Atmospheric (aka driech!)

Brilliant tour today, good company but rotten weather!

Nice views of Red Throated Diver on Loch en-route to Findhorn Valley but no sign of the Black Throats.
Two Golden Plovers at Lochindorb, one bird in full plumage was a nice bonus sighting. as was the Ringed Plover on the Lochside.

Ringed Plover 

Various Mountain Goats  

Ram-Note the holes in tips of horns, for ear rings? 

Juv Cuckoo, was being fed by Meadow Pipit

It rained all day in the valley, sometimes heavy, sometimes light, but always wet.

A brief fly-by of an immature Golden Eagle was nice seeing as it was an Eagle and Ouzel special, however the Ouzels were to let me down once again!  I really will have to source a new area for these on workshops!

Burghead in Summer Brrrr!

Freezing.... sums up today!  Back into gloves and wooley hat!  Strong Westerley wind kept a lot of birds far out in the Firth and NO terns of any description all morning.

Still somethings where of interest:

Grey Heron 

 Purple Sandpiper

Common Seal pup

Purple Sandpiper

The seal pup was a bit of a surprise which led me to think it was sick, it did however return quite happily to the water and was seen throghout the visit.

Vetted!

Been a very busy week with workshops and the many summer migrants arriving have given a whole host of new species for folk to look at and come to grips with.

Burghead has been the most popular destination again and with the White Billed Diver still on offer and many lingeringing winter sea ducks still in the area it was clear to see why.

An important meeting for me as an individual and Birding Ecosse as a business was the "vetting" given by Kirsty and Katy from the excellent Birdwatching and Wildlife Club based in the Grant Arms Hotel in Grantown-on-Spey, after a whirlwind tour and explanation of each my workshop locations  I am glad to report the outcome was positive and they have accepted Birding Ecosse as one of their recommended tour companies, to say I am over the moon is an understatement!

The diary is still healthy with new workshops getting booked and the regulars returning to see the familiar locations in a new season, I try to impress on people that once the three workshops have been completed it doesn't mean they have to stop!  The seasons are ever changing as is the birds that visit these locations, even some of the same birds change their appearance so if you  if you like a particular birding spot and want to visit more than once, then just get in touch!

Katy and Kirsty from the BWWC