Spring has definitely arrived at last and the grounds of Blair Castle are teeming with new life. An oystercatcher has laid eggs in the car park (don't worry, we've roped it off so they don't get squashed!) and another oystercatcher has chicks running aound near hercules Garden. The resident swans in the garden are also busy on their nest, and are pretty unwelcoming if you get too close.
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You need to look carefully! Not the best shot but after this it went inside the tree fence and was even harder to see!
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Two red deer calves have also just been born in the deer park. They look gorgeous with their spotty coats which are for camouflage. The mother also cleans their rear end assiduously so that they don't give off any scent to attract predators when they are left alone on the hill. She leaves her calf while she feeds and returns to it later .Calves usually appear earlier in the park than in the wild because the deer here have an easier life and are better fed. Wild calves are usually born in June though it may be a little later this year. If you visit and notice that the magnificent stag is missing, don't worry. He has gone to a new home and will be replaced with a different stag so that there is some fresh blood / genes - we don't want the deer to get too in-bred.
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