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Spent Easter week in Scotland on a birding holiday with my wife Isabel(not a keen birder) staying at Mount View Hotel, Nethybridge with Heatherlea. I was doubtful about doing a chaperoned trip like this but it was the only way i could persuade my wife to go and I have to say we had a fantastic time and cleaned up. The guides were excellent and the guests ranged from total beginners to very experienced. We went out everyday in mini buses at civilised hours from 9.30 to 7 pm. We did Cairngorms/Abernethy/Mull and the Moray caost. It was good to have the time to really enjoy the birds which included Golden Eagle 3, White tailed Eagle 2, Goshawk 3, Capercaillie 2, Ptarmigan 5 (superb views down to 10 yards on cairngorm, including a female snow bathing), Black Grouse c 30, Scottish Crossbill 1, Crested Tit 3, Surf Scoter 1, Velvet Scoter 200, Glaucous Gull and breeding plumage Black thoated Diver, absolutely exquisite, 119 species in all.
On the mammal front we had crippling views of 3 Pine Martens and 2 Otters in the Loch Sunart area.
The food was good too and Woodcock roding around the hotel in the evening was a bonus. I can't recommend Heatherlea highly enough, especially as a way of winning over reluctant partners to birding trips!
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