[earthdragon64]

I've lived in Aviemore for 15 and a half years, I've never been to the HWP and I will never set foot in it after the Wolf cull.

What everyone else has said is good advice, but I'll just add a little to it. if you do walk round Loch an Eilein, don't miss Loch Gamhna, it's better for Crested Tit and water fowl than Loch an Eilein itself. In summer it's also pretty good for Dragonflies and Damselflies, but April is a bit early unless the weather is really great.

Craigellachie NNR is well worth a visit, there are usually a pair of Peregrine nesting on the cliffs, loads of typical forest birds, there are a couple of Lochans with ducks, usually Mallard. If you get higher up, you may see mountain Hare. The view from the top across the valley to the Cairngorms is stunning and well worth the walk. There are often Buzzard, Sparrowhawks and Kestrel around as well.

Another couple of places, are on the A95 from Aviemore to Grantown. About 2 miles north of Aviemore is a small loch called Avielochan. There are a couple of laybys on the left just before you get to the loch, which is on the right. You sometimes get a couple of Slavonian Grebe, but I don't think they have bred there yet. Also there are ducks, geese and gulls there.

A bit further along the road, pull into the car park at Laggantygown Cemetery, instead of walking down the path to the main part of the cemetery, turn away from it to a little path through the trees. This takes you to Loch Vaa within a couple of minutes, again there are geese and ducks there.

If you go further along the A95, then turn off towards Boat of Garten, there is a little carpark on the right, about half way along. If you park there and walk down the path, back the way you arrived, there is a view point across to a flooded area on the local farm. There can be a surprising amount of birds on that seasonal pond, including Slavonian Grebe.

Uath Lochans in Inshriach forest is a great place to see Scottish Crossbill, Crested Tit and Red Squirrels, you can find directions to it on the Forestry Commission website. Again it's a great place to walk, not just round the Lochans, but if you walk to the top of the hill above it, about a 30 minute walk, the views north across Loch Insh and the Spey are fantastic.