Nuthatch at peanut feeder.
The velux windows for the lodge have finally been installed. One in each of the bedrooms (with remote control blinds), one in the hallway and a large window in the lounge. What a difference when the blind is opened in the main bedroom!
Heading to the top of Cairnhill (390m), lying immediately behind Cairnhill Lodge. Jura is loving the wee bit snow on the track.
Always a privilege seeing a Scottish wildcat close up. And when it's in your garden it's even more special. Snowed heavily last night, but that didn't deter Mr Cairnhill from making his nightly visit to our feeding station. In case you're wondering, the video was captured by holding our iPhone to the eyepiece of a birdwatching scope. Beautiful, disarming green eyes staring back down the lens.
Festive leftovers for our Scottish wildcat, Mr Cairnhill. In case you're wondering, we deboned a leg of lamb, and this is the uncooked bone on the Boxing Day menu.
Mr Cairnhill's New Year's resolution: to join the Glenisla Tug-of-War team ... as the anchor 'wildcat'-man.
Happy New Year everyone. 🐾🥃😽
To all our Cairnhill Lodge friends and followers - wishing you and family a fun-packed (but safe and socially responsible) Christmas 2021. Here's hoping, as we step towards 2022, that it brings us all a brighter year to look forward to. 🐾 🎄
Slainte Mhath 🥃
Dark winter nights are upon us ... but our tracks in the snow tell of our presence ... for a wee while at least 🐾
Todays TOPIC - what has a hazelnut in every bite?
(You'll need to be of a certain vintage to remember the advert!)
Our new red squirrel feeder table at Cairnhill Lodge would appear to be a hit with the locals.
Pre-dinner siesta 😻🐾💤
Wee Conor - our Scottish Wildcat visitor - gets some shut-eye before his supper arrives. He sure has a wild streak in him 😹. Wonder what he dreams about 🍗
On the River Tay ... just drifting along, with not a care in the world!
Our guests Albert and Marianne were keen to spot a Scottish wildcat. So, together, we set up a camera trap and baited it with out a juicy chicken leg. It was exciting investigating the scene in the morning to see if there had been any nighttime visitors...
Of course there had! Mr Cairnhill can smell a chicken leg from 100 paces away. And in the quiet of the night he enjoyed his supper. Marianne and Albert enjoyed seeing the adventure unfold in the video recording.
This is how long-lasting memories are made.
Backwater reservoir cycle from Cairnhill Lodge
A beautiful cycle from Cairnhill Lodge to Backwater Reservoir via Glenmarkie. Consists of some off-road foresty track that links to the reservoir road. The reservoir is a great location for easy canoeing/kayaking and standup paddeboarding ... or fantastic walking and cycling. The dam itself provides a brilliant vantage point with a view stretching the entire length of the reservoir (about 4km long). Or in our case, to film an oystercatcher sitting on one of the concrete barriers as we cycled by.
Two course meal ... for one!
After a main course of raw chicken drumstick, wee Conor, the juvenile Scottish wildcat, goes on to raid the hedgehog food bowl for dessert!!
Conor - the wee Highlander: Scottish wildcat
Hugely privileged yesterday evening to catch sight of our juvenile Scottish wildcat, Conor - the wee Highlander, before it got dark. Managed to capture some colour video for a change. Some of the video taken from our sunroom using camera phone and bird-watching scope, and the remainder using a camera trap at the feeder station.
Hedgehogs out of hibernation in the Highlands ... but maybe not everyone is pleased.
Hedgehogs out of hibernation in the Highlands ... but maybe not everyone is pleased.
Fantastic to see a big healthy hedgehog return to our Scottish wildcat feeding station. We are very pleased, but maybe our Scottish wildcat fears competition from the small spiky one! Actually neither appear phased in each others company.
Very interestingly, this wildcat is neither Mr Cairnhill nor Coco. It is most likely "Conner the Wee Highlander" - a juvenile from last year.
If you wait until the end you'll see the hedgehog wanders away quite happily.
Otter visits our garden
An otter was an unexpected guest in our garden.
Where eagles dare
Glorious Easter "Saturday" bike ride from the front of Cairnhill Lodge to the head of Glenisla and finally into Caenlochan Glen. Here we are surrounded by several Munros - Scottish mountains over 3000 feet - with the Glenshee Ski Centre just over these hills to our west. Spotted a golden eagle drifting effortlessly across the mighty ridge of Druim Mor (which from the Gaelic is aptly translated as the "big ridge"). Warm spring sunshine and egg sandwiches ... fantastic.
