April is a fantastic month for seeing wildlife in Speyside. The weather is warmer and birds and mammals are starting to breed. There has been plenty to see on and hopefully the sightings will keep on coming. One day I collected some guests early in the morning to look for Black Grouse. I had suggested at 6am start as the Black Grouse come out early to lek. When we got to the site there was no sign of them and I began to wonder if somehow we'd gotten there too early.

March has been an amazing month to see wildlife and there are so many highlights to choose from. One day in March I led a day guide that started in Carrbridge and I took my guests to look for Black Grouse. We had initially said we would start at 8am, but after an initial visit to one of the lek sites and not finding anything, I began to have my doubts and suggested a 7am start just to be sure. I hoped that it wouldn’t be too early in the season.

February is another quiet month for wildlife in Speyside. Winter is still present, but it’s otherwise beginning to change. The summer visitors are not yet here, yet the temperature is beginning to warm up and the daylight starts to get longer. I went into Inshriach Forest one morning hoping to see Goshawks, as this is a good time of year to see them.

January is one of the coldest months in the Cairngorms but there is still plenty to see. At Dalnahaittnach there are Crested Tits and Crossbills, with Roe Deer, Brown Hares, Eurasian Woodcock, Eurasian Curlews possible. I heard Crested Tits, Crossbills and saw a Eurasian Woodcock this month, the latter became an unexpected sighting. In the woods around Boat of Garten there are Crested Tits, Red Squirrels, Coal Tits, Great Tits, Blue Tits, Long Tailed Tits, Eurasian Jays and

It had been quite cold in the Cairngorms this past December. But just because it was cold, didn’t mean there was nothing to see, quite the opposite. Around Inshriach, there were plenty of songbirds such as Great Tits, Coal Tits, Blue Tits, Long Tailed Tits and Greenfinches. On occasion, I spot Buzzards and Sparrowhawk, flashing past, as it swoops after songbirds. I managed to see all of these species in December.

Now is summertime in the Scottish highlands and our Guided Days Out through mid to late June have been superb. It is full on with...