Summer is a great time to walk on the many moors which surround Strathspey, with breeding Golden Plover, Curlew, Ring Ouzel, Merlin, Dunlin and of course Red Grouse. I photographed this bird at around 2000ft in the remote Monadhliath hills to the north of the Cairngorms, interesting how it followed a Golden Plover around side by side as I walked through the nesting area.
Mountain Hare seem more abundant than in previous years, which is good news for Eagles! The week before in a rather unexpected snow shower I came across a Golden Eagle sheltering in a small gully, both of us having the same idea by the look of it. The bird wasn't too impressed by my appearance, and took flight only yards away from me, it's crop full to find another perch away prying eyes. I felt a bit guilty at having disturbed it, it was impossible to see ahead because of the blizzard, but a view you don't get that often for sure.

Later I watched the same bird talon grappling with a second, both immatures and by the look of it a new pair bonding for the future. As I left a Merlin shot across in to a gully, several Ring Ouzel were feeding young by a burn and a rare sight these days, a male Hen Harrier drifted across the Heather.
Hard to imagine on a sunny warm afternoon what a bleak and hostile place this can be in the middle of winter. So far June has been quite dry, good news for small chicks, so after a very late spring hopefully we will see some breeding success, fingers crossed.