Scotland at Easter

18-20 April - My first Scottish trip of the year, at the end of a fine warm spell - Munros in the Glen Carron area. Meadow Pipits and a few Wheatears were back on the moors. Loch Carron held 3 fishing, summer-plumaged Red-throated Divers. 2 distant Golden Eagles were seen soaring from Lurg Mhor to the south of Loch Monar, and I heard my first Cuckoo of the year from Lochcarron on 19th. I had time on the last morning to call in at Udale Bay on the Black Isle - a variety of waders here on the rising tide including Bar-tailed Godwits and Redshank, Oystercatcher and Ringed Plover - and also good numbers of Pink-footed Geese stopping off on their spring journey back to Iceland.