Overpriced tour of Aviemore region,part 2

So, I'm still on yesterday. Due to my patchy and random checks of other blogs, I only just realised that the McKinney and Miss Cole passed through Aviemore last week, and got 0.5 s more views of Capercaillie than I did. I think I've been to undisclosed location next to undisclosed town too. I recognise those trees(!) and have had similar views of caper there.

Later we spent a well-worth-it £23 to take the family up the Cairn Gorm funicular...

...and on the way back, pulled into the forest near Rothiemurchus to teach Peter how to pish up against a tree. Aware that we might bump into some crossbills at some point, I'd brought my RememBird thingy, thinking it would be pretty cool to get a sonagram and get Scottish Crossbill back on my list in proper fashion. But in a foolish act of sharing earlier in the day, I'd taken the RememBird off the nockies and put it in my bag so Lizzie could adjust the bins for a lookie. So imagine my distress when a pair of crossbill (sp) flew overhead and I reached for the bins and realised that the RememBird was still in the car boot. By the time I'd run back and got it, the crossbills were gone gone gone. We had a good time looking for them, though.

Lizzie looking for Scotbills

Peter looking for Scotbills.
Note Lizzie's forest nature table, with 9 pine cones, a bit of twig with lichens, and a small model Stegosaurus skeleton

Got the Stegosaurus. Are you on it? It's just below the twig with the lichens



The great forest of Caledon. Home of Crested tits, unidentifiable crossbills and annoying large chickens

On the way home today, lots of Red Grouse displaying on the moors between Speyside and Tomintoul, and an Osprey fishing over the River Dee about 5 miles west of Banchory.

More family photos in Lizzie's Pink Plastic Warehouse.

Loch Garton, April 2007. It doesn't always look like this.