Loads of great guest sightings - where do I start? Findhorn Valley, the 'Valley of the Raptors', is hotting up with 2 Goshawks reported along with Red Kites, Ospreys and Buzzards.

A Ring Ouzel pair are being seen at the Cairngorm Mountain Visitor Centre car park, and Ospreys have been seen fishing at both Loch Ruthven and Loch Insh.

Both Short-eared and Barn Owls are turning up regularly at Lochindorb, and a first for our guided walks is a definite sighting of a Green Woodpecker which we first thought we heard yaffelling away last week. Right at the northern edge of its traditional range, this is an unusual and exciting encounter for the Cairngorms National Park as a whole.

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.