Well, it looks like 'Ralf' our semi-resident White-tailed Eagle may have finally gone. After spending over a year at the reserve he hasn't been seen since mid-March and has since been recorded near Ballater - he might even be the eagle seen in Northumberland and East Yorkshire in recent days (check the project blog at http://www.rspb.org.uk/community/blogs/eastscotlandeagles/default.aspx for details of the eagles' wanderings). However, great news today as local birder Tim Marshall has just phoned to say he's watching a White-tailed Eagle with turquoise tags by the south end of the Loch. I'm at home at the moment - but might find an excuse for popping up to the reserve shortly! So far we've had an eagle from every year of the release turn up at the reserve, which shows what a great habitat we've got for them up here (we've also been visited by three presumed Scandinavian birds in recent years as well).
Sightings from the reserve yesterday included a White Wagtail (in a flock of Pied Wagtails and a couple of Rock Pipits on the beach), a Sandwich Tern offshore along with a Black Guillemot, 8 Great Northern Divers (some in breeding plumage), four Long-tailed Ducks and about one hundred each of Common Scoter and Eider. On the Loch, there were still 26 Whooper Swans but more spring-like were the four pairs of Great Crested Grebes, with some displaying seen.