possibly ruin their chances for a return visit.


The area is full of Willow Warbler song, this one was feeding just outside the window.

At roughly 09:00am Cain, Ciara and Rachael headed back to the Glenborrodale reserve in search of reptiles. We didn't find any Slow Worms, but we did find plenty of Lizards, which proved to be challenging to film. After spending time in the valley we steadily moved off to higher ground, eventually coming back down to the cottage by following the deer tracks.

At half 4 Ciara and Rach went for a walk up Glenmore River. At only a few metres in Ciara spotted another Slow Worm, which also just sat while they watched it. They then carried on up the river, for about 45 minutes then suddenly there was a big splash. Rach had fallen in the river and was sat with a very shocked look on her face, thankfully she was quick enough to keep her camera from even getting splashed, skills!

Cain, Rachael and Steve headed out for a walk in the dark in the hope of spotting a pine marten, around 12am. Ciara stayed in the cottage on her own, and it was lucky she did. At long last a pine marten appeared, feasting on the jam and biscuits that we had left out. When the trio returned it quickly disappeared back into the darkness from which it came. 

This big bad moon was dipping below the horizon increasingly quickly with the encroaching dawn as Steve stepped outside to photograph it. The sound of snipe drumming could be heard in the cold still morning air.