Mistle Thrush was one of the stand-out birds of this short break in Badenoch and Strathspey with a single alarm-calling near Speybank, another flying up to the very top of an enormous Sequoia (both yesterday) and today, two mobbing a Buzzard over Birch woodland at Loch an Eilein. A Red Squirrel was showing well on the feeders at the latter site. A singing Tree Pipit was the highlight of a blustery walk along the lochside. Heading south, the river at Blair Atholl held 20+ Common Gulls (possibly nesting). A Mistle Thrush sang in the rain. Arriving in Dunkeld, thirteen Fallow Deer were resting in a roadside field. The shingle island under the old A9 bridge held around 100 Black-headed Gulls and around 30 Common Gulls (many of both species apparently nesting) plus a single Oystercatcher. Feeding over the bridge in the rain were House Martin (c10), Sand Martin (c10), Swallow (c5) and my first Swift of the year.