Bird watchers often miss out by overlooking the North-East of Scotland as they rush through on their way up north or off to catch the Orkney and Shetland ferry. The area has a wide range of habitats including coast, farmland, pine forest, moorland and mountain plateau. There are major concentrations of the UK’s native pine woods, coniferous plantations, arctic-alpine uplands, lowland raised bogs, coastal sand dunes and dune heath. Heather moorland, arable farmland and coastal shingle are well represented as are sea cliffs and tidal estuary,

While over 150 species are known to breed in the area, passage and winter visitors take the species count to over 380. This wealth of bird life is emphasised by the result of the Spring National 24hr bird race competition by a local team who found 156 species in one day, making the area second, to Norfolk, in the final reckoning.

While major sites such as the Cairngorm’s, Mar Lodge, Lochnagar, Ythan Estuary and Fowlsheugh are within an easy hours travel of Kincardine O’Neil, we have more local sites such as Glen Tanar, and  the Muir of Dinnet. Locally the river Dee as it flows past the village is a regular haunt for dippers, goosanders, and herons while osprey have been known to visit. buzzards are always around, red kites numbers have been increasing, and even white-tailed eagles have been spotted flying up the valley.