Where can you see Capercaillie, Black Grouse, Slavonian Grebes, Mountain Hare, Osprey, Ptarmigan, Ring Ouzel and Red Deer in one day?

Right here in the Cairngorms with the Bird Watching and Wildlife Club and Wild Caledonia!

"The best day out ever," (according to guest David Donald) also included a lunch in a remote estate bothy and a nocturnal encounter with a Tawny Owl, on a long but unforgettable crusade for the 'Speyside Specialities'. Everyone involved said they wanted to come again - and you can come too!

We're offering this event again in on 19-20 June and 17-18 July, 2009. For more details and to join in the fun contact Wild Caledonia on 07887 883117.

Anagach Wood is alive with new arrivals! The first Barn Swallows have just appeared, a week later than last year despite the hot weather, and a Pied Flycatcher was seen on the latest guided walk. Willow Warblers are in full song all over the woodland and Redstarts have also been spotted by several guests. The main usual suspect not to have been seen or heard yet is the Cuckoo but it surely won't be long.

Meanwhile, a flurry of Red Squirrel activity on the feeders is providing some excellent photography opportunities - thanks to guest Barrie Tumbridge for this one. They may be unbelievably nimble in the treetops, but when there is the distraction of an easy peanut, they will at least stay still for a few moments - unlike the Tiger Beetles, hey, Barrie!

A blazing hot guided walk on Sunday saw our guests catch a suntan, as well as sightings of Scottish Crossbill, Red Squirrel and Roe Deer! Our usual stop-off on the old packhorse bridge found the River Spey teeming with life, with Grey Heron, Dipper, Common Sandpiper, Goldeneye and Grey Wagtail all seen from the bridge.

Meanwhile, the summery weather is producing all kinds of unusually early sightings - from Bumble Bees to Butterflies (Small Tortoiseshell, Comma and Red Admiral have all been seen) and, perhaps best all, a spate of Bottlenose Dolphin encounters at various sites on the Moray Firth.

Hail the hot weather!

Lots of exciting news to report from RSPB Loch Garten.

After a very successful courtship period during which female Osprey EJ and new mate Odin appeared to be rather more than enamoured with each other, yesterday at 11.45am EJ laid her first egg and is now dutifully sitting on the world's most famous nest, relying for the first time on her new mate for a regular supply of fresh fish. So far so good, with Odin doing everything that is required, though of course the sterner test of feeding a clutch of hungry mouths is (hopefully) yet to come...
Meanwhile the action is hotting up at the dawn 'CaperWatch'. With three Capercaillie being seen this morning, and a remarkable six individuals being sighted the day before, the early start is proving to be worth it.
The highlights of a flurry of very special sightings over the pasts few days has included a male Ring-necked Duck near Loch Ruthven and a Goshawk at Findhorn Valley.

Another guided walk - another flock of Scottish Crossbills. April has definitely been living up to its billing as one of the best months to see and hear Scotland's only endemic bird, as breeding individuals proclaim their territory and any unpaired birds continue to sing and display.

Many of the broadleaved trees are already in bud too, with incredible colours and formations to be discovered for those prepared to look a little closer at these otherwise inconspicuous floral offerings.

An ash bud or a sycamore leaf can appear as elaborate and strange as a Salvador Dali painting - if only we stop to enjoy the wonderful world quietly emerging all around us.

It's also a pleasure to report that our afternoon walk in Abernethy Forest was a great success - as well as Ospreys and Red Squirrels at the Visitor Centre, we spied a male Capercaillie in the clearing that no-one else had noticed!

On the walk itself, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, Treecreeper and Siskin all put in an appearance, with Goldeneye and Greylag Geese on the lochs and a colony of Wood Ants rounding off a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon's work!

100% success at the Badger hide so far this year! Last night's watch was the best yet, with one particularly adventurous male Badger determined to systematically hoover up every single one of the peanuts! Everyone held their breath as he sauntered right up to within one feet of the hide, totally oblivious of the delighted throng of guests!

Just a quick entry today. I received a great image taken by Craig Westlake, wildlife guide from Deeside Nature Activities, which Craig took last night as he was driving over the moorland road from Tomintoul to Grantown-on-Spey on his way to do a talk at the Hotel.

The Common Gull looks slightly concerned (and a little overshadowed) by it's larger companion, none other than a White-tailed Sea Eagle! A great sighting Craig - I hope the tours you do with BWWC guests in the coming year continue to turn up such rare encounters!

I always love receiving guests' photos and Gerald Smith has just sent me in a cracker, from the Ptarmigan walk we organised with the Cairngorm Mountain Ranger Service. Gerald said:

'The day on the mountain was fantastic, good weather, great area and a wonderful guide Heather and of course the Ptarmigan. We had a wonderful stay at the hotel and hope to visit again soon.'

Glad that you enjoyed it Gerald and Nina!

Meanwhile, reporting on our guided walk today we were treated to a feast of wildlife sightings - a flock of around 20 Scottish Crossbills was the highlight, along with Red Squirrels, a Roe Buck, Siskin, one Buzzard mobbed by a Raven, another by two Barn Swallows, and on the River Spey Dipper, Grey Wagtail and Goldeneye. We also heard a Crested Tit but were foiled on that score. Still, a memorable three hours for all!

A great few days of guest sightings and guided walks to tell you about. Ospreys are well and truly back - and not just at Loch Garten. Guests have seen the fish hawk doing what it does best at the famous Rothiemurchus Fish Farm on the last two afternoons! Meanwhile, new contender Odin - believed to be a Scandanavian Osprey, is the talk of the town as he busily mates with usual Loch Garten female EJ. There's bound to be trouble if last year's male, Orange VS, turns up late and tries to gatecrash the party...

The male Capercaillie was the highlight of our guided walk on Monday, with other species being seen including Red Squirrel, Treecreeper, Grey Wagtail and Goldeneye.

There was a beautiful dawn backdrop to the Black Grouse Watch with Glenlivet Wildlife today rewarding the Hotel's early risers, with a total of four male Black Grouse seen leking, supported by a cast of Mountain Hare still in winter coat and several Roe Deer on the moorland.

And just in case you were asking, Golden Eagles are still out and about too!

Ospreys are well and truly back! EJ, the breeding female at RSPB Loch Garten for the last 7 years running was first seen back on site a week ago and has since been busy scraping out her old nest and generally laying claim to her throne. In addition, there have been several guest sightings of Ospreys all over the Strath, from Lochindorb to Insh Marshes to Rothiemurchus Fishery. I can wait to see how the drama unfolds over the next few days...

Meanwhile, the first 'dawn CaperWatch' of 2009 duly delivered with Capercaillie being seen in the misty Caledonian pine forest of Abernethy at the only event of its kind in the U.K.

Golden Eagles are still displaying at Findhorn Valley and, best of all, I've added a photo of a Wildcat which I managed to capture as it hunted in the rough grasses for Rabbits near my home! I was foiled mid-stalk in my plans to get a better pic by the attentions of my next door neighbours dog. Still, you get the general idea...