There’s certainly no question that the north and north-east is home to an incredible amount of birdlife. Maybe they’ve caught your eye from your back garden, or you’ve spotted them from afar in the park. Nonetheless, these are prime locations to pitch up a chair and get the binoculars out.

Haddo Country Park, Aberdeen

bluetit — Haddo has something for everyone but their flying friends are their best attraction. Credit: Ray Kennedy/RSPB.

A visit to Haddo can fill anyone’s itinerary. Whether it’s taking a guided tour of Haddo House, or strolling through stunning terraced gardens. But the true star of the show is undoubtedly the wildlife. All year round, visitors can spot blue tits, bullfinches and buzzards at either of the two birdwatching hides.

Loch Fleet, between Golspie and Dornoch

This grey heron makes a pitstop on a sand bank at Loch Fleet. Credit: Shutterstock

Scottish Wildlife Trust’s Loch Fleet can be found a few miles north of Dornoch. The tidal basin, surrounded by sand dunes, provides a great view of the ospreys diving to catch fish. Visitors might even be lucky enough to find seals and their pups along the banks, but they mustn’t disturb the wildlife.

Bullers of Buchan, Peterhead

A pair of Crossbills share a moment at the Bullers of Buchan. Credit: Sheila Morrison

Colonies of seabirds nest upon the cliffs here. Some residents include: kittiwakes, Atlantic puffin, and the great black-backed gull. Though the coastal walk to the Bullers of Buchan can be strenuous, the sights make it a trek worthwhile. This birdwatching haven is just north of Cruden Bay and has become popular with sightseers.

Troup Head, near Crovie

Up close and personal with a colony of gannets. Credit: Ian Francis.

Hikers are up for a wonderful afternoon of sightseeing on this route. This is an ideal place to get up close to the nesting gannets and snap some fabulous pictures to store away. The trip is worth every second for this reason alone – it’s vital to maintain a respectful distance, however.

Covesea Cliffs, west of Lossiemouth

Maybe you’ll spot a herring gull snap up a bite to eat. Credit: Shutterstock.

The best view of the seabird colonies, formed primarily by fulmars, kittiwakes and herring gulls, comes from the beach below rather than the clifftop. Access to the path from the beach can be challenging during the best of times – more so when the tide comes in. Visitors should be cautious when mapping out their journey here.

The area around Covesea Lighthouse is great for birdwatching. Credit Shutterstock.

Drum Hollistan, Caithness

These puffins won’t be budging anytime soon. Credit: Shutterstock.

Otherwise known as Puffin Cove, Drum Hollistan holds the UK’s largest colony of puffins. It’s considered to be a hidden gem of the North Coast 500 due to a lack of signage leading to the rocky cliffs. As they are led to the coast, visitors can wave hello to the adorable lodgers before exploring the sea caves.

Burghead Bay, near Findhorn

Plenty of space to get comfortable for an afternoon of birdwatching. Credit: Shutterstock.

There are several fantastic view points around the bay. These include the dunes at Findhorn, the Forestry Commission picnic site in Roseisle Forest and from Burghead promontory.

Among the species soaring through the skies are Slavonian and red-necked grebes, and divers. Finding a reasonable spot to stop by is dependent on the tide, but that shouldn’t deter visitors from spying on roosts in the dunes.

Loch of Strathbeg, Fraserburgh

Thousands of geese arrived on the Loch. Credit: RSPB Images.

Thousands of wild geese, swans and ducks flocked to the Loch of Strathbeg over the winter – it even houses around a fifth of the world’s pink-footed geese.

In fact, the top five birds common to the area are pink-footed geese, the common tern, the water rail, the tree sparrow and the whooper swan. Other birds that frequent the spot include mallards, house sparrows and common redpolls.

Corrimony, near Cannich

Catch the Grouse strutting across Corrimony. Credit: Sandy McCook.

Over the winter, a variety of wildlife, such as goldeneyes, goosanders, pink-footed geese, and whooper swans, swooped in on the loch from the Arctic. The woodlands, on the other hand, were filled with mixed flocks of tits and bullfinches.

Warmer months welcome red-throated divers and osprey, and there has been the occasional sighting of a golden eagle.

The River Ythan, Newburgh

The river Ythan estuary in low tide and full sunshine. Credit: Shutterstock.

The River Ythan’s estuary has long appealed to birdwatchers. Like the Bullers of Buchan, various species of birds have made a home for themselves on the cliffs.

Listen to the sound of percussive redshanks and gossiping knots as you watch the ducks float along the loch. The River Ythan has plenty of vantage points that make the venture north of Aberdeen rewarding at any time of the year.

The Ythan estuary is also great for seal-spotting.

Kingston and Spey Bay

The shelduck welcomes visitors with open arms… Ahem, wings. Credit: Shutterstock.

The Spey estuary might be easily viewed from the comfort of the car park but visitors should head down to the beach to maximise their experience. It’s a common occurrence to see shelducks, terns and ringed plovers around the Spey though it’s not unusual for whimbrels or greenshanks to pop by.

Duthie Park and Allenvale Cemetery, Aberdeen

How many birds can you count on your stroll? Credit: Shutterstock.

Keen walkers can stroll beside the River Dee to catch a look at a variety of thrushes, finches and tits all tucked away in the woodland. The route is easily accessible for everyone. There’s even a café situated in the middle of the park with outdoor seating for those eager to spot as much wildlife as they can.