Capercaillie proudly displaying

Cairngorm National Park, Scotland

Description

The capercaillie is truly a magnificent, impressive, powerful bird.  Walking along the path the bird made it’s way towards me. I was quite taken aback and a bit scared of it as that bill looks like it would give a nasty bite but once it realised I was no threat it soon settled down and I was able to watch it from a respectful distance while it carried on behaving naturally eating the heather, grit and drinking from a nearby spring.  It was lovely to watch and I walked away from the bird as it made it’s way back through the forest, a one off encounter I will never forget.