Early June 2009 saw us temporarily return to wintry conditions with early morning frosts and even a fresh dusting of snow on the Cairngorms! (see pic). The birds & animals seemed relatively unaffected though, and bird day-lists rose higher into the 60's and mammal lists remained steady at 6-10.

Wildlife highlights included:

Fledglings! Just about every species of bird we saw seemed to have youngsters - drawing lots of "aaaah's" from my safari clients!

A brief visit to our area by a very rare and beautifully marked adult male Red-Backed Shrike, and yes, I'm pleased to report that I was one of the lucky few that got to see it!

The very unusual sight of both Red-Throated Diver & Black-Throated Diver on the same loch at the same time.

A brief sighting of a Stoat chasing Rabbits near a farmland track.

Most of the 'local specialities' - (Divers, Slavonian Grebe, Osprey, Grouse species, Crested Tit, Crossbill, Dipper, Ring Ouzel, Red Squirrel, Red Deer, Reindeer, Mountain Goat etc) continued to show regularly & delight my safari clients.

Regular sightings of Ospreys fishing on local lochs - seeing these magnificent birds plunge-dive so spectacularly must be one of British wildlife's must-see moments.

Late May 2009 saw us enjoy some fantastic dry,hot, sunny weather with temperatures soaring to to 27.5c on the last weekend, and we now have almost 20 hours of daylight - great wildlife watching weather! With all of the Summer visitors now arrived, bird day-lists crept higher up into the 60's, with mammal day-list steady at 6-10.

Wildlife highlights included:

Most of our 'local specialities' - the species that my clients most hope to see (Osprey, Goldeneye, Red-Throated Diver, Black-Throated Diver, Slavonian Grebe, Dipper, Red Grouse, Ring Ouzel, Crested Tit, Crossbill, Red Deer, Red Squirrel, Mountain Hare, etc) continued to show well - though Capercaillie & Black Grouse, with their 'lekking' season over, have become much more difficult to see.

A new 2009 record (so far!) mammal day-list of 10 - Rabbit, Bank Vole, Wood Mouse, Roe Deer, Red Deer, Reindeer, Brown Hare, Mountain Hare, Red Squirrel, & Mountain Goat.

Regular views of our local Ospreys fishing (& sometimes actually catching a fish!) & delivering their catch to the female & chicks at the nest - a wonderful sight!

Great views of a ring-tail (female) Hen Harrier hunting low over heather moorland, impressing us all with it's very buoyant , acrobatic flight - sadly, this is a very rare sight these days.

Super close-ups of one of Britain's rarest & most beautiful birds - Slavonian Grebe, on a lovely secluded local lochan (see pic).

A brief mid-afternoon glimpse of a beautifully marked Woodcock on a quiet track - a rare & enjoyable treat as they are normally only seen at dusk.

Fledglings! First sightings of young Goldeneyes, Red Grouse, Greylag Geese & Ospreys.