North of Scotland Trip (part 1)

 I have split this trip into a couple of blog postings as we were away for a fortnight and there was so much to see.

Our trip started with a few days at Rosemarkie Caravan Park on the Black Isle (it's not an island but more of a peninsular, just to the Northeast of Inverness). The caravan park is right on Rosemarkie Bay, with a beautiful beach and stunning views on your doorstep:

Moira at Rosemarkie Bay

Eddie at Rosemarkie Bay

Rosemarkie Beach looking towards Inverness

Rosemarkie Beach looking towards the North Sea

As well as stunning views there was also lots of interesting wildlife to see, including one of my favourite seabirds, the majestic Gannet:

Distant Gannets in Rosemarkie Bay

Majestic Gannet

Gannet Flypast

I was determined to try and capture the moment a Gannet dives into the sea to catch a fish, so I thought taking a video would be my best chance:

Unfortunately I managed to miss the point of impact, I did however get a photo just after impact with the sea:

Gannet enters the sea at Rosemarkie

Sorry about that.

Anyway my tummy was starting to rumble so we headed back to the van for our tea, passing a caravan called Moira on the way?

A German van called Moira

A van called Vannie

The next day (after breakfast and the usual caravanning chores) we had a brisk walk along the beach. When I say brisk I was referring to the weather and not our pace, it was a bit blowy but thankfully dry.

Looking along the beach towards Rosemarkie

Looking along the beach towards Chanonry Point

A Windswept Moira on Rosemarkie Beach

Looking out towards Rosemarkie Bay I noticed this object floating on the surface of the water:

What was it? A sunken log? Some strange sea creature?

Then suddenly it sprang into action:

Monster from the deep?

No a Red-throated Diver

Yes it was a Red-throated Diver. This is a species you normally see lurking in  a small tarn or lochan way up in the northern hills during breeding season, or alternatively about a mile out to sea bobbing up and down in rough winter waves. But here it was a hundred yards away in the bay, swimming about looking for fish, oblivious to our presence. I had to get it on video:

Just brilliant, pity I didn't have a tripod with me for my camera as it was a bit breezy.

As I scanned the seascape I noticed that there were quite a few different seabirds out there. They were a bit further than the diver so not so easy to photograph, but there were gulls, gannets, terns, auks, etc.

Herring Gull

Gannets and Terns

Seabirds at Rosemarkie Bay

This video might show the range of seabirds present:

One seabird that I didn't expect to see (mainly because they are difficult to see even during their migration flights in Autumn and Spring) was a Skua. However as we walked along the beach I heard the distinctive sound of a Tern under stress and when I turned round I saw a Skua chasing a Tern trying to force it to drop its recently caught fish.

Luckily I had my camera in hand and immediately started filming this spectacle:

Apologies for the camera focus going fuzzy sometimes, but hopefully you got the picture!

Both these birds showed incredible aerobatics, but eventually the Tern dropped its catch and the Skua benefitted from a meal of fish. I think it was an Arctic Skua  but not sure what the Tern was; this slightly slowed down video might help you with the ID

I've seen Skuas chasing Terns many times before but never as close as this, what a fantastic experience.

We carried on along the beach until we reached Chanonry Point:

Chanonry Point and the Moray Firth

Looking back towards Rosemarkie from Chanonry Point

The Lighthouse at Chanonry Point

Where the Moray Firth narrows between Fort George (on the Moray Coast) and Chanonry Point (on the Black Isle) is supposed to be the best place in Scotland to see Dolphins feeding. At this narrow channel, at the right tide times, forces the Salmon heading upstream to congregate just off Chanonry Point. The Dolphins know this and it becomes a bit of a feeding frenzy, except with Dolphins it's a bit more playful (unless you are a Salmon).

Unfortunately we were not there at the right tide times and we saw absolutely no Dolphins, so after about half an hour of scanning the Moray Firth we headed back along the beach towards Rosemarkie.

On our way back we did see some wildlife in the Moray Firth, and once again it was a Red-throated Diver:

Red-throated Diver in Moray Firth

Good view of red throat on Diver

Red-throated Diver Close-up

Red-throated Diver showing distinctive upturned bill

It looked like a different diver from the one we had seen earlier, a lot paler underneath and more distinctive colouration, but I might be wrong? Anyhow a nice bird to see so close to the shore, and yes there is a video:

We got back to the van in time for a late lunch, just as some others were setting out on an adventure:

Heading out to sea in an inflatable canoe

You paddle I will film!

Looks like fun!

After lunch we headed out for another walk, this time in the opposite direction, following the bay towards its North shoreline. Here the waterfront was much rockier, and a lot quieter:

Rocky Shoreline to the North of Rosemarkie

Moray Firth from Rocky North Shore

Heading back from the rocky north shore we reached the beach and were pleasantly surprised by a sand castle someone had built. When I say sandcastle I mean sand sculpture, this was like the pyramid of the pharaohs draped in some sort of snake-like monster:

Impressive Sandcastle

Here be Monsters

 Very well done, pity the rising tide will destroy it!

We also noticed that a yacht had entered the bay at Rosemarkie and dropped anchor:

Yacht in Rosemarkie Bay

Nice Yacht!

Whilst we were admiring the yacht I noticed some Terns diving for fish and I managed to capture this on video:

Going by the length of bill and colouration I think this might be a Sandwich Tern, either way I think it gave the Red-throated Diver a scare when it plunged into the water.

Back at the van we rested a bit before having our tea and after tea we decided to have another go at seeing the Dolphins at Chanonry Point. Apparently it was the ideal time to see them, about an hour after low tide, as that is when the Salmon use the rising tide to help them navigate upstream to the source of the rivers where they spawn.

Heading towards Chanonry Point

Looking out to Rosemarkie Bay

View of Fort George from Chanonry Point

Unfortunately no-one had told the Dolphins that this was the ideal time to go to Chanonry Point.

It was however a cracking evening with some lovely views across the Moray Firth and Rosemarkie Bay:

On our way back from Chanonry Point I noticed something large in the sky over the bay:

What's in the sky over Rosemarkie Bay?

Was it a bird? Was it a plane? was it Superman?

No it was a helicopter

Helicopter over Rosemarkie Bay

It was a lovely evening though, and the view over the bay and the Moray Firth was quite dramatic:

Evening Skies over Rosemarkie Bay

There were still a few birds about, for instance this Oystercatcher probing the sand at the water's edge looking for some buried treasure such as a Ragworm:

Oystercatcher on the Shoreline

This is why waders need long legs

Probing the sand for something to eat

Oystercatcher searching for its supper

Out in the bay there was one bird still hanging around, yep it was a Red-throated Diver again:

Red-throated Diver having a preen

It seemed to spend most of its time on its back having a good preen:

That was it for a busy day walking and enjoying the views and wildlife (despite the lack of Dolphins) so we headed back to the van for the night.

The next morning was a bit overcast and showery, it did clear up later on and we had a walk to nearby Fortrose for a spot of lunch (Sorry no photos). In fact the only photo I have of this (our last day at Rosemarkie) was a lovely view of a double rainbow from the van window, before we headed off to Fortrose:

Double Rainbow over Rosemarkie Bay

That's it for this part of our North of Scotland Trip. In the next instalment we will be heading up to the most Northerly point on Mainland Britain (no it's not John O'Groats)

Take Care

TeddyEdward