I watched a huge gang of geese flying over the fields around Castle Stuart near Ardersier this morning. They seemed confused, going off in one direction for a bit then changing and switching back again. They were still mooching around like this by the time I’d gone into Inverness Airport, drunk a coffee, drove through Adersier and back [...]

 
Last weekend we took part in the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch. We’ve been doing it for a few years now, and the evidence all points to the birds knowing exactly what’s going on. This year was typical. We set the clock for an hour at the start of our survey, and immediately all our usual garden [...]

I can never decide whether the seals at Findhorn bay are friendly, sinister or just plain nosy. As soon as you put a kayak in the lagoon, one will appear, bobbing up nearby just as you’re getting your spray-deck adjusted. By the time you’ve paddled into the channel that links the lagoon with the Moray [...]

Ben Wyvis has its first snowy blanket of the year. It’s more of a delicate white throw than a twenty-five tog duvet, but it’s extremely fetching nonetheless. The hill stands out beautifully with the sun catching the snow, making it appear nearer than usual.
It’s so pretty, it almost makes me want to climb it again. [...]

Image courtesy of Pam.
I’ve been vaguely aware of Knockan Crag for most of my life, having driven past it on the way to Lochinver for years. It never really grabbed my attention before, being an inconspicuous wee hill in among the eye-catching glories of the Assynt and Coigach mountains: with Suilven, Stac Pollaidh and Canisp [...]

We were back up at the loch the other day, looking out for the osprey, which still seems to be visiting regularly. There was no sign of it that afternoon, but we had a fair bonanza of other feathered locals, including a pair of ravens and a fine display from the resident buzzard family. The [...]