Category Archives: Holiday Trips

Addo Trip – March 2024 : Part 1

March 13, 2024 Don Reid 9 Comments

Breakaway needed ..

Since moving to Mossel Bay in October last year, we seem to have been constantly busy with unpacking of the many boxes and consolidating the contents of two houses into one, in the process going through yet another round of discarding unnecessary ju.. er- possessions. There are still plenty of boxes, mainly books, which eagerly await the construction of library shelving which I am keen to do myself, when I get the time….

Since the start of 2024 a small team under my direction has been painting and renovating the house which we had built in 2010 so it is overdue for some loving care. We promised ourselves a breakaway once that was all done and once the end was in sight we quickly booked a 5 night stay in Addo Elephant National Park then added stopovers on the way there and back to make it a full week’s break.

Getting there ….

Saturday 9^th March

With a short distance to do on the first leg to Storms River, just on 200 kms, we left the packing and organizing to the morning and left home close to lunchtime

After some rapid shopping for provisions in George we had lunch at Spur and set off eastwards at 3 pm, joining many others on the slow and busy road past Wilderness and Sedgefield and through Knysna and Plett before the short stretch of very welcome toll road which took us to our destination right on 5 pm.

We had found Swallows Nest Country Cottages on Booking.com and the cottage turned out to be what we had hoped for – comfortable, clean and spacious, and we were soon settled in.

I took a walk through the nearby streets and found many others doing the same – all seemingly foreign tourists walking to one of the many restaurants scattered throughout the village.

We had imagined Storms River Village to be a quiet country town with a couple of B and B’s due to its proximity to the N2 National road – what we discovered is a busy tourist village with a variety of activities on offer and a choice of accommodation establishments and restaurants – even a 1960’s themed Marilyn’s Diner – quite incongruous in this small village setting.

However our dinner was a sandwich and avo in the cottage – balancing out the substantial meal at lunchtime

Sunday 10^th March

We slept late so had to rush to be in time for breakfast – the usual fare of fruit, scrambled eggs and bacon. We had booked for two nights to give us a chance to explore the Storms River area, so after breakfast and showers we set off late morning to explore the village, just driving around slowly and stopping here and there.

The Tsitsikamma section of the Garden Route National Park starts on the outskirts of the village

We then headed a few kms back along the N2 to the turnoff to the Storms River Mouth which lies within the Tsitsikamma of the Garden Route National Park.

The road took us to the Park gate then wound its way downwards to the sea, past the caravan parks and chalets until we reached the parking area which was surprisingly full, overflowing into a long line of cars parked along the approach road.

Buses were parked on one side and more kept arriving to disgorge even more visitors – clearly tourism is booming along the garden route!

We found a table at the crowded temporary restaurant ( there’s a new complex under construction with a beautiful position overlooking the sea) and ordered fish and chips from the friendly waiter, which arrived quickly – amazing under the circumstances.

I later learnt that the original restaurant was severely damaged by a storm surge in September 2023 – clearly Storms River is not just a fanciful name!

I took a walk along the boardwalk thinking I would have a look at the suspension bridge at the river mouth, but when I saw how far it was and the tricky route to get there I decided it was a bridge too far…. (oh well, it made me chuckle)

After taking in the rugged sea views and photographing a pair of Oystercatchers, I returned to the car and we headed back to the N2, pleased that we had seen the place we last visited and stayed in so many years ago with our then young kids in tow.

African Oystercatcher, Storms River Mouth

We weren’t done yet as I wanted to visit the nearby Tsitsikamma Big Tree forest again, hoping for a few forest birds. It was a pleasant walk along the boardwalk and the trees were still impressive, but bird life was almost non-existent other than the almost constant calls of Sombre Greenbul and Olive Pigeons high up in the canopy – unseen but heard

Dinner was at the Marilyn’s Diner – good filling food in a unique setting

Monday 11^th March

The trip onwards to Addo was destined to take a lot longer than planned …

We weren’t up to a full breakfast so had fruit and yoghurt, packed up and set off just after 10 am, first stop not long after at the service stop at the bridge to fill the prado and get coffee and tea at the Mugg and Bean.

Back on the N2, I noticed the tyre warning light had come on, so when Gerda suggested a stop at a farm stall I didn’t argue for once. I had a look at the tyres and saw immediately that the right rear was deflating.

My heart sank as I realised I have never had to change a wheel on the prado myself since purchasing it in 2015. I had no idea where the jacking points were so pulled out the owner’s manual and found the instructions.

It looked challenging but I set about getting the jack in place under the rear axle and the wheel nuts loosened when a ‘nice young man’ (as my mother always referred to such helpful people) asked if he could help and he was soon doing it all in a manner that showed he knew how.

What a relief to get the spare on and the flat tyre secured at the back and we were on our way again, but only as far as Humansdorp where we turned off, found a Supaquik tyre place and pulled in.

They soon had the tyre off and repaired where it had somehow picked up a small, neat hole in the sidewall. All of this had taken us to lunchtime so we bought woolies sandwiches at the corner garage and once again set off, hoping we had left the troubles behind us. Not quite it seemed….

We were just starting to get up to a reasonable pace when I had to slow down and stop at the first of multiple ‘stop and go’s’ on the N2, each one with long queues of vehicles waiting and each one painfully slow in getting going.

I had entered Addo into my phone’s google maps and we decided to follow the suggested route which seemed the most direct – not always a good idea as we found out when we turned off the N2 towards Uitenhage – the road was narrow and in need of repair and got worse when we were directed onto a bumpy gravel road for some 30 kms which literally shook us silly before we emerged onto the actual PE – Addo road

By the time we got to Addo it was 6 hours after our departure – never has 215 kms felt this far!

We were thankful to check in and head to chalet 48 where we offloaded and collapsed in the outside chairs for a recovery session as the sun slowly set behind distant hills.

Later having regained some energy, I got a braai going and we enjoyed kebabs and wors with Gerda’s lovely copper penny salad and potato salad. A nice ending to a stressful day

Now we look forward to four restful days in this small gem of the National Parks Board

Holiday Trips, Land of Beauty, The World around Us

Stellenbosch – a Glimpse

January 11, 2024 Don Reid 2 Comments

We decided during December to take a short breakaway trip to the Cape, in particular Stellenbosch, the famous University town and centre of all things wine-related.

The route from Mossel Bay, west to Stellenbosch

Our eldest granddaughter has a small flat close to the university and central Stellenbosch and as she was not due to return there until late January, it was a good opportunity for us to spend a few days there.

The town itself and the wine farms in the area are very busy at this time of year, attracting as they do visitors and tourists from all parts of the country and the world in fact, while the university campus area is exceptionally quiet, with hardly a soul in sight other than the campus security guards on every street corner that make it a safe place to walk about.

And walk about I did, taking in the beautiful architecture and pleasant streets of this delightful part of the town – here’s a selection of the images I collected on the way.

The Streets

In a few weeks time these streets will be busy with students walking, riding and driving between their residences, town and the campus buildings, but now they are dead quiet

This old restored lorry belongs to one of the men’s residences and would probably have a few stories to tell if it could …..

The Architecture

The faculties are housed in handsome buildings such as this one, each with an elegant style of their own.

Some of the old houses are privately owned, others house specialist sections of the university – all have one thing in common : they are beautifully restored and in pristine condition, ranging in style from Victorian to Cape Dutch

Leivore

Some towns in the Western Cape still have leivore – the traditional water furrows used to supply water for irrigation, usually emanating from a spring in the nearby mountains and channeled alongside the streets through the town. Leivore is pronounced ‘lay-foora’

Sluice gates such as this one (missing the upper part) control the flow of water in the leivore and where they branch off to a property

Truly a special place ….

Holiday Trips, International Birding

A Week in Scotland – The Last Day : Edinburgh

October 30, 2023 Don Reid 9 Comments

Saturday 29th July 2023

Planning the Day

The birding part of the trip was done and I could not have been happier with the outcome, now it was time to collect my granddaughter and spend a day together in the beautiful city of Edinburgh.

With just the one day at our disposal I had made a booking on one of the ‘hop-on, hop-off’ bus tours which take tourists around the city, much as they do in many popular cities around the world. I had been to Edinburgh (my dad’s birthplace) twice before with Gerda, so it was all about showing Maia the places of interest and let her dictate how we spent the day.

I had undertaken to collect Maia by 9 am which meant an early, quick breakfast of fruit and toast and leaving the B&B in Upper Largo at 8 am to drive the 35 miles or so to Strathallan School south of Perth where she had spent the week learning new skills on the flute with some of the best teachers in the world. (She played some of her newly learnt pieces when we got back to SA and I can confidently say the trip was very worthwhile for her as well – they were simply magical to listen to).

Edinburgh

After a short wait and a chat with the school pianist, Maia appeared, and we set off to find our hotel west of Edinburgh where we parked the car and got the No 25 bus into the city.

The bus stop indicated by the driver was close to St Andrews Square, the departure point for the Red Bus tour we had booked and a short walk later we boarded the bus and plugged in the earphones for the running commentary.

Red buses setting off on the city tour – ours was an open top version

Much better views with the open top bus – including our fellow tourist’s heads

The bus did a one-hour circuit of the historic parts of the centre city while we admired the iconic buildings and were amazed by the crowds of tourists that filled every narrow street and corner – I don’t recall ever seeing a major city with so many tourists, not even Rome, although Venice possibly outdoes all of them.

We got off at the last stop before the square and walked back to where we had started, then found a small Sainsbury to get a lunch special for three pounds fifty – wrap, snack and drink – which we enjoyed in the park at the square.

Lunchtime view of the square – Edinburgh

Handsome building and garden in central Edinburgh

Next on the agenda was a shopping session for Maia while I hung around and watched the passing show – never seen quite such a variety of people all seemingly trying to stand out from the crowd – what happened to just being ordinary?

The rest of the tour was done on foot, revisiting some of the sights we had seen from the bus – we weren’t always entirely sure where we were going but walked up and down hills and along crowded streets just taking it all in and popping into a few shops which had mostly tourist ‘stuff’ at premium prices so we were not inspired to buy anything (also proof of my Scottish heritage)

We did walk up to the entrance of the famous castle, where large stands have been erected for the Tatoo coming up in August – that must be amazing to experience.

Sated with the sights of Edinburgh and a bit weary of the incessant crowds, we hopped on the next red bus, which passed many of the sights once more before getting us back to the square.

The bus skirted this lovely natural park bordering on central Edinburgh

From there we walked back to Prince’s Street where we found the No 25 bus and were soon on the slow trip back to the campus where the hotel was located.

By now it was early evening and we were in need of a more substantial meal, so we headed to the hotel restaurant for a burger, after which we were glad to get back to the room and prepare for a short sleep before getting up around 3 am to catch our flight to Amsterdam and onward to Johannesburg.

Getting home

Sunday’s trip back was somewhat stressful – despite getting to Edinburgh Airport at 4.30 am – in plenty of time for our 6 am flight, or so we thought – we were met with the sight of a check-in queue snaking back and forward 6 or 7 times and spent the next 45 minutes getting ever more panicky as the queue moved painfully slowly. We had underestimated the impact of the start of the European summer holidays on the time required for airport passenger processing.

The next hurdle of getting through security was almost as bad and we ended up literally running to get to the boarding gate, fortunately just in time. The rest of the trip went as expected and we arrived in Joburg at 9 pm, got a car and drove to Pretoria to our son James’s house for the night. On Monday we did the last leg of the trip back to George in a more relaxed fashion and were glad to see the happy faces of Gerda and Geraldine as we entered the baggage hall.

And there I draw the curtain on my week in Scotland – except these curtains were on the outside of the windows so couldn’t be drawn…

Holiday Trips, International Birding

A Week in Scotland – Birding ….. Mostly

October 14, 2023 Don Reid 6 Comments

Friday 28th July 2023

Planning the Day

I was determined to make the most of this, my last day of birding opportunities – tomorrow I was due to collect Maia from the Flute School and spend the day exploring the delights of Edinburgh, before heading back home early the next day.

My first priority was to visit, or at least see, the famous St Andrews golf course – an absolute ‘Must See’ place if you are anywhere near it even if, like me, you are a non-golfing visitor to the area.

After a substantial breakfast (I couldn’t manage the black pudding or the baked beans on top of two eggs, a pile of bacon, mushrooms and fried tomatoes), I headed to St Andrews about 10 miles away from my B & B.

My intention was to park at the Old Course clubhouse and walk along the public pathway to the sea as suggested by the Scottish birding app which I had once again consulted for advice.

St Andrews

St Andrews village was busy and I had to make quick decisions about which turning to take, which had me going the wrong way down a narrow one way right in front of the famous golf course’s last hole.

Fortunately I realised my mistake fairly quickly and found an empty parking spot to pull into before I could cause mild chaos in front of the most famous golf course in the world – never mind that I was facing the wrong way and it was obvious to all passers-by what I had done.

After taking a couple of iphone images of the classic scene before me I managed to extricate myself but, in the process, missed the next turning and ended up much further down the road, heading away from where I had hoped to find the access road to the parking area.

River Eden Estuary

This turned out to be the best thing as it led me to the hide at the River Eden estuary that the birding app had also mentioned as a good viewing spot for waders, depending on the tidal conditions.

I parked in the designated area and walked through the adjacent park to the river / estuary where I found the hide – locked but with instructions to phone the local nature office for the combination. That let me into the spacious hide which I had to myself for the next four and a half hours.

Why so long? Well, when I got there after 11 am the water levels were still high, with birds crowded along the narrow sandy edge that was exposed, but the longer I stayed the lower the water levels dropped, exposing more muddy fringes for the shorebirds, and creating ideal wading conditions for those birds that like the shallows.

Compare the images below to see the difference an hour and a half made

River Eden Estuary – just after I arrived

River Eden Estuary – an hour and a half later

It was fascinating to watch the changes and the movement of the birds as they took their turns flying in and out – so much so that I could not tear myself away with my only regret that I hadn’t brought any lunch with me. I did go to the car to fetch my flask of tea and a snack bar which was still in the cubby to sustain me to 4 pm when I left.

Seeing Red ….. shanks

Most prominent of the birds was the Common Redshanks which numbered over 400 at a rough count!

Considering I have only ever seen one Common Redshank in 40 years of birding (in Botswana) it was quite something to see it ‘at home’ in such astounding numbers.

Common Redshanks Tringa totanus River Eden Estuary

When I arrived at the hide, they were all bunched close together on the narrow sandy edge on the opposite side of the river, so dense I did not spot them immediately as they appeared at a glance to be part of the vegetation.

Gradually they started to spread out as the sand widened and, as if instructed, they all marched in unison to the water’s edge, then started flying off individually and in small groups to forage, some returning later.

I was especially happy when one or two came to forage right in front of the hide, and I was able to take some decent images of this bird which had managed to stir the senses of an excited birder

Common Redshank Tringa totanus River Eden Estuary

I also tried my hand at some in flight images with my new camera which I’m still getting to know – a few of the dozens of images turned out quite nicely…. I was particularly pleased with this one…

And Many Others ….

Scanning the scene before me just after entering the hide, I could see large numbers of birds on a distant sandbank, still partially submerged – in the image below the front row of white birds are gulls while the remainder of darker birds are Eurasian Curlews, numbering in the hundreds as well as Black-tailed Godwits, Eurasian Oystercatchers and others

Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa River Eden Estuary

Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus River Eden Estuary

Northern Lapwings were as plentiful, including many juveniles without the crest of the adults

Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus River Eden Estuary

As the water level dropped, the massed birds began to disperse. Eurasian Curlews approached within shooting distance of the hide, probing with their long ungainly looking bills into seaweed as it became exposed

Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata River Eden Estuary

Some Familiar Birds

Among the throngs of birds not generally seen in my home country were some familiar species that occur back home or are regular migrants

Little Egret Egretta gazetta River Eden Estuary

Grey Heron Ardea cinerea River Eden Estuary

Little Stint Calidris minuta River Eden Estuary

Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos River Eden Estuary

The Gulls

Gulls were initially strung out across the mud flats, then dispersed to other parts of the estuary – a few came close to the hide, providing an opportunity to get a photo of two of the three gull species present – the Lesser Black-backed Gulls stayed too far away for any chance of a reasonable photo.

European Herring Gull Larus argentatus River Eden Estuary

Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus River Eden Estuary

The Swimmers

Swimmers also appeared with Eiders prominent and later a group of Common Mergansers (Goosander) and a couple of Mallards.

Common Eider (female) Somateria mollissima River Eden Estuary

Common Merganser Mergus merganser River Eden Estuary

Mallard Anas platyrhyncos River Eden Estuary

Still More

An unexpected bird on the shoreline….

Carrion Crow Corvus corone River Eden Estuary

A Kingfisher caused a moment’s excitement as it flew low across the river and settled briefly on a fence but vanished almost immediately.

The scene in front of the hide continued changing right up until I reluctantly left to explore further on my last day.

Tentsmuir Nature Reserve

Next stop was also found by chance as I drove away from St Andrews and saw the signboard for Tentsmuir Nature Reserve which I knew of. Following the road which became single again for a few miles, I took a short detour to get coffee and cake (no sandwiches as ‘the kitchen closes at five’ I was told), then carried on to the reserve entrance, parked and set out on a walk down the Icehouse trail which I hoped would take me to the beach.

The trail went through the forest and emerged into open undulating ground but all I managed was a distant view of the sea as I was tired by now. I slogged back to the car, drove back to the B & B and walked – again – to the village hotel for another pleasant supper to round off the birding side of my trip.

Holiday Trips, International Birding

A Week in Scotland – Moors and the Road to Upper Largo

October 2, 2023 Don Reid 3 Comments

Thursday 27th July 2023

Planning the Day

My time in Grantown on Spey had come to an end and the next stop on my itinerary for the week was in Upper Largo, a small village not far from the most famous of all golf courses – St Andrews

After a final breakfast at Grant Arms Hotel, I checked out and set off along the route googled the evening before (in blue on the map below).

Just to add some birding interest, I decided to divert from the route slightly so that I could pass through Montrose on the east coast. A scan through the Scottish Birding Spots app had shown an interesting tidal basin at Montrose which seemed to be worth a look.

The distance of 131 miles / 210 km was not that far but the narrow twisty roads meant progress was very slow and of course I made frequent stops at lay byes to scout around or just to look and listen, resulting in a total trip of some 7 hours.

The 3 and a quarter hours estimated by google was an indication of just how slow this route was going to be, even without stops and deviations.

Highland Tourist Route

Not long after setting off the signposts indicated that the road was part of the Highland Tourist Route and I could see why – the moors have a beauty of their own – covered in heath and heather and undulating to the point of grandeur. Rugged looking sheep dot the hillsides in places and being part of the Cairngorns the whole area is sparsely populated.

Ever on the lookout for birds, I stopped at a field where a few Lapwings were accompanying a small flock of sheep – or was it the other way round – in any event the lapwings and sheep seemed quite comfortable in each other’s presence.

Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus Highland Tourist Route

The villages along the way look as if they haven’t changed for decades with neat stone houses often right up against the road and not much sign of life. And the main road is not necessarily reserved for vehicles….

Another stop and a short but steep walk up a hill took me to a viewpoint overlooking the Avon River and an expansive stretch of handsome countryside below

At this spot the signboard near the road gave some background of that most famous of Scottish products …

My first longer stop of the day was when I pulled off at a roadside parking area which led to a pleasant walk into a low valley, with birds active in the bushes and a couple of raptors overhead – one turned out to be a Kestrel while I could only ID the larger raptor as a Common Buzzard later, based on the photos taken of it flying at a great height and with grey backlight.

Common Buzzard Buteo buteo Lecht Road, Highland Tourist Route

At the lower end of the valley stood a grey stone building which a signboard informed me was part of an old mine from the 1700’s.

Teatime meant I made a quck stop at a roadside cafe for a small slice of their carrot cake, which I enjoyed with my tea at an old bridge on an abandoned stretch of road next to the main road – a boulder placed to discourage vehicles from using the bridge became my rugged tea table for the occasion.

Thistles are common at the roadside and this one was particularly attractive

The diversion to Montrose gave me an opportunity to visit the Montrose Basin Wildlife Reserve and have lunch while viewing the many waders on the sandbanks formed at low tide – just a pity visibility was not great due to the diffused light caused by cloud cover and a general haziness in the air. The distance of the viewing windows from the water also made it not worthwhile to attempt any photography.

Nevertheless there was a good variety of species that I could ID with the help of the scopes provided for visitors and the assistance of the pleasant young lady in charge. During the hour spent at the visitor centre’s viewing windows I was able to add several species to my growing trip list…

Waders such as Greenshank, Redshank and Eurasian Curlew
Eurasian Oystercatchers
A familiar looking Grey Heron
Common Tern – a chart on the wall showed its migration route, ending in South Africa
”Ordinary species such as Eurasian Collared Dove and Stock Dove
Bonus species in the form of Eurasian Tree Sparrow and Eurasian Magpie

There was still a couple of hours driving to do so I didn’t dawdle and continued along roads that seemed to get increasingly narrower, other than a stretch that took me through busy Dundee. There were still plenty of sights worth stopping for but that was sometimes impossible where roads are narrow and busy with no verge or lay bye handy to pull off

A hump back bridge that I drove over – quite a strange sensation going over it, not being able to see the other side

Common Pheasant Phasianus colchicus Highland Tourist Route

At last I got to Monturpie Guesthouse and checked in, then walked to the village for a decent meal of prawn cocktail and fish and chips at the local hotel where most customers were regulars judging by the many who had brought their dogs with them – all well behaved so it felt quite normal.

On the walk down to the village I spotted a Yellowhammer which was a lifer for me – I had no camera available so include the illustration from Collins just to show how striking this little bird is

And that was a nice way to round out an interesting day of travel along the back roads of the Highlands

Holiday Trips, International Birding

A Week in Scotland – the Magnificent Findhorn Valley

September 22, 2023 Don Reid 4 Comments

Wednesday 26th July 2023

Planning the Day

Still working on Sue, the Grant Arms Hotel’s in house bird guide’s suggestions, I planned to visit the Findhorn River Valley today. Sue had said this was one spot I should not miss and at the end of the day I was inclined to agree.

Waking up just after 6 am I made a quick decision to follow Sue’s other suggestion and see if I could find Black Grouse at nearby Dava Moor, just 15 minutes drive from Grantown so easily do-able before breakfast

Dava Moor

I followed the instructions given and parked at a lay bye then walked a short distance to a farm gate with a view across an expanse of field, with a few sheep wandering about. I spent a patient half hour scanning the field, but there was no sign of the grouse so I returned to the car, but not before taking in the beautiful sight of rows of pink flowers bordering another open field with a dam and hills in the distance

At the lay bye where the car was parked, a few birds were active and I spent a while watching their early morning activity and tracking some with my camera. I found the first of many Meadow Pipits that I would see that day

Lochindorb

I carried on to the turn-off to Lochindorb a few kms further and followed the single-track road to the loch, passing an unusual sign along the way – one that did not fill me with much confidence …… but I got across safely and encountered some birds and other wildlife before reaching the large open loch.

At the loch the water was bird free, but I had the place to myself apart from a couple of camper vans in the distance and happily soaked up the early morning freshness while having coffee, counting my blessings for the chance to experience such beauty and solitude.

The day was still young, but I was in danger of missing the fine hotel breakfast, so I headed back without delay and enjoyed fresh fruit, egg and bacon and toast with marmalade then returned briefly to the room to prepare for the rest of the day.

Before venturing out again, I walked down the neat, well maintained main street of Grantown on Spey to a small supermarket to get a cheese wrap for my lunch later on, suspecting that I would be far from any villages or other meal options during the course of my trip today.

A few motorbikes were parked near a coffee shop and I took a fancy to this one’s unusual design – a mechanical work of art

Strathdearn – Findhorn River Valley

Armed with a flask of tea and the cheese wrap I had purchased, I set off to visit Strathdearn (Findhorn Valley), using the hotel’s map and instructions. The route took me through the villages of Dulnain Bridge and Carrbridge then onto the A9 for a few miles before turning off at the sign for Raigbeg and Balvraid (love the names).

I stopped for a while to have a walk across the Findhorn Bridge, which is of a design I have never encountered before – quite stark in appearance and I wondered to myself what, if anything, had ‘inspired’ this particular design.

In contrast to the bridge, the river below was a fine sight, as are all the Scottish rivers I had come across so far – wide, fast flowing and inviting you to dip a glass in and drink straight from it.

Just after the Findhorn Bridge I turned left at the signpost for Garbole and Coignafearn onto a single-track road which I followed for the next 10 miles to the parking area at the end

I was becoming accustomed to the single track roads that seem to be a feature of the Scottish Highlands, but this particular road needed full and intense concentration as there is no warning of oncoming cars where the road bends or rises or drops and it does that continuously.

Fortunately I was one of few cars using the road and only had to take avoiding action or stop completely on a handful of occasions over the 10 miles.

The road initially wound its way past a few small farms, then the landscape opened up to reveal a scene as striking as I’ve seen anywhere in my travels

Along the way I made a few stops at interesting looking spots such as this one – I noticed a White Wagtail flying to the river and back and on closer inspection found it was taking food to its youngster on a rock at the water’s edge

White Wagtail Motacilla alba Findhorn River Valley – adult feeding juvenile

At the same spot a European Goldfinch flew down and perched for a moment on a colourful Thistle, just long enough to capture it on camera

European Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis Findhorn River Valley

It was a memorable experience all round being all but alone in such a stunning environment and I soaked it up by enjoying the sandwich and tea down by the riverside watching the rushing brown waters go by. The only other life of note was a flock of Common Mergansers, which paddled off down the river as I approached

I don’t usually bother about selfies but this setting just had to be put on record – I balanced my phone on a nearby rock, set the timer and dashed (OK I walked rapidly) to another rock and pretended to have been relaxing there for a while – not sure that I pulled it off but at least I have it on record.

Shortly after I came to the end of the formal road at a parking area with one other vehicle but no sign of the owner ….. or anyone else in fact.
Once I had parked, I set off down the walking/cycling track which disappeared into the distant hills in a dead straight line.

I couldn’t help wondering whether the world came to an end on the other side of those hills, but never did find out as, after 2kms of strolling along and enjoying the magnificence of the valley, I decided to turn back. Oh, and I actually saw two people on their way back to the other vehicle and we briefly shared our thoughts on this special place

There was no shortage of interesting things – birds, flowers, butterflies and the ever present pristine river with smaller streams flowing into it from the sides. Meadow Pipits were plentiful before coming across the cousin of a well-known species back home – a European Stonechat.

European Stonechat Saxicola rubicola Findhorn River Valley

A tributary of the Findhorn River which I crossed over on my walk

Reluctantly tearing myself away from this memorable spot, I returned along the same road, encountering just one other car in the 10 miles back to the main road, then taking the same route to the hotel in time for dinner

Holiday Trips, International Birding

A Week in Scotland – Loch Garten, Insh Marshes and Avielochan

September 12, 2023 Don Reid 4 Comments

Tuesday 25th July 2023

Planning the Day

My first day in Grantown on Spey started with breakfast of fruit and ‘real’ Scottish porridge – it seemed appropriate to enjoy it without milk and too much sugar. While sipping coffee I thought about the day ahead and how to best spend it – I wasn’t keen to do too much travelling but rather find some good birding spots nearby where I could spend some quality time.

The Grant Arms Hotel where I was booked is renowned for being a “Birder’s hotel” and has an in-house birding guide available each morning after breakfast to provide advice on birding spots and to lead guests on various walks and outings in the area.

I had checked out the planned walk for the morning and tentatively put my name down for it, so straight after breakfast I went to reception where Sue, the birding guide on duty for the day, was sitting and introduced myself.

No one else had booked for the walk but Sue was happy to still go ahead and after giving me some tips about other birding spots we arranged to meet at the Loch Garten parking area at 9.30 am.

Loch Garten Nature Walk

We duly met at the parking area for Loch Garten, another reserve run by the RSPB and walked slowly down the path towards the water, stopping frequently to look at plants, fungi, trees, even bugs and bees that Sue had lots of info about – this was a true nature ramble not just confined to birds and I enjoyed it thoroughly.

The area around the loch was mostly well developed Scottish Pine forest with a carpet of green comprising several different plant species – too many to take in on a short walk but fascinating to see. Here and there colourful fungi were prominent

At one point Sue stopped to listen to the various calls which indicated the presence of a small bird party in progress and we spent a while listening for and finding Crested Tit and Greater Spotted Woodpecker as well as Spotted Flycatcher and a Tree Creeper (which I did not get a good view of).

Getting a photo of the Crested Tit was a priority for me but was particularly tricky as it was high up amongst the branches with foliage obscuring it and with a strong backlight behind, added to which the bird was constantly on the move, hardly sitting in one spot for more than a half second or so. Each time I saw it I rattled off a number of shots and hoped for the best…

Crested Tit Lophophanes christatus Loch Garten

Fortunately (thanks Canon R7) just one of the many shots came out reasonably and with that prize in the bag we moved on.

On reaching the loch just a single Goldeneye was visible – a juvenile it seemed, and after following the track along the loch edge for a while we headed back to the carpark, having walked two hours in all.

Common Goldeneye (Juvenile) Bucephala clangula Loch Garten

Sue left to return to Grantown and I headed further down the road to the visitor centre for a brief visit – mainly to get a sandwich for my lunch later but while I was there I took advantage of the viewing windows and scopes provided to look at a distant Osprey on a nest.

Back in the car I looked at potential sites to visit that afternoon and selected Insh Marshes Nature Reserve as it promised a different habitat with other birds, possibly waders.

Along the road to Insh Marshes

Google maps indicated about 30 miles – a doddle on normal roads but as it turned out the route was along narrow, twisty, up and down country roads which made fast driving impossible as you have to take avoiding action every time a vehicle comes in the opposite direction.

Not only are the roads narrow but they are hemmed in on both sides by fences and stone walling right up against the verge so there is very little space to move to the side and in some cases, you have to almost come to a halt and let the other cars go by – not a moment’s relaxation can be afforded.

There seemed to be birds active in the trees and bush lining the road, so I looked for an opportunity to pull off and take a closer look, as well as to take a break from the concentration required driving these roads.

A small parking area next to the road at the start of a forest walk seemed like just the right spot and I spent a pleasant half hour or so scouting around, finding a few birds in the process. I was most excited about a European Blackcap flitting about the top of the low bushes at roadside – this is a bird that occurs in certain parts of Southern Africa but has eluded my efforts to find one, so seeing it here and managing to capture a fleeting image was a highlight of the day.

Eurasian Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla Loch Garten to Insh Marshes

A Song Thrush was more relaxed and posed nicely on a post for me

Song Thrush Turdus philomelos Loch Garten to Insh Marshes

With a few decent bird images in the bag, some striking wild flowers begged my attention and they soon joined the birds on the SD card

Common Honeysuckle, Loch Garten to Insh Marshes

Time to move on, but I was hardly back on the route to Insh Marshes when I crossed a bridge over the Feshie River – not a major river but one of the prettiest sights of the day, so I had to stop again at a safe spot on the other side of the bridge and walk back for a quick snap

Insh Marshes

I reached Insh Marshes and found a spot in the full car park, then took the pathway that others were using and found my way to the hide which was sited at the end of a slippery downhill track.

The hide overlooks a part of the vast marshes and promised to be a good spot to spend time scanning for birds. In fact, the opposite was true as all I could pick up was a lone Grey Heron partly concealed by long grass – perhaps many others were present but hidden, however there were no calls to indicate this.

Somewhat disappointed, I went back to the car park and beyond to another hide which had a different view but the same lack of birds. Nevertheless it was a fine place to enjoy the sandwich and tea I had brought with me, before heading back to the car park, where I made up for the lack of other photographic subjects by taking advantage of some relaxed Chaffinches and a Robin that took an interest in my doings.

Common Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs Insh Marshes

European Robin Erithacus rubecula Insh Marshes

I had spent less time than expected at Insh, which meant there was more than enough time to get to Avielochan, the last stop on my itinerary for the day, one which I hoped would be more successful from a birding aspect.

Avielochan

A short drive later I turned off towards Avielochan, a small loch in the middle of an agricultural area, and followed the road past a few houses until I found the hide located some distance from the water’s edge. The hide was erected by and belongs to Grant Arms hotel and is made available to guests

There were many waterfowl swimming on the loch, including several Greylag Geese which I had seen in fields earlier in the day, and Herring Gulls along the shoreline.

European Herring Gull Larus argentatus Avielochan

Most of the birds were on the far side of the loch and difficult to identify without a scope, however I used my camera’s reach to good effect and was able to pin down an ID on most of them.

Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula Avielochan

Little Grebe and Common Goldeneye were additions to my trip list and then I turned my attention to trying to find the bird featured in a large poster on the hide’s wall – Slovenian (Horned) Grebe. There are just 30 breeding pairs of this bird in the UK, all of which are to be found in the Scottish Highlands, with Avielochan being one of its favoured sites.

After some searching with my binos and taking a few photos I was fairly sure I had spotted one – this is what the image looked like at full 800mm zoom and with way too much light coming off the surface of the water

Slavonian Grebe Podiceps auritus Avielochan

The same image after some serious cropping, exposure adjustment and enhancement – the miracle of modern photographic technology allowing me to ID this Slovenian Grebe with certainty

By now it was getting close to dinner time and, not wanting to miss the excellent hotel dinner, I made haste back to Grantown and the Grant Arms for a lovely supper of soup, gammon, and a rich tart for pudding.

Sue, the hotel’s birding expert, had given me some good tips for birding spots which I planned to visit the next day …… but first a good night’s rest was what I needed most after another busy day.

Holiday Trips, International Birding

A Week in Scotland – Lochs, Ospreys … and the Road North

September 4, 2023 Don Reid 6 Comments

Monday 24th July 2023

Just a reminder how this trip came about…

1. Our granddaughter Maia (aged 16) has a passion for playing the flute and was very keen to attend the summer school run by Flute Scotland near Perth, Scotland. 2. Her parents could not afford the additional time off to chaperone her to Scotland. 3. Gerda ‘volunteered’ me to be chaperone and it was an easy decision, being an opportunity for a brief tour of the Scottish Highlands and some Scottish birding.

Planning the Day

My first full day in Scotland started with coffee in the self-catering Apartment in the village of Birnam – I hadn’t thought to make provision for breakfast and so wished I had brought a rusk or two from home to dunk in the coffee, but that would have to wait. First, I had to get myself ready for the day and plan my route to Grantown-on-Spey – a drive of some 140 kms, so there would be plenty of time to fit in some birding at selected spots along the way.

I consulted the app I had downloaded before the trip to see what birding opportunities I might find along the route – the app “Where to Watch Birds in Scotland” was my primary source of info throughout my trip. The app showed a couple of birding spots nearby and I decided that my first stop would be the Loch of the Lowes Wildlife Reserve – this reserve was located just beyond Dunkeld, the small village across the River Tay from Birnam, where I had spent the night.

Loch of the Lowes

Soon after, I was heading through Dunkeld and looking for the signposts to Loch of the Lowes – the turn off was just a few kms outside Dunkeld and I parked in the designated area and walked a short distance to the Visitor Centre

The friendly lady at the front desk gave a quick run-down on the facilities at the Reserve and mentioned the breeding Ospreys that were in the area and usually visible, while I purchased a small coffee and a much-needed large oats and chocolate snack bar.

On one side of the centre a full width window with one-way glass provided a panoramic view of the adjoining lush, wooded area and I settled down on an unoccupied bench to enjoy a belated ‘breakfast’ with a view. A number of feeders had been installed in front of the viewing window, providing an intimate view of the many birds coming and going almost constantly.

Great Tit *Parus major,* Loch of the Lowes

It was a good opportunity to take some photos of the birds attracted by the feeders – mostly Tits and Chaffinches, but a Great Spotted Woodpecker also appeared.

Chaffinch *Fringilla coelebs* Loch of the Lowes

Eurasian Blue Tit *Cyanistes caeruleus* Loch of the Lowes

Great Spotted Woodpecker *Dendrocopus major* Loch of the Lowes

Just to liven things up a Red Squirrel came to check out the feeding table specially stocked with nuts and briefly ‘posed’ for me on a nearby branch.

Red Sqirrel *Sciurus vulgaris* Loch of the Lowes

Moving on to the hides – one double-storey and another single – both afforded a broad view of the loch which was dotted with waterfowl.

View from the hides at Loch of the Lowes

I set about identifying the waterfowl that swam close enough to the hides and was pleasantly surprised to see a variety of species in a relatively short time.

Tufted Duck *Aythya fuligula* Loch of the Lowes

Great Crested Grebe *Podiceps christatus* Loch of the Lowes

Common Goldeneye *Bucephala clangula* Loch of the Lowes

Mallard (male) *Anas platyrhyncos* Loch of the Lowes

A Reed Bunting working its way busily through the reeds along the shoreline, provided some distraction from the open waters and proved to be a challenging photographic subject, showing for the briefest of moments, just enough to grab a shot or two.

Common Reed Bunting *Emberiza schoeniclus* Loch of the Lowes

Breeding Ospreys

The lady from the visitor centre spent time with us in one hide, explaining the history of the Ospreys breeding at the site. Curiously, the adults and juveniles migrate separately and according to tracking and ringing records head to West Africa.

Just then, the two juvenile Ospreys from the current brood showed up – one at the nest and the other in a dry tree on the opposite shore, both some distance away so the scopes provided by the centre came in handy.

Osprey (Juvenile) *Pandion haliaetus* Loch of the Lowes

By now it was lunchtime and with a way to go to Grantown on Spey I moved on along the back roads to Pitlochry where I thought I could get lunch. Well, the town was full of holidaymakers and their cars filled every parking spot I could see, so I carried on and googled the next birding spot – Loch Faskally, just the other side of town.

Loch Faskally

There were no facilities such as a Visitor Centre or bird hides, just a parking area and a board with walking trails marked on a map of the reserve, so I parked and set off on a walk which I thought would take in the best features.

The walk took longer than planned as I found several new birds – Wrens in the bushy areas were particularly numerous as I walked along trails through tall Scottish Pine forest.

Eurasian Wren *Troglodytes troglodytes* Loch Faskally, Pitlochry

The trail skirted the loch itself and I could see a pair of Mute Swans floating gracefully in the middle of the loch – just then a pair of Eurasian Oystercatchers flew in noisily and settled in shallow water on a nearby sandbank.

Mute Swan *Cygnus olor* Loch Faskally, Pitlochry

Eurasian Oystercatcher *Haematopus ostralegus* Loch Faskally, Pitlochry

The Road to Grantown on Spey

I was tiring a bit and aware of time passing by, so took a shortcut back to the parking area, from where I headed north towards the A9 main route and was soon barrelling along with trucks and cars all doing the same speed.

I was getting hungry having had just the snack bar the whole day, so I took the first turn off that indicated Services. I bought a sandwich and cappuccino and sat and ate at an outside table, accompanied by cheeky Robins begging crumbs and a more demure Song Thrush hoping for a scrap or two

European Robin *Erithacus rubecula* Lunch stop on A9

Song Thrush *Turdus philomelos* Lunch stop on A9

Feeling a lot better I carried on towards Grantown along more ‘back roads’ (where I stopped for the photo in the heading to this post) then re-joined the A9 and made haste towards my destination, which I reached by about 5.30 pm, glad to be able to check in, unpack and freshen up. On checking in I was asked what time I would like supper, which was included, and said 7.30 pm.

That left me with an hour and a half to scout around Grantown and I ‘followed my nose’ until I saw a sign pointing towards yet another nature reserve and I was soon walking along a gently sloping trail through forest to the banks of the River Spey. There I spent time just taking in the pleasant view of an old bridge, the clear running waters of the river and some colourful flowers along the river’s edge.

The busy day was rounded off with a superb three course meal in the hotel dining room – soup, a perfect trout dish and a decadent dessert was thoroughly enjoyed after a rather ‘thin’ day of snacking.

Holiday Trips, International Birding

A Week in Scotland – Getting there

August 28, 2023 Don Reid 5 Comments

Saturday and Sunday

So how did this trip come about?

The short version is that: 1. Our granddaughter Maia (aged 16) has a passion for playing the flute (dwarsfluit in Afrikaans) and was very keen to attend the summer school run by Flute Scotland at Strathallan School near Perth, Scotland. 2. Her parents could not afford the additional time off to chaperone her to Scotland, especially as the family had just returned from a holiday trip to England the previous week. 3. On hearing this Gerda ‘volunteered’ me to be chaperone and it was an easy decision as it opened up all kinds of opportunities for a brief tour of the Scottish Highlands and discovering some Scottish birds, while Maia attended the summer school. This all happened just two months prior to the trip so plans had to be put in place and bookings made without delay.

The Journey to Scotland

Traveling overseas is never easy and when it involves three separate consecutive flights the challenges are increased. As I was tasked with chaperoning Maia to her week-long Flute school, I felt an extra responsibility to make sure she got there safely and without too many hassles

As it turned out the journey to Scotland went as well as can be expected, considering that Europe had just started their summer holidays and we experienced peak numbers of travellers, all seemingly heading to their chosen destinations at the same time as us. That meant queues at every step in the process, especially at Schiphol which normally provides a pleasant experience for transit passengers but when you have to queue for 20 minutes to buy a much needed take away coffee it takes a lot of patience not to get too agitated.

At the security checkpoint where full body x-ray machines are used an irritated official decided to take it out on me and called me aside after complaining that I did not remove the tissues I had in my pants pocket (!) and performed a body search of every nook and cranny of my body, while reminding me ‘to remove everything from my pockets next time’. Needless to say I left the security area in a less than happy frame of mind, wondering, not for the first time, why such miserable individuals are chosen for this job.

Total travel time from Mossel Bay to Maia’s drop off at Strathallan school was around 25 hours. Fortunately I had booked extra legroom seats on all flights and on the main flight we had a spare seat between us so could achieve a better level of comfort and I managed to sleep more than I usually can on a long flight, albeit in that unnatural upright position that airplane seats force you to adopt.

That took-up most of the second day – Sunday – as well but I did fit in some very pleasant activities after the long trip.

Finding Strathallan

We collected the rental car from Avis at Edinburgh Airport and headed tentatively out and northwards towards the first point of call at Strathallan School in the countryside south-west of Perth. A panicky yet funny moment occurred while getting out of the rental car parking area – I just could not get the manual gears sorted until I realized I had forgotten how to drive with three pedals and was trying to find first gear without using the clutch. That is what happens when you drive only automatic cars for a couple of years – and your aged brain momentarily forgets how you drove manual cars for so many years

After that mild hiccup I was soon into my stride with the car and we followed the gps instructions which took us close to the school then googled the balance of the route. Scenery along the way was typically urban gradually morphing into attractive countryside once we turned off the main A90 route. The standout sight was seeing the bridges while crossing the Firth of Forth, especially the one we were on which is clearly quite new and very spectacular in design.

The school seemed deserted and we drove all over the beautiful grounds to find someone in charge, without avail until Maia checked her papers and saw the name Glenbrae House which turned-out to be the right place

Birnam and Dunkeld

Once she was settled I carried on towards Perth and beyond to Birnam for my first night in Scotland. The route took me along narrow country roads through idyllic scenery – green fields dotted with mostly white and a few black sheep (every family has them) with a glorious backdrop of hills and cloudy skies – I couldn’t ask for more on my first day in this really beautiful country.

In Birnam I found the Merryburn Apartments and checked in, only to discover the apartment I was allocated on the ground floor was named after a Reid – how’s that for good karma!

But the best of the day was yet to come …..

Once I had checked in I freshened up after the long journey and set out for a walk to the nearby village of Dunkeld, just a couple of kms away. I was feeling jaded and stiff from sitting in plane seats for 16 hours in total and a walk in the cool late afternoon air was what I craved.

I started off down the main street of Birnam finding interesting spots along the way and enjoying the well kept old architecture, the verdant lawns and gardens with a touch of wildness about them.

I crossed the old bridge over the River Tay – a wide fast flowing river with water which looked pristine – and walked along the main street of Dunkeld keeping a look out for a place to eat.

My plan had been to enjoy a sit down meal but a bright and clean looking fish and chips shop changed my mind so I ordered a ‘small haddock supper’ and headed back to the river where I had seen people seated outdoors next to the river

I soon had a decent glass of Pinot Noir and a seat at a long communal table right next to the river where I had one of the nicest meals and best views of the handsome old bridge – way better than sitting in a restaurant (and a lot cheaper, which is always heartwarming for someone with a Scots heritage)

A simple supper on the banks of the River Tay, Dunkeld

Mallards were swimming about at the river edge as I revelled in the view of the old bridge and sparkling waters – will it get better than this?

Mallard, River Tay, Dunkeld (cellphone photo through my binos)

After soaking it all up I headed back to Birnam, walking to the opposite end of the village then back to my accommodation. By this time it was close to 8pm but still light with a couple of hours to go before sundown

A statue commemorates one Niel Gow ‘Fiddler and Composer, Inver, Dunkeld’

What a pleasant day it turned out to be !

Flowers, Holiday Trips, National Parks

Spring Flowers Trip 2022 – West Coast National Park

February 17, 2023 Don Reid 4 Comments

This is the last of my series of posts on the Spring flowers trip we undertook in 2022

The Background

With wonderful memories of our Spring Flowers trip through parts of the Western Cape in September 2021 still fresh in our minds, we decided to do a similar, but different, trip in September 2022. Our planned route was to take us to Tulbagh for one night, then three nights each in Clanwilliam and Paternoster. To round off the trip we treated ourselves to a three-night stay in Cape Town’s Vineyard Hotel, in celebration of our birthdays which “book-ended” the trip,

Decision Time

Our trip had met all of our expectations and we felt more than satisfied with what we had seen and done during our trip so far. Day 7 of our trip was to take us from Paternoster to Cape Town and we debated whether or not to visit the West Coast National Park on the way there or to skip it this year, having ‘done’ it just a year ago.

Fortunately, as it turned out, we decided to head to the Langebaan gate of the Park after our last breakfast at Paternoster Dunes Guest House, and ‘play it by ear’ as to how much of the Park we would have time to explore, bearing in mind the distances involved in getting to the Postberg section of the park, which is only open during the flower season months, and the numbers of other flower viewers we were likely to encounter.

On the way to Langebaan a roadside Jackal Buzzard on a utility pole had me braking for a quick photo

Jackal Buzzard Buteo rufofuscus Rooiborsjakkalsvoël, Paternoster

Langebaan Gate to Postberg

After finding our way through the residential areas of Langebaan, we arrived at the gate into the Park where 12 cars were waiting to enter. The queue moved quickly and we were soon in the Park and making good progress to the T-junction where we turned right towards Postberg

We like to stop at every interesting bush to have a closer look at its flowers – the following two images are an example of a bush appearing fairly nondescript, but once you get up close and personal the flowers are quite striking

And so our journey went, all the way to Postberg section, stopping frequently, hopping in and out of the car to get a closer look and a photo from the right angle.

A few others seemed to be doing the same, but the majority passed by with hardly a glance, eager to get to Postberg for the massed displays of flowers – to each his own, but we prefer to take in everything we see

Now if only I knew the names of some of these beauties – it took me a few years to build up a reasonable knowledge of birds, now it seems to be taking even longer to learn more about the flowers and I still feel like a raw beginner

Once into the Postberg section of the Park, we joined the many vehicles driving the gravel roads and admiring the incredible displays of multi-coloured flowers – irresistible for more photos!

Cape Spurfowl among flowers, West Coast NP

At one point on the return journey to the gate, the sky was filled with Gulls, wheeling above the flower-bedecked flats – quite a sight to see!

Edible Flowers too!

And on a lighter note – did you know that some of the flowers in the park are edible? Well, I can confirm this is so, as you will see from the following photos of a cookieata sweetieae that we came across as we drove to Postberg – it is well known in the Biedouw Valley

And that, dear readers, is how the cookie crumbles

Breakaway needed ..

Getting there ….

The Streets

The Architecture

Leivore

Saturday 29th July 2023

Planning the Day

Edinburgh

Getting home

Friday 28th July 2023

Planning the Day

St Andrews

River Eden Estuary

Seeing Red ….. shanks

And Many Others ….

Some Familiar Birds

The Gulls

The Swimmers

Still More

Tentsmuir Nature Reserve

Thursday 27th July 2023

Planning the Day

Highland Tourist Route

Wednesday 26th July 2023

Planning the Day

Dava Moor

Lochindorb

Strathdearn – Findhorn River Valley

Tuesday 25th July 2023

Planning the Day

Loch Garten Nature Walk

Along the road to Insh Marshes

Insh Marshes

Avielochan

Monday 24th July 2023

Just a reminder how this trip came about…

Planning the Day

Loch of the Lowes

Breeding Ospreys

Loch Faskally

The Road to Grantown on Spey

Saturday and Sunday

So how did this trip come about?

The Journey to Scotland

Finding Strathallan

Birnam and Dunkeld

The Background

Decision Time

Langebaan Gate to Postberg

Edible Flowers too!

Adventurous Birding, Atlasing and Travel