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Lisa G Saw • December 29, 2023

Autumn Tour Of Scotland - Part 1

I love visiting Scotland, seeking out new places as well as returning to favoured locations. Even though I've been several times over the last few years, I've never been up there during the autumn, around the time of the deer rut. I was thrilled to finally have the opportunity this year, even though I knew the chances of actually seeing any activity were extremely slim. As much as I wanted to see the Red Deer up in the Highlands, there were actually two other species that were higher on my 'Want To See' list for the trip - Mountain Hares and Ptarmigan. I've been lucky enough to see them before, but was eager for more wonderful experiences. I knew they'd still be just as potentially challenging to locate and photograph, with declining numbers even in favoured locations. It would certainly make the trip more of an adventure. The fact I wasn't going alone this time, but instead sharing the experience with Bob - on our first holiday together - made it even more special. I really hoped we would get lucky with our target species, especially as Bob had only seen one Mountain Hare before and never laid eyes on a Ptarmigan.

On the drive northbound - as well as southbound, at the end of the holiday - we stayed overnight in Ormskirk, so we could visit WWT Martin Mere. It was where I'd had the fabulous Stoat Encounter during the summer. We only had an hour before closing to visit the reserve at the end of our long drive north, so not much time! But, it was fabulous to see a male Marsh Harrier flying close to the hide in the evening light, just above the reeds. I also had one fleeting glimpse of a Barn Owl flying across the same field on the far side, but trees soon obscured my view.


Thankfully, we could enjoy a few more hours walking around the site on our way south. The reedbed walk didn't garner any sightings of a Bearded Tit unfortunately, a species that has so far eluded me, but I did enjoy seeing a large number of Snipe flying overhead. Shortly after, about half a dozen of them were spotted skirting the edge of the wetlands.  They were tricky to photograph as they weren't that close and other ducks and vegetation sometimes got in the way! But, I enjoyed watching them all the same as it's a species I've not seen often.

On the drive northbound as well as southbound (at the end of the holiday), we stayed overnight in Ormskirk so we could visit WWT Martin Mere. It was where I'd had the fabulous Stoat Encounter during the summer. We only had an hour before closing to visit the reserve at the end of our long drive north, so not much time! But, it was fabulous to see a male Marsh Harrier flying close to the hide in the evening light, just above the reeds. I also had one fleeting glimpse of a Barn Owl flying across the same field on the far side, but trees soon obscured my view.

Thankfully, we could enjoy a few more hours walking around the site on our way south. The reedbed walk didn't garner any sightings of a Bearded Tit, a species that has so far eluded me, but I did enjoy seeing a large number of Snipe flying overhead. Shortly after, about half a dozen of them were spotted skirting the edge of the wetlands. They were tricky to photograph as they weren't that close and other ducks and vegetation sometimes got in the way! But, I enjoyed watching them all the same as it's a species I've not seen often.

We had four bases during our mini tour of Scotland. The first was in the Loch Lomond and Trossachs area. We stayed at a lovely B&B on the west side of Loch Arklet on a road that ended at Inversnaid Falls nearby. We had a comfortable en-suite room, which overlooked the bird feeders in the garden. Our hosts were most welcoming and friendly and we enjoyed a lovely cooked breakfast each morning. It was in a beautiful, out of the way spot where we could go walking right from our door. That was part of its appeal. However, the drive back to Aberfoyle each evening for dinner was a bit tedious along the undulating, winding narrow road. It made me nauseous at times. Even though it had lots of passing places, we just hoped we wouldn't meet many vehicles coming the other way, especially the larger food delivery trucks. However, when we discovered The Faerie Tree Inn, we were happy to make the journey. With great quality food at an affordable price and friendly staff, we enjoyed eating there twice. We'd both go back to the area just to enjoy another meal there!

The weather wasn't the best those first few days, as it was mostly dull and grey. But, it didn't rain and there was very little wind. We did occasionally have glimpses of the sun, when there were breaks in the cloud. Although I didn't have the opportunity to photograph lovely reflections in the loch, the low lying mist over the water still made for some interesting arty shots.

The weather wasn't the best those first few days, as it was mostly dull and grey. But, it didn't rain and there was very little wind. We did occasionally have glimpses of the sun, when there were breaks in the cloud. Although I didn't have the opportunity to photograph lovely reflections in the loch, the low lying mist over the water still made for some interesting arty shots.

We enjoyed some lovely walks in the local area, in the Inversnaid nature reserve, around Loch Arklet and along the eastern shore of Loch Lomond. Whilst there wasn't an abundance of wildlife, we did have a fleeting view of a Dipper, some lovely closer sightings of a Treecreeper and Nuthatch, and disturbed some Hooded Crows scavenging for food. The highlight of those days was probably on the first day, when we walked above and beyond the nature reserve. We found a gorgeous picturesque burn (stream) and a lone tree. In the distance, we could hear the Red Deer stags roaring. It was like a teaser. I wanted to see more of the deers and not just hear them far away.

We enjoyed some lovely walks in the local area, in the Inversnaid nature reserve, around Loch Arklet and along the eastern shore of Loch Lomond. Whilst there wasn't an abundance of wildlife, we did have a fleeting view of a Dipper, some lovely closer sightings of a Treecreeper and Nuthatch, and disturbed some Hooded Crows scavenging for food. The highlight of those days was probably on the first day, when we walked above and beyond the nature reserve. We found a gorgeous picturesque burn (stream) and a lone tree. In the distance we could hear the Red Deer stags roaring. It was like a teaser. I wanted to see more of the deers and not just hear them far away.

I enjoyed visiting Inversnaid Falls too. We walked up to the higher level, which was worth the effort to see the mass of water tumbling down over the rocks. Conveniently, there was a bench near the top for us to rest and enjoy a hot drink. The only problem was, it made us feel very short! Our feet didn't touch the ground. It wasn't the only time this happened.

Late one afternoon we drove to Killin, enjoying a brief stop at Loch Lubnaig on the way. In Killin, the Falls of Dochart were as impressive as expected and we managed to reach it just before the sun went down.

The main purpose of the visit though, was to try and spot some Beavers at dusk. We walked along the river and saw some evidence of their presence, but unfortunately the creatures themselves eluded us. It was a shame, but we knew it would be a long shot, so we weren't that disappointed. It was an enjoyable scenic walk along the river all the same and we had a lovely meal at the Killin Hotel afterwards. However, the highlight unexpectedly came right at the end of the day on the drive back to Loch Arklet. It was dark and only the headlights from our car lit the narrow road ahead of us. A Weasel suddenly appeared from the side of the road. Immediately, I slowed right down. It stopped, looked our way, then jumped about a little frantically before quickly leaping and bounding back the way it came. We were both thrilled! It's the first time I've seen one in the wild.

From Loch Arklet we travelled north towards the Wester Ross area for our next stay in Ardarroch. It was a stunning drive with moody skies. We stopped a few times along the way at various scenic lookouts, including The Three Sisters, Glencoe.

In Ardarroch we stayed in a fabulous cabin overlooking Loch Kishorn. On our first evening, we walked down to the beach and surprisingly, we saw a Red Deer - our first for the holiday. I hadn't expected to see one so close. Later, we could hear bellowing, once again from the mountains. I was hopeful we'd be lucky and have some better views in daylight. However, Storm Babet had reached Scotland, bringing extremely strong winds to the west, with gusts well over 40mph. Not ideal for driving on a narrow mountain pass or walking in the highlands.

In Ardarroch we stayed in a fabulous cabin overlooking Loch Kishorn. On our first evening, we walked down to the beach and surprisingly, we saw a Red Deer - our first for the holiday. I hadn't expected to see one so close. Later, we could hear bellowing, once again from the mountains. I was hopeful we'd be lucky and have some better views in daylight. However, Storm Babet had reached Scotland, bringing extremely strong winds to the west, with gusts well over 40mph. Not ideal for driving on a narrow mountain pass or walking in the highlands.

We decided not to attempt a walk up in the highlands on the first day due to the high winds, but we did drive over the mountain pass - very gingerly, I might add - to Applecross. On the way up, there was a waterfall to one side of the road. The water cascaded downhill, but at the top, wisps of water were being blown upwards. We didn't see any deer high up on the mountain, but once we were lower down on the other side, we spotted a small herd of mostly hinds sitting in a field. Then down on the outskirts of the village, there was a large herd of stags where I'd seen them the year before. Whilst wild and free to come and go, they were all in one field, no doubt enticed there by food. It wasn't until later in the day, when we were driving back, that we were really lucky and spotted a young stag high up on the more rugged terrain, a little distance above the road. Then we heard the deep bellow coming from another stag higher up. Fabulous!

The main reason for being in the area, aside from seeing the Red Deer, was to go searching for some Mountain Hares and Ptramigan on the mountain. Our window of opportunity was diminishing, with only one more day there. But, still the wind was strong. It almost ripped the door open as I got out of the car at the top of the pass. We debated whether it was wise to give it a stab and attempt the walk up. I think we were both having doubts, but then spotted a couple walking down. It gave us the hope we could manage it, if we were careful. We certainly put on plenty of layers to protect ourselves from the cold and used the monopods to assist with walking. There were times the wind literally stopped me in my tracks, and other times, it knocked me sideways making me stagger as if I were drunk. This was perhaps not a good day for walking over uneven ground and on scree. The rocks would often wobble underfoot. I was always slow and careful, taking my time with each step, not least because we were walking uphill. Perhaps not so surprisingly, the Mountain Hares and Ptarmigans were taking shelter from the wind, which any sensible person would also be doing. Even though we didn't see any, we felt satisfied we'd at least tried.


On our way back down along the wide track, I suddenly spotted a hind with a juvenile. They weren't that far from us and thankfully didn't run away. It was fabulous having the opportunity to photograph them, though it wasn't easy. Despite using monopods, the wind made it extremely challenging to remain perfectly still. In our favour, at least, the light was improving somewhat. Although we didn't find what we went looking for that day, seeing the deer at the end made it all worthwhile.

That wasn't the last we saw of the deer either. I was keeping my eagle eyes open whilst Bob was driving us back down the winding pass. I spotted a small herd above the road, spread out on the mountainside. But, a few were eating grass very close to the road, near a large boulder. It wasn't exactly a place where we could stop easily for any length of time, but for a short spell, whilst there were next to no cars around, we managed to use the car as a hide and take a few photos without disturbing the deer at all.


Further down the road, we spotted even more deer and were able to stop the car and alight the vehicle. The day really had turned into a deerfest. I hadn't expected to see so many.

That wasn't the last we saw of the deer either. I was keeping my eagle eyes open whilst Bob was driving us back down the winding pass. I spotted a small herd above the road, spread out on the mountainside. But, a few were eating grass very close to the road, near a large boulder. It wasn't exactly a place where we could stop easily for any length of time, but for a short spell, whilst there were next to no cars around, we managed to use the car as a hide and take a few photos without disturbing the deer at all.

Further down the road, we spotted even more deer and were able to stop the car and alight the vehicle. The day really had turned into a deerfest. I hadn't expected to see so many.

The following day was wet and very overcast, but since we were driving east from Kishorn to Boat of Garten, it didn't disrupt our plans. It just meant we weren't able to fully appreciate the beauty of the scenery along the drive. We followed the north coast route to Torridon and then cut inland. The views of the mountains were impressive though. It was wonderful to see snow on the peaks of the mountains - the first of the season. I love the snow. I know it can be extremely inconvenient, but it makes everything look so gorgeous. I was excited at the possibility there would also be snow up in the Cairngorms, where we were headed.

The following day was very overcast and wet at times, but since we were driving east from Kishorn to Boat of Garten, it didn't disrupt our plans. It just meant we weren't able to fully appreciate the beauty of the scenery along the drive. We followed the north coast route to Torridon and then cut inland. The views of the mountains were impressive. It was wonderful to see the snow-covered peaks - the first of the season. I love the snow. I know it can be extremely inconvenient, but it makes everything look so gorgeous. I was excited at the possibility there would also be snow up in the Cairngorms, where we were headed.


Over the previous two days we'd worked fairly hard to locate any deer and photograph them. We were so chuffed we'd been lucky enough to have a few fairly close sightings. So, you can imagine our surprise when we pulled into a car park to find a Red Deer stag loitering right beside the cars. Despite signs warning visitors not to feed the deer, food had been left out on the ground in places. The temptation of an easy meal for the deer was overriding its natural instinct to avoid humans. Some people didn't seem to fully grasp it was a wild animal - one they probably ought not to interact with, for the sake of the animal as much as themselves. One woman thought it was a good idea to try and stroke it. Naturally, we were keen to take some photographs, but we tried to keep our distance - not easy when it would walk towards us. All the photos of the deers I'd taken before then were using my telephoto lens at its full length, but now, with it pulled in to its widest, the deer was filling the frame. Crazy!

Over the previous two days we'd worked fairly hard to locate any deer and photograph them. We were so chuffed we'd been lucky enough to have a few fairly close sightings. So, you can imagine our surprise when we pulled into a car park to find a Red Deer stag loitering right beside the cars. Despite signs warning visitors not to feed the deer, food had been left out on the ground in places. The temptation of an easy meal for the deer was overriding its natural instinct to avoid humans. Some people didn't seem to fully grasp it was a wild animal, one they probably ought not to interact with, for the sake of the animal as much as themselves. One woman thought it was a good idea to try and stroke it. Naturally, we were keen to take some photographs, but we tried to keep our distance - not easy when it would walk towards us. All the photos of the deers I'd taken before then were using my telephoto lens at its full length, but now, with it pulled in and it's widest, the deer was filling the frame. Crazy!

By the end of our first week, we'd certainly done well on our deer sightings. We just hoped our luck would continue for the second week with our quest to find Mountain Hares and Ptarmigan. A lot would depend on the weather and it was still looking very changeable and challenging for the week ahead. I remained optimistic, as we still had plenty more time. Plus, I was having so much fun and couldn't wait for more wildlife adventures with Bob.



Autumn Tour of Scotland - Part 2

South Georgia Day 3

By Lisa G Saw • April 2, 2025
At some ungodly hour during the night, the anchor was raised and we left Grytviken. Sleeping in one of the front cabins in the aft of the ship, as we were, meant the noise of the anchor movement, either up or down, was extremely loud and it woke us both up. The ship sailed towards St Andrews Bay whilst most of us on board were still sleeping. There was quite a bit of swell along the way and the chair in our cabin fell over. For the most part though, things didn't slide around or fall off the shelves, because the cabin was so well designed. There were either non slip mats on the shelves or a lip at the edge, and sometimes both. In fact, we were impressed with all these small little touches, especially the raised sides to our beds so we couldn't fall out when asleep. The temperature in the morning was only 1°C. There was no wind, but unfortunately, the swell was too high for a landing in St Andrews Bay. We were gutted. This was not the news we wanted to wake up to. We had to switch to Plan B. This meant swapping our day around and heading back north to Godthul, which was actually only just around the corner (relatively speaking) from where we'd been the day before in Grytviken. We just had to hope and pray the swell would be less later on when we returned to St Andrews Bay. GODTHUL On our way to Godthul, we were happily distracted when we spotted some Orcas (Killer Whales). There seemed to be two swimming all over the place, clearly feeding. It was a mother and calf. It was virtually impossible to predict where they were going to emerge. One time, one appeared so close to the boat, but it was gone by the time I took a photo. Of the many times they swiftly but gently glided through the water at the surface, I was only able to get one semi-decent photo. At least there's a Cape Petrel and two Giant Petrels to help provide some scale.

South Georgia Day 2

By Lisa G Saw • March 16, 2025
HERCULES BAY For our first full day in South Georgia, we were greeted by blue skies above. Early in the morning, we embarked on our first zodiac cruise around Hercules Bay to see what wildlife could be found. When I say early - it was 5am! Our boats were dwarfed by the towering mountains that loomed above the bay. You can just about see one of the zodiacs in the lower middle part of this photo.

Fortuna Bay

By Lisa G Saw • March 11, 2025
SEEING THE KING PENGUINS UP CLOSE When we reached Fortuna Bay, we had to wait to find out if we'd be able to land. The usual procedure was for one Zodiac boat to be lowered into the water. A member of the crew would go out in it to determine how safe it would be for a landing. When we finally heard the announcement over the tannoy that we would be landing, we were thrilled and eager to go. There was a gorgeous Antarctic Fur Seal in the water close to where we were disembarking and it seemed quite curious, watching us. It looks like it's winking at us in this photo.
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