Aviemore Ospreys Gallery One

I spend a great deal of my summer chasing ospreys with Gordon and Ian, and those days have become the highlight of my year.

The experience begins long before reaching the hide. There is something very special about driving through Ferness and across the Dava Moor at two in the morning, watching the first colour slowly appear in the sky. Blues and soft pinks begin to form above the mountains while low-lying mist settles in the valleys below. Even after making the journey many times, that peaceful drive towards Aviemore still fills me with anticipation for the morning ahead.

Then comes the waiting, watching the sky and hoping an osprey will appear. Nothing quite prepares you for the moment one begins its descent. Seeing such a large and powerful bird swoop from the sky, bring its talons forward and fold its wings back before striking the water for a fish is genuinely exhilarating. No matter how often I witness it, the sight never fails to stir something in me.

Gordon and Ian are both incredibly knowledgeable guides with a genuine passion for wildlife. Their experience and understanding of osprey behaviour put photographers in a wonderful position to capture these dramatic moments. They are also relaxed, generous and great fun to spend time with, which makes even the quieter mornings enjoyable.

Gordon insists that he isn’t a photographer and regularly claims his Samsung phone is every bit as capable as the expensive equipment the rest of us carry. I’m not entirely convinced—but his humour, stories and good-natured teasing are all part of what makes a morning at the hide so memorable.

For me, this is much more than simply a photography session. It is the early start, the journey through a waking Highland landscape, the friendships, the laughter and the sheer privilege of watching one of Scotland’s most spectacular birds fishing at close quarters. It is an experience I never tire of and one I look forward to every summer.

If you would like to experience and photograph Aviemore’s ospreys for yourself, you can find further information and booking details here https://cairngormwildlifephotography.co.uk/hides-guiding/ospreys