Lochindorb has always been known to be a hive of wildlife activity in May, but the largest body of fresh water in Grampian and the Highlands is really excelling itself just now. As usual, the Black-throated Divers can be seen quite regularly and wait for couple of hours and you are virtually guaranteed sightings of fishing Ospreys. Red Grouse abound on the surrounding moorland whilst Hen Harriers and Short-eared Owls are providing regular views.

Summer breeders only add to the biodiversity of the area - our guest David Carter has sent me this rare image of the ever-elusive Cuckoo and also a photographic gem of a Common Sandpiper.

Just twenty minutes drive from the hotel, this is a remarkable wild place offering the best of Scottish wildlife and scenery.

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.

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?

So many guest anecdotes of amazing wildlife encounters that it's hard to remember them all...2 Pine Martens seen at the Speyside evening hide, displaying Golden Eagles still seen daily at Findhorn Valley along with Blue Hares and massive herds of Red Deer, a male Capercaillie spied behind the main hide at Loch Garten, 2 Ptarmigan and a flock of Snow Bunting seen from the Viewing Platform at Cairn Gorm at nearly 4000 feet...

A veritable parliament of Brown Hares were boxing on the estate where I live last night and the Short-eared Owl is still being seen daily at RSPB Loch of Strathbeg.

There's definitely something in the air today. Call it the melted ice and snow, or possibly the skeins of Icelandic Greylag Geese who have suddenly departed the Strath, but either way, it's starting - just starting - to feel a bit like Spring.

The woods and forests are really coming alive with birds, and birdsong. Great Spotted Woodpeckers are busily drumming away in Anagach and it is noticeable over the last few days how many Common Toads have emerged from their winter hibernation. Is this related to the increased sightings of Barn Owls on the highland estate where I live?

Whatever, the reason, owls of all kinds are being seen more regularly, like the Tawny Owl I photographed on the way home from work, or the Short-eared Owl spied from my car on a day visit to RSPB Loch of Strathbeg before I had even parked my car!

With large numbers of Gannets already massing at Troup Head and roding Woodcock emerging from the woods at dusk, is it possible that Spring has sprung?