VPS a great a success with visitors to Loch Ness | Visit Loch Ness Blog

VPS a great a success with visitors to Loch Ness Visit Loch Ness Blog

Waxwings sighted

There has been a sudden influx of migrant blackbirds from Northern Europe who are very hungry and thirsty and spend alot of time eating, drinking and splashing about in the bird bath. Not sure exactly what weather conditions they left behind them.

Birdwatchers in the north have been reporting large invasions of exotic waxwings, a bird the size of a starling that breeds in Russia and Northern Scandinavia. They have a silky grey-brown plumage with waxy red,white and yellow markings on each wing, a prominent crest and a black throat. These invasions are quite erratic, possibly due to a failure in the crop of their favourite food of rowan berries or a population explosion after a particularly good rowan harvest. Flocks this week have been sighted in Sutherland, Nethybridge, at the RSPB nature reserve at Abernethy and, not far from here, a flock of about 150 at Burghead in Moray.
We have actually seen waxwings once before about ten years ago when a large gang suddenly descended on the nearby rowan trees in late September and rapidly stripped the trees bare of berries. Think we might have seen a flock of them in Inverness today.

Autumn arrives

The leaves on the trees are beginning to change into many different shades before they tumble to the ground and the top road is now looking very colourful as we drive into Inverness. From Monday we have been experiencing extremely low cloud and freezing fog with temperatures in single figures and poor visibility. This contrasts sharply to the weather we had last weekend when the sky was a clear blue and it was unseasonably mild with temperatures in the mid 60F on the west coast and the Isle of Skye in particular. I don't suppose we will experience mild weather for some time.

2010 Loch Ness Marathon

Walked up to Aspenwood Holiday Cottage on the Inverfarigaig road yesterday to watch and cheer on the Loch Ness Marathon runners pass by en route from Whitebridge to Bught Park in Inverness. This year has the largest entry field in the history of the Baxters Loch Ness Marathon and Festival of Running with more than 8,600 runners from 41 different countries.There are several events as well as the 26 mile Marathon - the River Ness 10K, the 10K Corporate Challenge, the 5K Fun Run and, new this year, the Wee Nessie 400m for pre-school children.

First past the winning post was a Great Britain International, although originally born in Ethiopia, Tomas Abyn who first won this race 7 years ago. He finished in 2hrs 20mins and 50secs. The winning female was also from Ethiopia and was competing for the first time and finished about 20 minutes later.

Even though it was raining we all cheered on the runners, some very colourfully dressed, as they thundered or limped along in front of us. Last year one of our guests took part in the Marathon and completed it. This year a guest staying at Aspenwood Cottage was intending to participate but sadly had to pull out due to an injury but he did walk up from the holiday cottage to watch and cheer on his two friends who were able to compete.

As we walked back home the rain stopped and the sun came out so the rest of the Marathon was completed in sunshine which must have been alot easier-if that is possible- and much more pleasant and scenic for all concerned.