Going birding at Greenacre can mean trips to the RSPB reserve at Nigg (30 minutes drive away), walking in the woods behind the house, driving and walking in the area, or just sitting in the conservatory, front room or kitchen.

Warning should be given here for guests driving in Spring as the roads can become very congested so care must be taken. Last year a 15 minute journey to Tain took 30 as we had to wait whilst a lamb and ewe moved out of the road, a cow and calf were herded back into their field and a family of Pheasants were persuaded that whilst the tarmac was a warm place to nestle it was not the safest place to sunbathe. On the way back from shopping 15 Red Legged Partridges stopped the traffic whilst they ran up the road!

Red Kites fly freely across the fields and have nested (for the first time in 2007)  in the woods behind Greenacre and Kestrels occupy the copse opposite the house. Rogie Falls and the Falls of Shin are enchanting places to walk and see the Salmon Leap from May to November and Dippers can be seen hopping along the rocks. In Spring of 2005 we parked at the Sailing Club on the Cromarty to eat our fish and chips and were amazed to see an Oystercatcher tending it's nest on the grass verge of the car park - there were four eggs in it! On the A9 from the roundabout at the Cromarty Bridge to the Storehouse building the grey seals spend their days sunning themselves on the rocks once the tide begins to ebb and seem not to be perturbed by the activities of the Guillemots. The Black Isle is a great place to see Corn Buntings and Channery Point is a renouned Dolphin look out place (as well as a lovely spot to take a picnic). Herons abound at Alness Point but unfortunately have also taken to flying up the hill and stopping of at our pond for elevenses. We bought a decoy but don't think this has worked!!

There are Woodpeckers, Owls, Wood Pigeons, Collared Doves and Crows in the woods at the back of our house. In 2002 we believe we had a Black Grouse mating ceremony - we didn't manage to see them in full fling but did see two flying away and heard the amazing noise of their mating ritual.

At home we feed our wild birds all year round and our garden bustles with their activities. We have permanent residents, seasonal visitors and those that just pop in for the odd meal. Our guests from the south of England complain that the Sparrows are no longer seen in their gardens - maybe that's because they've all moved to Scotland - along with the Siskins!

In 2008 our garage was taken over by a family of Swallows who built their nest opposite that of the House Martins in the rafters which meant we had to leave the door open for 50 days so that the parents could get in and out!

Sparrow Hawks pop in for the odd meal which is usually provided by a Coal Tit (making the counting for an RSPB survey a little more difficult) and Buzzards can be seen in the sky above the garden circling and calling - they seem to revel in the joy of gliding in the thermals over the hill opposite the house. If you drive down to Alness on the by-way at 11am in a morning you can see a very stately Buzzard sitting atop a lamp post but he will wait until you have stopped the car and got the camera out before he flies away - we are determined that one day we will take his photo!

The Great Tits, Blue Tits and Coal Tits are here most of the time but disappear during July returning in September along with the Goldfinches and Siskins. Three territorial robin families inhabit sites in the front garden, the vegetable garden and the back garden. Blackbirds, Thrushes, House Sparrows, Hedge Sparrows, Chaffinches, Greenfinches live here all year round, whilst Bullfinches and Wagtails are summer visitors. Our wrens are difficult to spot but make up for it with their song.

In 2006 new visitors to our garden sent us scrambling for the bird books - a pair of Bramblings spent a week with us so we are hoping they will come for their holidays again.

The highlight of our birding year is in spring when all the birds are dressed in their best bibs and tuckers and when, eventually, they proudly bring all their chicks out into the garden to meet us!