At this time of the year flocks of Scaup wintering on the Inverness Firth often move closer inshore at high tide. This provides a chance to photograph a species, which all too often stays well out of camera range. In one flock I spotted a couple of odd looking ducks, a drake much darker on the back than a normal Scaup with a small peaked tuft behind the crown of its head. Nearby was a female with a similar tuft to the male and showing much less white at the base of its bill than a normal female Scaup. After consulting several books I came to the conclusion that they must have been hybrids between Scaup and Tufted Duck.

ScaupxTufted Duck hybrid

The colour-ringed Brent Goose that I had first seen back in November was still around the same area, probably having wintered on the Moray Firth. I found out from the Irish Brent Goose Research Group that it had originally been caught and ringed by them in May 2008 on its migration north through Iceland.

In early March a few Skylarks along with Meadow Pipits return to the high ground. This year, as in most years they were driven back down to lower altitudes by periods of heavy spring snowfall.

Sika Deer are becoming an increasingly common sight in some parts of the Highlands. They tend to be more skittish than their red cousins. When disturbed by a passing vehicle they group together in a tight herd.