HIGHLAND HEATWAVE

 

Hen {tarmigan in the sun

We've been enjoying some amazing weather for over a week now. Almost constant clear skies and warm sunshine with hardly any breeze most days on the high Cairngorms.

Backlit mountain hare in the afternoon sun

Trailing Azealia

Wednesday 31st May.

John was out with me this afternoon for an half day Landscape photography workshop. Another one of my Gift Vouchers which was bought by John's daughter for Christmas.

We spent the first hour looking at settings and a couple of camera models ( there are hundreds of cameras out there!). Then the rest of the time we were out on the hill and putting the theory into practice.

Another scorcher of a day..there was a temperature inversion this morning which would have been a great opportunity for some photography but John told me he's not an early bird .

The beautiful beaches at Loch A'an

Mountain Hare in the evening sunshine

Golden Ptarmigan

Monday 29th May.

Glorious weather in the high Cairngorms. T-shirt job all day. Fabulous wildlife photography day. A wonderful pair of Ptarmigan, spending an hour with these 2 which are probably same pair I spotted last week, in the same area. Finished the day with a beautiful male Snow bunting singing his heart out. There is no better sound in the hills than a snow bunting in Spring. The male transforms into a white and black plumage. 30 minutes before the finish a Ring Ouzel, among the building site in Coire trash, I mean Cas.

Brown Hares

Clear skies

For the third year running NatureScot have renewed my Schedule 1 Bird Photography licence. This allows me to photograph specified species. These are Osprey, Ptarmigan, Dotterel, Snow Bunting & Ring Ouzel here in my local Cairngorms and Monadhliath.

A huge thank you to NatureScot and an even bigger acknowledgement to Nic Bullivant & John Poyner who ever so kindly completed the references section on my application form.

The photography I undertake gives invaluable information and data as to numbers and locations of the above Red Listed species for ongoing research by NatureScot and RSPB.

#naturescot

#redlistbirds

Now you know why they are named Rock Ptarmigan

Reindeer enjoying the sun

John enjoying some wonderful weather for his photography workshop