Red Kite spotted

Rare red kite spotted gliding gracefully over Loch Ness this afternoon before disappearing into the clouds. Snow showers today but now brightening up. The red kite has a very distinctive forked tail.

Spring at last

The snow melt and heavy rain caused Loch Ness to become very high. Lower Foyers river burst its banks both sides as well as many other rivers in the area. Loch Oich had trouble with a weir collapsing and breaching the Caledonian Canal and repair work will take a lot of money and time. Large boulders came loose and blocked the A82 causing this main road between Inverness and Fort William to be closed for repair all weekend.....nice and quiet for us. Today the weather is beautiful and the sun is shining and the sky is blue......real Spring like and hopefully the worst is now behind us.

February snow scenes.

The month of February started with constant snow showers and very cold temperatures. The snow is still laying here in Upper Foyers although it has disappeared in villages nearer Loch Ness .. maybe being nearer the water is warmer. Temperatures are due to rise this coming week so hopefully the worst is all behind us and we can look forward to Spring.

Winter Wonderland

Winter arrived this week with a good layer of snow at lower levels around houses and completely covering the mountains around Loch Ness. The temperature dropped and everything became a challenge. In all this the birds needed to be catered for, often in great numbers. The red squirrels uncovered their secret supply of beech and hazel nuts they had hidden during autumn and sat and ate in the snow.
Watch the video from South Loch Ness.

Pine martens in the area

Pine Martens are in the South Loch Ness area. They can be quite bold and enter gardens looking for food and refreshments, even during the daytime.     

Jays in Farigaig Forest

Jays are often sighted in Farigaig Forest on South Loch Ness Side and will come to feed at bird tables in the cold winter weather. They usually go about in pairs and are always beautiful to see with their stunning blue flash of colour.
Watch the local Fairigaig Jays feeding in a garden.

Snow arrives in the Highlands.

Snow fell over the weekend making Loch Ness very picturesque.The birds need extra feeding. 

First snow of Winter

The first snow this Winter fell over the weekend and covered the higher ground. All the ski resorts in the Highlands have a good covering which is good for the sporty people who enjoy going out in cold temperatures. More snow is forecast and strong winds for Scotland. Photos to follow.