A big thank you from the local group to Tim & Joy Marshal for their talk on "Snowcocks, Snow Finches, Snow Leopards and snow, in Ladakh" last night. Fantastic Snow Leopard footage, exotic birds - and a few interesting "bush toilets" - you had to be there - you missed a treat! It was our last indoor talk of the season. But we have many outings planned over the summer. https://ww2.rspb.org.uk/groups/aberdeen/events/ - for details

Here's an osprey filmed by RSPB Scotland volunteer Cheryl at yesterday's #OspreyArrival event at Lochter Activity Centre. We had fantastic views throughout the day of a pair circling the lochs, flying over our heads and perching together in nearby trees. It definitely felt like the long winter might finally be behind us as the warm, sunny day began with lapwings and mating toads and ended with a few bats fluttering around. Has anyone else noticed any seasonal changes this week?

Local Group Indoor meeting 10th April Tim and Joy Marshall - Snowcocks, Snow finches, Snow Leopards and SNOW in Ladakh Tim and Joy Marshall are joining us to give us a talk about their recent visit to Ladakh. Ladakh is literally the land of high passes and is a region in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir that currently extends from the Kunlun mountain range to the main Great Himalayas. Time: 7.30 pm Price: Free Location: Large Lecture Theatre, School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Tillydrone Avenue. Postcode: AB24 2TZ (Google map) Read more at https://ww2.rspb.org.uk/groups/aberdeen/events/#tGe8EHpsUQM9q5S7.99

Did you see us on the telly? #RSPBDolphinwatch has received funding from ScottishPower Foundation and Heritage Lottery Fund Scotland to take marine conservation messages to wider audiences. We'll be at Torry Battery from 10th May til 19th August this year and will continue to provide events, activities and schools education around Aberdeen throughout the next two years, whatever the weather! Thanks STV News as well as Aberdeen City Council, Whale and Dolphin Conservation, WDC Scottish Dolphin Centre, Aberdeen Harbour and Viking Optical for their continued support. 🐬 #SPFoundation #NationalLottery #DolphinsABDN

#OspreyArrival alert! We've just heard from Lochter Activity Centre that there's been an osprey back on the nest there. Ospreys can be seen all around Aberdeenshire and Lochter is a great viewpoint with the added bonus of a live video feed viewed from the centre. We're going to be there this Sunday (8th April) with a pop-up osprey information stall, binoculars and telescope. Come and say hello and find out more about these amazing birds, including their epic annual migration from Africa to Scotland. 🌍 Here are some other recommendations for places to look for returning ospreys in the North East: - RSPB Loch of Strathbeg - RSPB Loch Spynie - RSPB Loch of Kinnordy (see below for more info) - Montrose Basin Wildlife Reserve and Visitor Centre - Murton Farm, Tearoom and Nature Reserve Our colleagues at RSPB Tayside and Fife will have volunteers in the hide at Loch of Kinnordy to provide info and and hopefully record some #OspreyArrival sightings!

🐬 🐬 🐬 🐬 🐬 🐬 🐬 🐬 🐬 Did you catch the news about #Dolphinwatch this weekend? Here's a blog from Adam Ross who manages the project, sharing the magic of dolphin watching at Torry Battery as well as some news about our plans for the future. If Dolphinwatch sounds like something you'd like to be involved in then follow the volunteering link in the comment below. http://ww2.rspb.org.uk/community/ourwork/b/scotland/archive/2018/03/31/dolphin-watching-in-aberdeen.aspx

Happy Easter everyone! Here’s a bit of egg-themed research for you to digest as the seabird breeding season arrives. For years people have believed that seabird eggs are shaped the way they are to prevent them rolling off cliffs. However, this has largely been debunked and the current theory is that the shape of a bird’s egg is related to the way it flies. Strong, long-distance flyers are more likely to have elliptical, asymmetric eggs. It would explain why ostriches (which don’t fly) have such round, circular eggs while species like puffins have very pointed eggs. https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/179909/how-birds-determines-shape-their-eggs/

NEWS: RSPB Scotland can take #RSPBDolphinwatch activities to schools and the community in Torry and across #Aberdeen over the next two years thanks to funding from the ScottishPower Foundation and the Heritage Lottery Fund Scotland. Read more at: https://bit.ly/2GhYOWN #SPFoundation #NationalLottery #DolphinsABDN A HUGE thanks to everyone else who continues to support us WDC Scottish Dolphin Centre, Whale and Dolphin Conservation, Aberdeen City Council, Aberdeen Harbour Board, Viking Optical too!

The #BigGardenBirdwatch 2018 results are in. In Aberdeen City and in Angus the top three were house sparrow, starling and blackbird. While in Aberdeenshire they were house sparrow, starling and chaffinch. And in Moray, they were house sparrow, chaffinch and starling. A big thanks to everyone who took part. The UK results are in the video and you can read more about the Scottish rankings here: https://bit.ly/2IX4kf8

Keep your eyes peeled next week for exciting news about Dolphinwatch in 2018 and beyond. In the meantime, we're looking for volunteers! Can you spare some time to help monitor dolphins and inspire the public about nature? Follow the link for more information: https://www.rspb.org.uk/get-involved/volunteering-fundraising/volunteer/volunteer-opportunities/opportunities/6605/