There was plenty of evidence of breeding among today's records of birds on Deeside. However there were several highlights which involved other taxa. Two Red Squirrels were coming to feeders in the woods north of Braemar first thing. Then Ballatar provided some new birds for the trip: Collared Dove; Common Sandpiper and Swift. Several House Martins there were taking mud from a puddle to make their nests. The birch woods at Muir of Dinnet were alive with the songs of Tree Pipit, Willow Warbler and Chaffinch. Loch Kinnord had at least three pairs of Goldeneye and other good birds included Cuckoo and Great Spotted Woodpecker. Invertebrate highlights consisted of Two-banded Longhorn Beetle and Speckled Wood butterfly while the woodland floor was studded with the blue, violet, yellow and cerise of flowering plants. The Dee at Banchory held a single Dipper. Breeding birds there included Rook (feeding chicks in the nest) and Oystercatcher (a pair with two mobile young which I had to rescue after they became trapped  between a busy road and a high wall). As we headed back down the road, a Red Squirrel ran across the road at Haugh of Sluie, a Red Kite was over the Aboyne airstrip and two Lapwings were in a field at Tomidhu.