Spent the day exploring different villages and towns in Moray. First stop was Chapeltown of Glenlivet . The glen there was full of prospecting Lapwings, Oystercatchers and Curlews in addition to Common Gulls and corvids. The Rookery in the conifers around the church was just as noisy as I remember it being last time I was there, 28 years ago. Recent cold temperatures still prevailed, so the only signs of hirundines were the remains of four of last year's House Martin nests on the main tower of the distillery buildings.
A brief detour to Tombae to look at the church there produced a Dipper and a Common Sandpiper on the river and flowering Primroses on the sloping banks they seem to love so much.
Next stop was Dufftown where flowering plants included Wood Anemone, Few-flowered Leek, Gean, Birds included all the "regulars" plus the first Goldfinches of the trip.
Another detour, this time to Craigellachie, found two Dippers feeding two fledglings under the Telford bridge and both Blackbird and Pied Wagtail taking food to nestlings.
Two hours in Elgin was enough for a good walk around Cooper Park and along the River Lossie.  Birding highlights included a Mallard pair with seven tiny ducklings on the park pond, a Grey Wagtail nearby, two singing Willow Warblers, seven singing Blackcaps, a single singing Chiffchaff, two Linners, single Dippers at three sites and Kingfisher at one. Two Mute Swans were another new species for the trip. Plants in flower included White Dead-nettle, Yellow Cordyalis, Gorse, Broom, Cuckoo Flower, Dandelion, Garlic Mustard, Bluebell, Sweet Cicely and Green Alkanet.