We’ve just returned from three fantastic tours to the Scottish Highlands in April 2026 based out of the Grant Arms Hotel in Grantown-on-Spey. The weather was largely kind to us and we had three happy groups coming away with a nice list of Scottish specials!
Black Grouse by Paul Griffiths
The Black Grouse lek was a clear highlight for our second tour, with most of the group voting the spectacle as their moment of the week. It’s not hard to see why – the bubbling and cooing of the males was carrying across the moor on a beautiful calm morning, and the birds amphitheatre on the top of a grassy knoll was bathed in perfect early morning light. As ever we watched cautiously from the road at a distance, using the vehicles as a screen, but tour participant Paul Griffths still managed to get this amazing shot!
Raptors featured highly and we had excellent views of Ospreys this year. The best was a pair at the nest which we were watching when another male came in and got chased off by the resident bird. That male then proceeded to go into full display flight above the nest having seen off its rival. Golden Eagles showed well this year too and we had mega views of White-tailed Eagles on our west coast trip to Handa Island.
Osprey (Stuart Fox) and Golden Eagle (Paul Griffiths)
Our trip up Cairngorm was also a success with a pair of Ptarmigan seen on our first two tours. The Snow Buntings stole the show in the Coire Cas car park though, with several stunning males in summer plumage coming down to seed and photographable at close range. With Slavonian Grebes, Crested Tits, Parrot and Scottish Crossbills, White-billed Diver, Stejneger’s Scoter, King Eider, Surf Scoter and plenty of spring migrants seen across the three tours, its not hard to see why it’s such a popular trip. Bookings now being taken for 2027!
