It's that time of year when we all go 'aaaah!'

Whether it be on the river, on the moors or in the forest, birds of all hues are having their young.

At Huntly Peregrine Wildwatch two of the three Peregrine eggs have hatched, and by all accounts the 'eyas' - as they are known - are feeding well.

Meanwhile, on the River Spey, Goldeneye have already had their first broods and young Dippers are starting to look bigger than their parents - as our guest Christopher Allen's wonderful photos show.

And in Grantown-on-Spey itself, on the 'Mossie', an area of rough grassland, young Lapwings are running around all over in best kamakaze fashion.

Just 13 days now until the first Loch Garten Osprey chick is due!

Another collection of guest photos have been sent to me today which I have to share.
David Bair and his wife Sarah stayed with us recently and managed to capture several stunning wildlife images including a Wheatear, Red Grouse and Dipper.

Though David doesn't say, I'm guessing that the Red Grouse and Wheatear were taken at Lochindorb which has been an amazingly productive site over the past couple of weeks, with other wildlife regularly being seen including Hen Harriers, Merlin, Short-eared Owl and fishing Ospreys. It also appears that the breeding pair of Black-throated Divers have finally decided to settled down at the loch and so are also giving consistently great views.

All the pictures are being entered into our guests photography competition of 2009, with a prize of a holiday for two on offer to the winner. If you've stayed with us this year and have a memorable image then why not send it in?

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!

Temperatures of -8C and a liberal dusting of frost has transformed Anagach Wood and the River Spey into a winter fantasy land.
By the time we reached the Spey mid guided walk, the ice flows were starting to form - not that this put off the hardy pair of divers we spotted - a Dipper and a male Goldeneye - from putting on a great show of busily plunging into the waters in search of the next meal.
Other wildlife was equally forthcoming: Red Squirrels abounded, a Roe Doe was spotted grazing less than 10 metres away and refused to move on, and a supporting cast of Treecreepers, Long-tailed Tits and a Mistle Thrush delighted the party who were nonetheless thankful for the soup and sandwiches on offer back at the Hotel on their return!

It's always nice to get feedback from our guests about the wildlife they've seen. So here is a transcript of the note Sandra and Phil Slegg left me at the end of their stay last week:

"Dear Toby, at Loch Garten saw Crested and Coal Tits on feeder. 5 Red Squirrels! Great Spotted Woodpecker collected pine cone then stored it in hole in dead birch at rear visitor centre. Walked along stream at Nethy Bridge saw Dipper. Safari very good. Saw Roe & Red Deer, Red Grouse and Brown Hare. Thanks for all your help. Sandra and Phil Slegg."

I like it when a plan comes together!

A couple of species were sighted on our Guided Walk today which we haven't seen for some time. Three Great Spotted Woodpeckers were seen feeding and playing by the River Spey and we accidently flushed a Woodcock in Anagach Wood. Given that RSPB Loch of Strathbeg on the east coast has reported 21 today, is this the first traditional November 'fall of Woodcock' this year?

Yet more guests photographs coming in today! Bill Saxton's show some of the fantastic fungi which exploded in Anagach Wood in September, providing a visual feast as well as a literal one for the Red Squirrels, whilst David Pelling's are the wonderful portraits of Red Grouse and Dipper. All will be entered into our competition - please keep sending them in, I never get tired of receiving them!

The 'Valley of the Raptors', Findhorn Valley, is simply a wildlife watchers' Paradise at the moment.

Yesterday, on a two hour walk there were the year's best sightings of Golden Eagle (immature + parent bird), seven parcels of rutting Red Deer, a pair of Ravens, Mountain Hare, two tribes of Wild Goats and leaping Atlantic Salmon. Phew!