Squirrel hide for hire.

July 9 2010

After several years of fending it off, we've relented and decided to offer our purpose-built red squirrel hide for hire. It will only be available when we are not running workshops and only through the winter months - which is by far the best time anyway. If any blog readers have photographer friends visiting the Cairngorms this winter, please do alert them. See details in our Photo-tours pages.

A day to remember.

March 10 2010

Good company, weather to die for and just one or two obliging ptarmigan. Body battered, soul soothed.

Welcome to Scotland!

March 8 2010

I'm getting ready to welcome Janne Heimonen from Finland and Marcus Valeur from Norway for a week of wildlife photography in the Scottish Highlands. Janne and Marcus are the overall winners of the Wild Wonders of Europe photo-competition (see link below).

In addition to spending time in the Cairngorms National Park, the winning duo will be afforded the ultimate in hospitality with a visit to Alladale Wilderness Reserve in Sutherland. I'll be posting updates on their progress so watch this space!

http://www.wild-wonders.com/photo_competition_winners_overall.asp

You sow and thus reap.

March 5 2010

The wind was looking for a fight this morning and the sky looked ominous. Last week I took a group onto Cairngorm and the weather beat us back - I was expecting no different today. To be honest if I'd been on my own, I wouldn't have gone...but I did...we did...and thanks to Luis, Andrea and Ruben for that.

In worsening conditions verging on white-out, we not only found a small group of ptarmigan but a rather...no, very...obliging Mountain Hare. Sometimes I just love this place to bits!

There's a price to pay...

February 18 2010

...for snow I mean. Don't get me wrong, it looks fantastic and as camera fodder, it's unbeatable but boy can it be hard work.

This morning saw the conclusion of the latest in our series of Winter Wildlife photo-tours. Guests were 'privileged' to be in a Land Rover precariously sliding on ice next to a deep wooded ravine; having the opportunity to push an out-of-control VW minibus away from a guaranteed collision and finally, racing their prized motor cars full tilt up our snow-laden access track just to get home...and only one failed to accomplish their RAC Rally qualification (sorry Ken!) So, here I am back in the office where I can take a break from life on the knife-edge (and I wasn't even guiding!) Now I can get on filling in the claim form for Amanda's coming together with Emma's poor old VW Polo just yesterday.

Yes it looks great but my nerves and bank balance prefer life without the white stuff. But don't let any of this put you off coming!! And thanks to all those who (I think) enjoyed the snow-laden Highlands this last week.

Too many deer?

January 27 2010

Here we go again on the 'too many' trail. Too many of this, not enough of that. Are there too many red deer in Scotland? Rarely a week passes when I don't receive someone's view on that. The question is inextricably linked with tradition, employment, culture, social values, animal welfare, ecology, forest restoration, even the return of wolves. It's less than straightforward.

This image is a small piece in the jigsaw, a jigsaw that is a multi-agency initiative to manage Scotland's deer in a more sustainable way - maintaining traditional employment whilst ensuring deer numbers are kept in line with the carrying capacity of the land. It was taken on Alvie Estate near Kincraig in the Cairngorms where the estate management are venturing into deer tourism as not only a revenue stream, but as an opportunity to educate visitors about the complex issues surrounding Scotland's deer.

Photographic sessions are available December through March, weather permitting. Contact: David Kinnear (01540 651255) www.alvie-estate.co.uk

A red letter day clouded in blue.

November 12 2009

For what seems like years, I've been proposing to various Highland estates that a winter eagle feeding facility - to compete with those well established in mainland Europe - would be a serious commercial attraction to photographers. Yesterday at Alladale Wilderness Reserve in Sutherland, the site was finally chosen! I'll keep you abreast of developments.

On returning to the Cairngorms as the light faded, a wonderful cool blue hue hung over Abernethy Forest...

What a year!

October 19 2009

I reckon this year's autumn colour is amongst the best I've seen in the Cairngorms. Here's a few local shots from recent days.