Highlights of a chilly, autumnal day spent wandering around Rothiemurchus Forest were Crested Tits at two sites, a Goldeneye on the Lily Loch, sizeable pre-migration flocks of Swallows and House Martins, the usual Dipper near the Old Bridge in Aviemore, still a good showing of late summer flowers and plenty of fungi across the whole area. Details as follows:
The journey north produced Roe Deer in Stirlingshire and Highland Perthsire, a possible Stock Dove south of Perth and a Buzzard south of Dunkeld. Pulling into Dalwhinnie, a Grey Heron took off from beside the track. Woodpigeons, Jackdaws and a Pheasant were around Kingussie. Then a solitary Mute Swan was at the west end of Loch Insh and seven Cormorants were on the spit.
Aviemore produced a fairly limited selection of common highland village birds consisting of Collared Dove (singing), Woodpigeon, Jackdaw, Rook, Blue Tit, Robin, Swallow (a single over the railway), House Sparrow, Chaffinch and Siskin. The walk out towards Inverdruie added Mallard, Carrion Crow, Wren, Dipper and Dunnock.
Heading into the woods at the Rothiemurchus triangle, one of the first birds found was a lone Graylag Goose flying over, calling. Also notable was the first tit flock of several encountered in the course of the day. What was interesting about this one was the presence of a Spotted Flycatcher. By coincidence, a few years ago I saw two Spotted Flycatchers in tit flocks very close to where today's one was seen. The main participants in the tit flocks were Coal Tit and Long-tailed Tits. Other notable forest birds were Goldcrest and Siskin.
The weather deteriorated after Blackpark Cottage, limiting the birds seen to Robin, Wren, Dunnock and Chaffinch. However a stubble field near the fork in the road (signposted for Glen Eianaich) hosted at least ten Rooks and 30 Jackdaws. However more birds were seen at Whitewell including Meadow Pipits and Bullfinches on the moor and various tits (including one Crested tit) and a few Willow Warblers among the trees.
Loch an Eilein was disappointing with only eight Mallards present. However there were three Grey Wagtails around the north shore, 18 House Martins feeding over trees and 20 Swallows on wires. Lily Loch held a Goldeneye (the only one of the day) and two Mallards.
The little area of heather moorland south west of the Rothiemurchus Triangle produced four Swallows hawking low over the Heather and four Meadow Pipits flushed up to telephone wires. Ten Jackdaws and three Rooks were in the horse paddock and two Collared Doves were back at Aviemore.   
Impressions of Strathspey in September:
There is still plenty of colour in the landscape with both Heather species still in flower (although the colours less bright and lots of flowers already turned brown) and additional colour provided by Devil's Bit Scabious, Harebell, hawkweed species (including "Fox and cubs") and the odd Foxglove, Broom flower or patch of Meadow Cranesbill. New colour is provided in the form of now fully-ripened Rowan berries, ripe haws of wild roses, many fungi pushing through the woodland floor, the first birch leaves beginning to turn yellow, Bracken beginning to develop its autumn colour and scattered alien trees such as Norway Maple. The full bird list for the day (Strathspey records only) was: Greylag Goose, Mute Swan, Mallard, Goldeneye, Pheasant, Grey Heron, Cormorant, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Coal Tit, Crested Tit, Blue, Tit, Great Tit, Swallow, House Martin, Long-tailed Tit, Willow Warbler, Goldcres, Wren, Spotted Flycatcher, Robin, Dipper, House Sparrow, Dunnock, Grey Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Chaffinch, Bullfinch and Siskin (32 species).