A male House Sparrow has been a regular visitor to the back garden over the past few days. I wonder if he might spot my sparrow nest box on the gable wall for next year?
More notes from yesterday's Strathspey trip:

A female Mallard had two tiny young in long grass on the river bank. When I came along the path, she bolted for the river, leaving her ducklings in the grass. She then proceeded to flap up and down the river agitatedly (joined by another female who had three bigger young on the river) until her own young finally followed. Another female had three tiny young at Milton Loch.

A female Goldeneye was with quite a large duckling on an un-named loch in the moorland north east of the Aviemore golf courses. Another female was on Milton Loch, Boat of Garten and five more were on or over the Spey at four spots between Kinchurdy and the Boat of Garten road bridge.

A female Goosander and 11 juveniles were together in a tight group on the Spey just south of the fishing hut near Kinchurdy Farm.

17 Oystercatchers were in a sheep field north east of the Aviemore golf courses (with singles and pairs elsewhere).

Two Lapwing flocks were encountered, one of 30+ on a muddy island in a moorland loch northeast of the Aviemore golf courses and one of 36 on rough grassland just south of Kinchurdy Cottage.

A total of twelve Common Sandpipers were along the Spey between Dalfaber and Boat of Garten including three together which may have been a family group.

Collared Doves were heard singing and seen (often in pairs) all over Aviemore.

A recently-fledged Woodpigeon was feeding on a riverside field with a single adult.

A Kingfisher seen flying along the Spey next to the Dalfaber Country Club Golf Course was my first for B&S.

Groups of two, nine and fifteen Swifts were feeding over the Spey south of the Boat of Garten road bridge, especially after showers subsided.

A large mixed flock of around 20 Jackdaws and 80 Rooks was on grassland and moorland north of the Spey opposite Pityoulish.

A hybrid Hooded x Carrion Crow was with a regular Carrion Crow near Pityoulish

Lots of Willow Warblers were encountered (including a single with two attendant young in a Boat of Garten garden) but only occasional song was heard, most giving away their presence by their “Hooweet” contact call.

Blackbirds were searching for food on almost every patch of mown grass in Aviemore (one bird was feeding young as it had a beakful of worms) and a pair chased a Jackdaw away from their nest in Boat of Garten.

Swallows were feeding over golf course fairways, under nearby trees, over silage fields near Kinchurdy Farm and over Milton Loch, Boat of Garten.

Sand Martins were all along the Spey, but especially feeding over the golf course greens. Juveniles were giving a begging call, not unlike that of juvenile Sandwich Tern.

Several active Sand Martin colonies were found along the Spey including a large one on a high bank beneath Pityoulish, a medium-sized one near the abandoned waterworks in Aviemore and a small one on a low (accessible) bank in a sheep field next to Dalfaber Country Club Golf Course.

House Martins were scarce, with only two singles seen all day.

Possible Pied Flycatchers were heard singing very briefly (1) in woods between Dalfaber Country Club Golf Course and the Spey and (2) over in the direction of Mullingaroch Farm.

Four Spotted Flycatchers were feeding from trees and a fence line around Wester Davoult Cottage, at least two with attendant juveniles.

Meadow Pipits and Pied Wagtails very numerous along the edge of the golf course (presumably fledged broods), the Meadow Pipits crouching in the rough, the Pied Wagtails feeding on the greens.

An adult Grey Wagtail was catching flies over the river for at least two young on rocks below. Another adult was nearby.

A singing Skylark was over damp grassland near the bend in the Spey west of Wester Davoult.

Greenfinches were singing at three sites, but were greatly outnumbered by Siskins.

An un-named loch in the moorland north east of the Aviemore golf courses held five duck species (Teal, Mallard, Wigeon, Tufted Duck and Goldeneye) plus Greylag Goose and Little Grebe.

As described above, many species were showing breeding evidence. In addition to the examples already given:

A single juvenile Coal Tit was in the same riverside bush as an alarm-calling Common Sandpiper.

An agitated Lapwing was circling above a possible nest site in a patch of damp grassland.

A recently fledged Robin was with an adult in a small tree.