I'm lucky to live in the Cairngorms National Park and I have positioned my bird feeders in my garden so I can sit and watch them from my...

There are currently three species of crossbill recognised in Speyside: the Common Crossbill, the Scottish Crossbill and the Parrot Crossbill, with around six species recognised in the world. Members of the finch family, they have bills which their mandibles crossover. This is an adaptation for extracting the seeds from pinecones. Their genus name is Loxia, the Ancient Greek, meaning ‘Crosswise’. The crossbills use their bills to prize apart the cones segments and they have ba

It’s a great past time of mine, walking and looking for wildlife at the same time. In the past couple years, gaining more experience as a...

In this blog post we’ll talk about the four most regular owl species found in Speyside and in most of Britain. Because most of these are nocturnal, owls are something of an enigma. So let’s broaden our understand of these charismatic, elusive birds. Tawny Owl ( Strix Aluco ) Tawny Owl (Photo Credit: Speyside Wildlife) This is the owl that makes the classic ‘twit-ti-woo’ noise. What you might not know is that only Tawny Owls make this sound and even then, only the males. The f

Here in Strathspey, it has been noticeable quieter the last couple weeks. Warblers and Swallows left us to head for warmer climates for...

Common Buzzard (Buteo Buteo) - One of our commonest raptors and often mistaken for the Golden Eagle, it has been dubbed the ‘Tourist’s...

As any good guide knows, when planning a day out, you don’t only think of the species you hope to see and where you think they might be....

In this post I’ll be sharing with you our star attractions that appear seasonally in Speyside and the surrounding areas. Some you might...

When we are out and about on our Guided Day’s Out, we are always on the look out for evidence of where wildlife has been. It’s always...

Spring will soon be here in the stunning Scottish highlands. Our Day Guiding throughout February and early March has been fantastic, with...

The action has kept going at Speyside Wildlife’s Evening Wildlife Watching Hide over the winter. The Badgers are still coming, enjoying...

(Red Grouse, Ptarmigan, Black Grouse - Kate Mennie) There are many birds and wildlife that people hope to see when they go out with one...

Winter continues in the beautiful Scottish highlands. Our Day Guiding throughout January has been excellent, with some fantastic wildlife...

Every year, the RSPB promotes their Big Garden Bird Watch. The idea is to get a collection of information from all over the UK. It’s a...

The Black Isle is a fantastic area to go birding all year round, but especially at this time of year. Our Guided Days Out throughout the...

Now with the much shorter days and colder temperatures, winter is well and truly here in the beautiful Scottish highlands. Our Day...

January is just around the corner, and with a new year looming, our guides are all tallying up and reflecting on their bird lists. There...

Twelve Bramblings perching, Eleven Snow Buntings flocking, Ten Red Deer prancing, Nine Red Squirrels leaping, Eight Black Grouse grazing,...

The autumn has come to an end and now the winter is upon us in the stunning Scottish highlands; our Day Guiding throughout November and...

Frosty mornings and cool crisp air decorates Speyside during the month of December. After colder nights, smaller birds are forced to...