Scotland in April

music_man800 · #1 (**permalink**) 12-11-2010, 02:01 PM

Hi all
I'm new here (well, I've followed the site for a long time and it has been the source of a lot of very useful information to me!), so I was wondering if the very knowledgeable community on here could help me out a little

As part of work and study I have a chance to visit the Speyside area around the 4th of April next year for a few days and I intend to look for a few of Scotland's wonderful birds.
However, I'm looking to see where is worth visiting in the area as I am aware that this is too early for some of the species.

-Will Ospreys be present at Loch Garten in the first week of April?
-Do the Black and Red Throated Divers give their lovely wailing calls this early in the year?
-is it worth checking out the Cairngorm plateau for the Dotterels, Snow Buntings and Ptarmigans?
-Will Ring Ouzels be present in the Findhorn valley that early?
-Are Slavonian Grebes in breeding plumage present in April?

Thanks in anticipation, even with just seeing a couple of those species would bevery nice indeed!!
Tom

larachmor · #2 (**permalink**) 12-11-2010, 03:21 PM

Hi Tom and welcome to The Forum.
Yes, the Loch Garten ospreys should be back by then. Indeed some birds make it back by late February. Black-throated divers can be seem on Lochindorb, just north of Grantown on Spey, and red-throated can be viewed at Uath lochans near Kincraig (just outside Aviemore).
Snow buntings can be seen readily at the Cairngorm station at the top, and ptarmigan will be out on the plateau – but you might have to wade through the snow in early April.
Down in the woods, the Capercaillie will be quite active, staking out their lek sites. Lekking usually starts mid-April, but it would have to be an early-morning start. (The RSPB's Loch Garten site hosts early-morning capercaillie watches from the osprey hide)