Today's trip to Strathspey was, unusually, by bus. What was apparent was that wildlife watching is much less productive from the bus than the train. Virtually nothing was seen along the way, whereas the train journey would normally be expected to have produced farmland waders, a good selection of wildfowl, Swifts and House Martins in the town centres plus Rabbit, Brown Hare and Roe Deer.

Arriving in Aviemore, the usual species were going about their business with Collared Dove, Jackdaw, rook, Blackbird and Chaffinch all evident. Wintering Herring Gulls had been replaced by Black-headed Gulls and both Blackcap and Chiffchaff were singing from a hotel Garden. A walk round to Cragellachie produced lots of Spotted Flycatchers and singing Willow Warblers and Chaffinches plus a Wood Warbler, two Redstarts and a Cuckoo. No Pied Flycatchers were heard, although two were subsequently reported as having been present the previous day. Also notable were lots of Redpolls buzzing about the treetops, a pair of Long-tailed Tits feeding a row of six fledglings and a Robin accompanied by a newly-fledged juvenile. 

The main walk of the day started at Kincraig and included the "back way" to Loch an Eilein via Insriach and Loch Gamhna before the long walk back to Aviemore (about 12 miles in total).