Perhaps the best loved species is the red squirrel, which is common anywhere near conifers and a frequent garden visitor.
Roe deer are common from Moy to Tomatin and beyond, red deer abound higher up Strathdearn and Sikka deer may be seen along the road from Kyllachy to Glenmazeran.
Rabbits are everywhere and a garden pest, brown hare are quite common in lower meadows and the beautiful mountain hare on heathery hill slopes.
Birdlife is abundant: key species include crested tits, crossbills, greatspotted woodpecker, sandmartin, dippers and tree creepers. Golden eagles are fairly often seen far up the strath at Coignafearn together with peregrine falcon. Spring sees an influx of ground nesting birds: lapwing, oyster catchers, curlew and common sandpiper, together with common and blackheaded gulls and common tern.
The heather moors are prime red grouse territory, and extensive game maagement keeps mammalian predators tightly uunder control. In the R Findhorn and tributary burns the salmon spawn in November can be spectacular.
….. WORK IN PROGRESS ….TO BE CONTINUED ……
