The Inglorious Twelfth

Today is the start of the Grouse shooting season and as we all know the gamekeepers have been out with their guns well before the twelfth. Apart from the odd Buzzard this weeks Short Eared Owl was the only raptor seen in our recent five day visit to Speyside. The Hen Harriers that once inhabited these moors have been heavily persecuted. In England this year only three pairs of Hen Harriers have bred successfully and all of these were on forestry land not Grouse moorland. It is a national disgrace which this Government seems incapable of solving.
When you are involved with wildlife all your life events happen which you know you will never see again. One such event occurred as we drove south on the A9 – one of Scotlands busiest roads. I suddenly noticed, on the other side of the road, a Woodcock with four day old young that she was about to take across the road! As we sped past she flew over the bonnet of the following car and landed on our side of the road from where she would have called them across to her. Whether they made it we shall never know but as there was a lull in the following traffic I like to think that they did.
This weeks gallery includes a small selection of Speyside photos including the Kingfisher that was present at the Osprey fishing pool and is still there today! Click Here