A wildlife enthusiast is hoping to find his treasured golden eagle which was last seen soaring through the skies of Aberdeenshire.
Les Gibson was separated from two-year-old Odin while on holiday in Glenmuick, in Deeside, last week.
He had been flying the bird of prey on the Glen Muick Estate on Thursday, when Odin was blown on to the neighbouring Glen Tanar Estate towards Mount Keen.
With jesses attached to his claws and two transmitters on his tail, Mr Gibson, from County Durham, had hoped to return for the bird the following day.
However horrendous weather swept the north-east got in his way, and the mechanic has been unable to search for him since.
The 54-year-old went back on Friday to look for Odin, but to no avail.
“I hadn’t slept all night. I was shattered with getting up the hill and the wind actually blew me down a few times,” he said.
“I was that exhausted and we were soaked to the skin.
“I’ve kept birds for more than 20 years and this is the first one I’ve lost, having kept the likes of buzzards and harrier hawks too.
“I’m not getting any younger so this would have been my last bird. You put an awful lot of time, effort and money into the bird.”
Mr Gibson said Odin had experience of hunting and hopes that will however the bad weather would make things tricky for the golden eagle to find food.
He was last seen on Gathering Cairns in Glen Tanar, north-east of Mount Keen.
“If I know he’s hunting and killing for himself at least I know he’s OK,” he said.
Having a golden eagle was always Mr Gibson’s “ultimate goal”, and he has been travelling to the Highlands for the last 10 years flying birds.
Not just anybody could pick him up, he explained, as it is a bird that demands respect.
“I’m too old to start again and I’ve lost him,” Mr Gibson said.