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.

March is the month when the temperatures are getting warmer and the daylight gets longer. Although there have been flurries of snow and colder temperatures, these have been fleeting and the Badgers have visited every night, with a regularity of Pine Marten sightings too. There are also increasing sightings of Wood Mice and Tawny Owls being heard.

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.

The Badgers are beginning to become more regular again. The winter months can be a slow time for the Badgers as the cold often keeps them inside their setts, but there have been nights recently where up to two have been showing.