DOCSLIB.ORG

Scotland 2014 Outer Hebrides & the Highlands

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text

Load more

Scotland 2014 Outer Hebrides & the Highlands 22 May – 7 June 2014 St Kilda Wren, Hirta, St Kilda, Scotland, 30 May 2014 (© Vincent van der Spek) Vincent van der Spek, July 2014 1 highlights Red Grouse (20), Ptarmigan (4-5), Black Grouse (5), American Wigeon (1), Long- tailed Duck (5), three divers in summer plumage: Great Northern (c. 25), Red- throated (dozens) and Black-throated (1), Slavonian Grebe (1), 10.000s of Gannets and 1000s of Fulmars, Red Kite (5), Osprey (2 different nests), White-tailed Eagle (8), Golden Eagle (1), Merlin (2), Corncrake (2), the common Arctic waders in breeding habitat, Dotterel (1), Pectoral Sandpiper (1), sum plum Red-necked Phalarope (2), Great Skua (c. 125), Glaucous Gull (1), Puffin (c. 20.000), Short- eared Owl (1), Rock Dove (many), St Kilda Wren (8), other ssp. from the British Isles (incl. Wren Dunnock and Song Thrush from the Hebrides), Ring Ouzel (4), Scottish Crossbill (9), Snow Bunting (2), Risso’s Dolphin (4), Otter (1). missed species Capercaillie, ‘Irish’ Dipper ssp. hibernicus, the hoped for passage of Long-tailed and Pomarine Skuas, Midgets. Ptarmigan, male, Cairn Gorm, Highlands, Scotland, 3 June 2014 (© Vincent van der Spek) 2 introduction Keete suggested Scotland as a holiday destination several times in the past, so after I dragged her to many tropical destinations instead it was about time we went to the northern part of the British Isles. And I was not to be disappointed! Scotland really is a beautiful place, with great people. Both on the isles, with its wild and sometimes desolate vibe and very friendly folks and in the highlands, there seemed to be a stunning view behind every stunning view. This was a family holiday, so I mainly focussed on finding the country’s specialties during a few very productive days that I went out birding alone. Additional birding was done during family events that often took place in wonderful areas with good birds. I succeeded very well in my attempt to see the specialities, as I managed to find all of my targets except Capercaillie – a bird I did not really expect to see anyway (one can always hope!). My target list was not only based on potential new birds (Capercaillie, Ptarmigan and Scottish Crossbill), but also on the endemic subspecies of the British Isles, as I’d only seen a few of these on trips to England and Ireland. An overview of all endemic subspecies can be found in this online Bird Watch article. Furthermore I really wanted to see several species that only migrate or winter in Holland in their breeding habitat. I very much enjoyed displaying Dunlins and singing Golden Plovers on the moors! Last but not least visiting St Kilda was a childhood dream come true. itinerary We both wanted to visit the coast and the highlands. The Outer Hebrides is an excellent place for birding late spring in a beautiful coastal setting. Most birders head for Benbecula and North and South Uist, but we decided to go to Lewis and Harris instead, because this gave me the opportunity to visit St Kilda. We stayed in a cottage in Tolsta Chaolais on the west coast of Lewis for a week. We spent the second week in a cottage in Newtonmore in the Cairngorms NP. The highland specialties can be found in other parts of the country as well, but since most info on where to find them comes from this area, I decided to make things easy on myself. 22 May Flight Amsterdam – Edinburgh; night in Edinburgh 23 May Edinburgh – Inverness; night in Inverness 24 May Inverness – Ullapool (lunch at RSPB Tollie Red Kite); ferry Ullapool – Stornoway (Lewis); ride Stornoway – Tolsta Chaolais Outer Hebrides: 25 May Lewis: surroundings of Tolsta Chaolais and Callanish 26 May Lewis: Loch na Muilne (RSPB Reserve); Dalmore (Dail Mor); Stornoway castle park; Tiumpan Head 27 May Harris: Ballalan, Tarbert, Laxdale River; Taransey Sound 3 28 May Lewis: Loch na Muilne (RSPB Reserve); Stornoway castle; Tiumpan Head 29 May Lewis: Port of Ness and surroundings 30 May St Kilda (Scottish National Trust Reserve), incl. drive Tolsta – Leverburgh on Harris to take the boat. 31 May Tolsta – Stornoway; Stornoway – Ullapool ferry; drive Ullapool – Newtonmore Highlands: 1 June Loch Garten/ Abernethy forest (RSPB Reserve); Insh Marshes (RSPB Reserve) 2 June Loch Garten/ Abernethy forest (RSPB Reserve) 3 June Rothiemurchus; Loch Morlich; Glenmore Forest Park; Cairn Gorm mountain 4 June Loch Morlich, parking lot Cairn Gorm mountain; Newtonmore 5 June Lochindorb; Newtonmore 6 June Abernethy (RSPB Reserve), Loch Ruthven (RSPB Reserve), grouse moors between Farr and Tomatin; Loch an Eileen 7 June Newtonmore – Edinburgh airport; flight Edinburgh - Amsterdam 4 Northern Fulmar, Hirta, St Kilda, Scotland, 30 May 2014 (© Vincent van der Spek) timing The end of May and the beginning of June is a very good time to visit these areas. All breeding birds have arrived and are often in their best plumage, in full song and/or displaying, it’s a good time for seabirds and there’s still migration going on. Especially on the Outer Hebrides anything can turn up anywhere! I hoped for some Pomarine and Long-tailed Skua passage, but the wind blew from the east instead of the west. It’s too late in the season to see lekking Capercaillie. The RSPB organizes so called Caperwatches in Abernethy earlier in the season; officially they run to 31 May, but this year, so I was told by an RSPB-employee, they stopped earlier due to inactivity of the birds. logistics I arranged everything myself, mostly in advance. We flew KLM for € 184, - per person. The nights in Edinburgh and Inverness were both booked at the Premier Inn I booked a type C (a Ford, as it turned out) Hertz car in advance for 17 days for € 507,- Prices and availability of the cottage (Taigh Bhe) on Lewis can be found at: http://www.taighbhe.com/ 5 For the one in Newtonmore, see: http://www.newtonmoreholidaycottage.co.uk/ The Ullapool-Stornoway (Lewis) ferry was booked at http://www.calmac.co.uk/ (€ 165,-). The trip to St Kilda was booked at Sea Harris, a company I certainly recommend http://www.seaharris.co.uk/ (€ 220,-). Red Grouse, female, grouse moor between Farr and Tomatin, Scotland, 6 June 2014 (© Vincent van der Spek) weather There you have it. Typical Scottish weather. We needed a lot of… sunscreen! There were a few showers (nothing too serious) on the first three and the last three days (with some serious rain during one evening and night), but on the other eleven days we had no rain at all. The trip started off a bit windy, but in the second part of the week on Lewis the wind eased down. During my trip to St Kilda there was absolutely no wind at all, which is a very rare on the Atlantic. Though some days were overcast, we witnessed a lot of sunshine. Temperatures during the day were between 13 and 21 °C. No complaints about the weather! 6 Great Skuas, Hirta, St Kilda, Scotland, 30 May 2014 (© Vincent van der Spek) site descriptions Instead of adding a map with the sites visited, I added links to some of my sightings which indicate the spots far more accurately. Outer Hebrides Any foreigner will say that Lewis and Harris are one and the same island and geographically that’s true. They are however historically treated as two different areas. For recent sightings on the Outer Hebrides check Western Isles Wildlife maintained by Steve Duffield. Lewis Stornoway and surroundings (24, 26, 28 and 31 May) Stornoway is the largest settlement on the island. The harbour is a good place for gulls, though I couldn’t find any white wingers. I did see a Black Guillemot when we arrived with the ferry. Stornoway Castle has a large, lovely old park with big trees. Safe a few small pine forests, this is the only forested area on the island. It even has an heronry and a rookery. The endemic island subspecies of Wren and Dunnock can be seen here. North of Stornoway and immediately east of the airport (Corncrakes breed there, or at least did in the past) I visited the peninsular. On the smallest point, along the A866 there’s a small loch: Loch Braigh na h-Aoidhe (when I try to pronounce this, it sound Arabic rather than Gaelic!). This is a busy road, but there are two laybys. A scope is necessary. I was surprised to find five Long-tailed Ducks there this late in the season. The Tiumpan Head is on the far end of the peninsular and this is a good area for sea watching. Fulmars breed on the cliffs. 7 Callanish, Lewis, 25 May 2014 (© Vincent van der Spek) Loch na Muilne (26 and 28 May) Loch na Muilne is the only place on Lewis and Harris where Red-necked Phalaropes are known to breed. It’s situated behind the Black House museum in Arnol. Both the museum and the RSPB Reserve are clearly signposted along the A858. More about the reserve can be found on this page of the RSPB website. This is the exact spot where I saw two phalaropes. It’s a pleasant walk from the road to the viewing ‘platform’. To not disturb any breeding birds, it’s probably best if you view the birds from there and not from the edge of the loch. The phalaropes arrive in the second half of May. This year the first sighting was on 20 May, when no less than six birds were reported. Sure enough, there’s quite some vegetation in the loch, more than in most others, the area is uncultivated and there’s hardly any disturbance, but I couldn’t exactly tell what makes this loch so special for the phalaropes.
Recommended publications
  • Scottish Birds 37:3 (2017)

    Scottish Birds 37:3 (2017)

    Contents Scottish Birds 37:3 (2017) 194 President’s Foreword J. Main PAPERS 195 Potential occurrence of the Long-tailed Skua subspecies Stercorarius longicaudus pallescens in Scotland C.J. McInerny & R.Y. McGowan 202 Amendments to The Scottish List: species and subspecies The Scottish Birds Records Committee 205 The status of the Pink-footed Goose at Cameron Reservoir, Fife from 1991/92 to 2015/16: the importance of regular monitoring A.W. Brown 216 Montagu’s Harrier breeding in Scotland - some observations on the historical records from the 1950s in Perthshire R.L. McMillan SHORT NOTES 221 Scotland’s Bean Geese and the spring 2017 migration C. Mitchell, L. Griffin, A. MacIver & B. Minshull 224 Scoters in Fife N. Elkins OBITUARIES 226 Sandy Anderson (1927–2017) A. Duncan & M. Gorman 227 Lance Leonard Joseph Vick (1938–2017) I. Andrews, J. Ballantyne & K. Bowler ARTICLES, NEWS & VIEWS 229 The conservation impacts of intensifying grouse moor management P.S. Thompson & J.D. Wilson 236 NEWS AND NOTICES 241 Memories of the three St Kilda visitors in July 1956 D.I.M. Wallace, D.G. Andrew & D. Wilson 244 Where have all the Merlins gone? A lament for the Lammermuirs A.W. Barker, I.R. Poxton & A. Heavisides 251 Gannets at St Abb’s Head and Bass Rock J. Cleaver 254 BOOK REVIEWS 256 RINGERS' ROUNDUP Iain Livingstone 261 The identification of an interesting Richard’s Pipit on Fair Isle in June 2016 I.J. Andrews 266 ‘Canada Geese’ from Canada: do we see vagrants of wild birds in Scotland? J. Steele & J.
  • CNPA.Paper.5102.Plan

    CNPA.Paper.5102.Plan

    Cairngorms National Park Energy Options Appraisal Study Final Report for Cairngorms National Park Authority Prepared for: Cairngorms National Park Authority Prepared by: SAC Consulting: Environment & Design Checked by: Henry Collin Date: 14 December 2011 Certificate FS 94274 Certificate EMS 561094 ISO 9001:2008 ISO 14001:2004 Cairngorms National Park Energy Options Appraisal Study Contents 1 Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Brief .................................................................................................................................. 1 1.2 Policy Context ................................................................................................................... 1 1.3 Approach .......................................................................................................................... 3 1.4 Structure of this Report ..................................................................................................... 4 2 National Park Context .............................................................................................................. 6 2.1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 6 2.2 Socio Economic Profile ..................................................................................................... 6 2.3 Overview of Environmental Constraints .........................................................................
  • Condition of Designated Sites

    Condition of Designated Sites

    Scottish Natural Heritage Condition of Designated Sites Contents Chapter Page Summary ii Condition of Designated Sites (Progress to March 2010) Site Condition Monitoring 1 Purpose of SCM 1 Sites covered by SCM 1 How is SCM implemented? 2 Assessment of condition 2 Activities and management measures in place 3 Summary results of the first cycle of SCM 3 Action taken following a finding of unfavourable status in the assessment 3 Natural features in Unfavourable condition – Scottish Government Targets 4 The 2010 Condition Target Achievement 4 Amphibians and Reptiles 6 Birds 10 Freshwater Fauna 18 Invertebrates 24 Mammals 30 Non-vascular Plants 36 Vascular Plants 42 Marine Habitats 48 Coastal 54 Machair 60 Fen, Marsh and Swamp 66 Lowland Grassland 72 Lowland Heath 78 Lowland Raised Bog 82 Standing Waters 86 Rivers and Streams 92 Woodlands 96 Upland Bogs 102 Upland Fen, Marsh and Swamp 106 Upland Grassland 112 Upland Heathland 118 Upland Inland Rock 124 Montane Habitats 128 Earth Science 134 www.snh.gov.uk i Scottish Natural Heritage Summary Background Scotland has a rich and important diversity of biological and geological features. Many of these species populations, habitats or earth science features are nationally and/ or internationally important and there is a series of nature conservation designations at national (Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)), European (Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and Special Protection Area (SPA)) and international (Ramsar) levels which seek to protect the best examples. There are a total of 1881 designated sites in Scotland, although their boundaries sometimes overlap, which host a total of 5437 designated natural features.
  • St Kilda World Heritage Site: Statement of Outstanding Universal Value

    St Kilda World Heritage Site: Statement of Outstanding Universal Value

    St Kilda World Heritage Site: Statement of Outstanding Universal Value Adopted by UNESCO World Heritage Committee Thirty-seventh session, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, June 2013 http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/387 Property St Kilda State Party United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Id. N° 387bis Date of inscription 1986 – 2004 - 2005 Brief synthesis The tiny archipelago of St Kilda, lying off the west coast of mainland Scotland, is breathtaking. Formed from the rim of an ancient volcano associated with the opening up of the North Atlantic some 65-52 million years ago, the intensely dramatic, jagged landscape of towering cliffs – some of the highest sea cliffs in Europe – and sea stacks present stark black precipitous faces plunging from steep grass-green slopes in excess of 375m. Scenically, every element appears vertical, except the smooth amphitheatre of Village Bay on Hirta with its relict historic landscape. Exposure to some of the greatest wave heights and strongest wind speeds in Europe plays a major role in shaping the coastal ecology. With nearly one million seabirds present at the height of the breeding season, St Kilda supports the largest seabird colony in the north-east Atlantic, its size and diversity of global significance making it a seabird sanctuary without parallel in Europe. The very high bird densities that occur in this relatively small area, conditioned by the complex and different ecological niches existing in the site and the productivity of the surrounding sea, make St Kilda unique. Of particular significance are the populations of Northern Gannet, Atlantic Puffin and Northern Fulmar.
  • CAIRNGORMS NATIONAL PARK / TROSSACHS NATIONAL PARK Wildlife Guide How Many of These Have You Spotted in the Forest?

    CAIRNGORMS NATIONAL PARK / TROSSACHS NATIONAL PARK Wildlife Guide How Many of These Have You Spotted in the Forest?

    CAIRNGORMS NATIONAL PARK / TROSSACHS NATIONAL PARK Wildlife GuidE How many of these have you spotted in the forest? SPECIES CAIRNGORMS NATIONAL PARK Capercaillie The turkey-sized Capercaillie is one of Scotland’s most characteristic birds, with 80% of the UK's species living in Cairngorms National Park. Males are a fantastic sight to behold with slate-grey plumage, a blue sheen over the head, neck and breast, reddish-brown upper wings with a prominent white shoulder flash, a bright red eye ring, and long tail. Best time to see Capercaille: April-May at Cairngorms National Park Pine Marten Pine martens are cat sized members of the weasel family with long bodies (65-70 cm) covered with dark brown fur with a large creamy white throat patch. Pine martens have a distinctive bouncing run when on the ground, moving front feet and rear feet together, and may stop and stand upright on their haunches to get a better view. Best time to see Pine Martens: June-September at Cairngorms National Park Golden Eagle Most of the Cairngorm mountains have just been declared as an area that is of European importance for the golden eagle. If you spend time in the uplands and keep looking up to the skies you may be lucky enough to see this great bird soaring around ridgelines, catching the thermals and looking for prey. Best time to see Golden Eagles: June-September in Aviemore Badger Badgers are still found throughout Scotland often in surprising numbers. Look out for the signs when you are walking in the countryside such as their distinctive paw prints in mud and scuffles where they have snuffled through the grass.
  • Sale Report 211112

    Sale Report 211112

    SR211112 Report for the Sale of Cattle and Sheep on Wednesday 21st November 2012 - Introduction - Cattle Prizewinners - Sheep Prizewinners - Sale Summary and Comparisons - Top Cattle Prices - Top Lamb/Sheep Prices Introduction Lewis and Harris Auction Mart in Stornoway held the final sale of the 2012 season on Wednesday 21st November. The sale saw an excellent selection of good quality cattle and sheep presented for sale. The judging of cattle was conducted by A Shaw, Upper Cullernie, Inverness and lambs were judged by Donald Macleod, Shulishader, Point. Cattle Prizewinners Supreme Cattle Champion - KJ Maclennan. 1B Breasclete (510kg Lim Bullock - 380p/kg & £1938 gross) Reserve Cattle Champion - DM Macleod. 1 Gress, Back (595kg AA Bullock - 300p/kg & £1785 gross) Lamb Prizewinners Supreme Lamb Champion - S Campbell. 35 North Shawbost !!!! (Pen of 55.5kg cross lambs - £80 gross) Reserve Lamb Champion - M Mackenzie. 30A Aignish !!!! (Pen of 53kg blackface lambs - £65 gross) Sale Summary and Comparisons Prime Cattle Nov 2012 Nov 2011 Nov 2010 Dec 2009 Total Cattle Sold 38* 69 55 34 380p/kg and 260p/kg and 172p/kg and 250p/kg and Top Bullock Price £1938 Gross £1469 Gross £760 Gross £1500 Gross 240p/kg and 250p/kg and 327p/kg and 300p/kg and Top Heifer Price £1152 gross £1475 Gross £800 Gross £1695 Gross Average Bullock 244.2p/kg 202.8p/kg No data No data Price Average Heifer 197.4p/kg 174.2p/kg No data No data Price * The reduction in the number of cattle sold is due to having a dedicated cattle sale in October 2012 Sheep Nov 2012 Nov 2011
  • Tufted Puffin

    Tufted Puffin

    Interpretative Fact Sheet Tufted Puffin (Fratercula cirrhata) The following short article is from the Oregon Coast 101 Species collection used by the Guide and Outfitter Recognized Professional (GORP) training program. These articles are intended to provide interesting facts you can share with your clientele and add value to your services. An Interpretive Fact Sheet has been written about each species. We are currently uploading these blogs and creating the links. Come visit us! Tourism and Business Development College of Business, Oregon State University Extension - Oregon Sea Grant at http://tourism.oregonstate.edu/ Guide and Outfitter Recognized Professional Program https://www.GORPguide.org For more information about the GORP training program see: https://www.gorpguide.org/become-a-gorp-certified-guide Tufted Puffin (Fratercula cirrhata) tourism.oregonstate.edu/tufted-puffin-fratercula-cirrhata/ By colliek2 August 28, 2020 ‘Small Axe’ The tufted puffin is a familiar bird on the Russian and U.S. Pacific coasts. In Russia it is known as ‘toporok’ meaning “small axe.” Not only is this a nod to the shape of the bill but also to one of the main breeding sites, Kamen Toporkov (“Tufted Puffin Rock”) which is an islet offshore Bering Island. Mature, breeding adult Tufted Puffin (royalty free Unsplash) Local Finds We don’t have to go to Russia to see them as they are also found in our backyards (so to speak). This recognizable seabird nests on Oregon headland such as Cape Mears, Cape Lookout, Cape Foulweather, Yaquina Head, and further north at Three Arch Rocks. 1/4 Recognizing The large triangular red-orange bill is definitely unique and is most visible on breeding adults during the summer reproductive season.
  • Biological Monitoring at Aiktak Island, Alaska in 2016

    Biological Monitoring at Aiktak Island, Alaska in 2016

    AMNWR 2017/02 BIOLOGICAL MONITORING AT AIKTAK ISLAND, ALASKA IN 2016 Sarah M. Youngren, Daniel C. Rapp, and Nora A. Rojek Key words: Aiktak Island, Alaska, Aleutian Islands, ancient murrelet, Cepphus columba, common murre, double-crested cormorant, fork-tailed storm-petrel, Fratercula cirrhata, Fratercula corniculata, glaucous-winged gull, horned puffin, Larus glaucescens, Leach’s storm-petrel, Oceanodroma furcata, Oceanodroma leucorhoa, pelagic cormorant, Phalacrocorax auritus, Phalacrocorax pelagicus, Phalacrocorax urile, pigeon guillemot, population trends, productivity, red-faced cormorant, Synthliboramphus antiquus, thick-billed murre, tufted puffin, Uria aalge, Uria lomvia. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge 95 Sterling Highway, Suite 1 Homer, AK 99603 January 2017 Cite as: Youngren, S. M., D. C. Rapp, and N. A. Rojek. 2017. Biological monitoring at Aiktak Island, Alaska in 2016. U.S. Fish and Wildl. Serv. Rep., AMNWR 2017/02. Homer, Alaska. Tufted puffins flying along the southern coast of Aiktak Island, Alaska. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................................... 1 STUDY AREA ............................................................................................................................................... 1 METHODS ...................................................................................................................................................
  • Roads Revenue Programme 2008/2009 Purpose Of

    Roads Revenue Programme 2008/2009 Purpose Of

    DMR13108 TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE 16 APRIL 2008 ROADS REVENUE PROGRAMME 2008/2009 PURPOSE OF Report by Director of Technical Services REPORT To propose the Roads Revenue Programme for 2008/2009 for Members’ consideration. COMPETENCE 1.1 There are no legal, financial or other constraints to the recommendations being implemented. 1.2 Financial provision is contained within the Comhairle’s Roads Revenue Estimates for the 2008/2009 financial year which allow for the expenditure detailed in this report. SUMMARY 2.1 Members are aware of the continuing maintenance programme undertaken to the roads network throughout the Comhairle’s area on an annual basis with these maintenance works including such items as resurfacing, surface dressing, and general repairs etc. 2.2 The Marshall Block shown in Appendix 1 summarises the proposed revenue expenditure under the various heads for the 2008/2009 financial year and the detailed programme is given in Appendix 2. 2.3 Members are asked to note that because of the unforeseen remedial works that may arise, minor changes may have to be carried out to the programme at departmental level throughout the course of the financial year. 2.4 As Members will be aware the road network has in the last twelve months deteriorated at a greater rate than usual. This is mainly due to the aging bitumen in the surface together with the high number of wet days in the last few months. As a result it is proposed that a proportion of the road surfacing budget be used for “Cut Out Patching.” Due to the rising cost of bitumen products and the stagnant nature of the budget it is not felt appropriate to look at longer sections of surfacing until the damage of the last twelve months has been repaired.
  • The Biology and Management of the River Dee

    The Biology and Management of the River Dee

    THEBIOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT OFTHE RIVERDEE INSTITUTEofTERRESTRIAL ECOLOGY NATURALENVIRONMENT RESEARCH COUNCIL á Natural Environment Research Council INSTITUTE OF TERRESTRIAL ECOLOGY The biology and management of the River Dee Edited by DAVID JENKINS Banchory Research Station Hill of Brathens, Glassel BANCHORY Kincardineshire 2 Printed in Great Britain by The Lavenham Press Ltd, Lavenham, Suffolk NERC Copyright 1985 Published in 1985 by Institute of Terrestrial Ecology Administrative Headquarters Monks Wood Experimental Station Abbots Ripton HUNTINGDON PE17 2LS BRITISH LIBRARY CATALOGUING-IN-PUBLICATIONDATA The biology and management of the River Dee.—(ITE symposium, ISSN 0263-8614; no. 14) 1. Stream ecology—Scotland—Dee River 2. Dee, River (Grampian) I. Jenkins, D. (David), 1926– II. Institute of Terrestrial Ecology Ill. Series 574.526323'094124 OH141 ISBN 0 904282 88 0 COVER ILLUSTRATION River Dee west from Invercauld, with the high corries and plateau of 1196 m (3924 ft) Beinn a'Bhuird in the background marking the watershed boundary (Photograph N Picozzi) The centre pages illustrate part of Grampian Region showing the water shed of the River Dee. Acknowledgements All the papers were typed by Mrs L M Burnett and Mrs E J P Allen, ITE Banchory. Considerable help during the symposium was received from Dr N G Bayfield, Mr J W H Conroy and Mr A D Littlejohn. Mrs L M Burnett and Mrs J Jenkins helped with the organization of the symposium. Mrs J King checked all the references and Mrs P A Ward helped with the final editing and proof reading. The photographs were selected by Mr N Picozzi. The symposium was planned by a steering committee composed of Dr D Jenkins (ITE), Dr P S Maitland (ITE), Mr W M Shearer (DAES) and Mr J A Forster (NCC).
  • Edinburgh Departures: 2017/18 Award Winning Small Group Tours

    Edinburgh Departures: 2017/18 Award Winning Small Group Tours

    Edinburgh Departures: 2017/18 Award Winning Small Group Tours Go beyond the guidebooks Travel the local way on small group tours of 16 people or less You’ll have a guaranteed experience, or your money back Guaranteed departures: you book, you go +44 (0)131 212 5005 (8am to 10pm) www.rabbies.com 1 ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR TOURISM EVERYONE’S BUSINESS Kleingruppengarantie – Garanzia di piccoli gruppi - Grupos Reducidos Garantizados - La garantie de petits groupes - mit maximal 16 Mitreisenden. Massimo 16 passeggeri. Máximo de 16 pasajeros. 16 passagers maximum. Durchführungsgarantie – wenn Sie Partenze garantite - Salida Garantizada - La garantie des départs - gebucht haben, dann reisen Sie auch! Prenotate, Partite! ¡Si Reserva, Viaja! Vous avez réservé, vous partez! Wir garantieren eine einzigartige Esperienza Garantita - Experiencia Garantizada - La Guarantie de L’Expérience - Reise – oder erhalten Sie Ihr Geld Soddisfatti o rimborsati! ¡O le devolvemos su dinero! Ou on vous rembourse! zurück. Escursioni con un massimo Viajando con un máximo de Ses tours d’un maximum de 16 Da unsere Gruppen aus maximal 16 di 16 passeggeri per offrire il 16 pasajeros, le garantizamos passagers, vous permettront de Personen bestehen, bekommen Sie massimo valore, più attenzione mayor beneficio, más atención profiter d’une attention plus viel mehr Leistung für Ihr Geld. personale, più tempo con le personalizada, más tiempo con personnalisée, plus de temps de Mehr persönliche Aufmerksamkeit, persone del posto, meno tempo los habitantes locales, menos rencontre avec les gens locaux, mehr Zeit mit den Einheimischen, sull’autobus, più tempo nelle tiempo en el autobús y más en moins de temps dans l’autocar, mehr Zeit auf wenig befahrenen stradine meno conosciute e, nel rutas apartadas.
  • Place-Names of the Cairngorms National Park

    Place-Names of the Cairngorms National Park

    Place-Names of the Cairngorms National Park Place-Names in the Cairngorms This leaflet provides an introduction to the background, meanings and pronunciation of a selection of the place-names in the Cairngorms National Park including some of the settlements, hills, woodlands, rivers and lochs in the Angus Glens, Strathdon, Deeside, Glen Avon, Glen Livet, Badenoch and Strathspey. Place-names give us some insight into the culture, history, environment and wildlife of the Park. They were used to help identify natural and built landscape features and also to commemorate events and people. The names on today’s maps, as well as describing landscape features, remind us of some of the associated local folklore. For example, according to local tradition, the River Avon (Aan): Uisge Athfhinn – Water of the Very Bright One – is said to be named after Athfhinn, the wife of Fionn (the legendary Celtic warrior) who supposedly drowned while trying to cross this river. The name ‘Cairngorms’ was first coined by non-Gaelic speaking visitors around 200 years ago to refer collectively to the range of mountains that lie between Strathspey and Deeside. Some local people still call these mountains by their original Gaelic name – Am Monadh Ruadh or ‘The Russet- coloured Mountain Range’.These mountains form the heart of the Cairngorms National Park – Pàirc Nàiseanta a’ Mhonaidh Ruaidh. Invercauld Bridge over the River Dee Linguistic Heritage Some of the earliest place-names derive from the languages spoken by the Picts, who ruled large areas of Scotland north of the Forth at one time. The principal language spoken amongst the Picts seems to have been a ‘P-Celtic’ one (related to Welsh, Cornish, Breton and Gaulish).