Free range eggs and free pigeon pie

A Doocot (Dovecot or Dovecote in English) is a structure provided for the use of free-living wild pigeons or doves. These square or circular buildings generally contain built-in boxes in which the birds build their nests. The eggs and nestlings (squabs) were formerly an important source of free food for the owners of the Doocot.

This Doocot belongs to the House of Leask, a little inland from Newburgh on Ythan. Built in the 18th century and restored in 1981 the doocot is a Grade B Listed Building. The listing describes it as being an 'unusual, tall, square-plan, single chamber dovecot with voussoired segmentally-arched window, alighting ledge/string course close to eaves below a row of flight holes and ball-finialled, slated, piended roof. Roughly squared and snecked pink granite rubble with squared rubble quoins.'

The Leask Doocot would have provided a great many pigeon pies and suppers but it is small beer compared to Scotland's largest at Milton of Finavon, some 7 miles (11 km) northeast of Forfar, in Angus. Built for the Earl of Crawford in the 1500s, this monster contains 2400 nesting boxes!