Wildlife around Aviemore area

[darwin]

Hi,

We are staying in Aviemore at the end of the month and if anyone could tell us the best places to see wildlife e.g. eagles, ospreys and mammals etc then I would be grateful for the information. We will try to get to a Badger watch too if possibel-any help is greatly appreciated

Many thanks,

Tony

[Alan]

For Ospreys go to the RSPB reserve at Loch Garton. You'll probably see the Red Squirrels there too. I think it's a bit late for the Capercaillie though.

For a range of wildlife watching oppertunities contact Speyside Wildlife, they have events running such as Pine Martin and Badger watching evenings. Approx £10.

To have a realistic chance of Golden Eagles, your best bet would be a trip to Findhorn Valley, at Tomatin nearer Inverness. Just follow the road along the river Finhorn into the Monadliath Mountains, though you might be lucky and catch one around the North Cairngorms area.

If you're willing to take a trip upto the Cairngorm peaks, you may well se Ptarmigan and Dotteral.

You'll probaby spot the Red Deer on the hill tops, but you may have a job getting to them.

You can always take a trip the the Highland Wildlife Park for captive natives.

Above all keep your eyes open at the side of the roads, you never know what you'll see.

By the way, where are you staying?

Hope this helps

Alan

[eeyore]

Originally Posted by Alan

You can always take a trip the the Highland Wildlife Park for captive natives.
Alan

After they slaughtered their wolf back for no good reason I am never going there again, and I strongly urge everyone else to do likewise.

Going back to a happier note - ospreys on loch Inch, and they often fish at aviemore fish farm - in theory within camera reach, but not while i was there

cairngorm reindeer centre - i know they arent technically wildlife but they are cute and fluffy.

River Spey RSPB reserve - west of loch inch but just east of ruvven barracks (which itself is quite interesting if you are into history.)

[darwin]

Went to Loch Garten last year, while my wife was inside looking a the empty nest, I stayed on the shores of the Loch with the dogs waiting and saw something much more interesting. However, when she returned, the gorgeous creatures had stopped playing and disappeared.

Findhorn Valley is a definite for the chance of seeing raptors.

I am aware of the Highland Wildlife park story and would never go there again.

We are staying in Aviemore itself but are prepared to travel but maybe not as far as Isle of Skye as we did last year, almost a 200 mile round trip!

Thanks for the replies and please keep them coming

Darwin

[BM]

I'd highly recommend visiting this website:- http://wildlife.visitscotland.com/

Their free brochure (order on the right hand side menu) is very good. It has area specific maps of the majority of the Nature Reserves (RSPB, SWT etc) around Scotland along with specialty species (try saying that after a few drams!) for each reserve along with, entry fees, opening times (for the centers), access info, contact details etc It also has a lists of wildlife tour operators in the areas.

I live in the Edinburgh area and discovered quite a few nature reserves that I never knew existed!

Also worth getting the free Wild Scotland Passport (http://wild-scotland.org.uk/passport.shtml) which will give you discounts on entry fees/trips etc into many of the top wildlife attractions in Scotland.

[Oy]

If you have kids taken them to the Landmark Adventure Forest Theme Park at Carrbridge.

It's a great fun place for the kids but they also have a pretty cool high level forest nature trail (on raised walkways at treetop level)

http://www.landmark-centre.co.uk

In fact - if you don't have kids - go anyway

[rlchew]

Darwin

I was going to reply with several recommendations but Alan beat me to it!

The 3 that I would add are Loch Ruthven RSPB reserve for Slavonian Grebes, the Black Isle for Red Kites and the Moray Firth (Chanonry Point) for Bottle-nosed Dolphins.

I would again highly recommend this.

Have a great trip!

Richard

[eeyore]

Aigas field centre near inverness is supposed to be very good, but 'm not sure if you can go there as a day visitor, or if you have to be a guest to use there hides, ranger service etc. Also the Wildlife watching hide and trips on the rothimurcus estate (between aviemore and loch inch on the B road that runs parrellel to the A9 on the other side of the valley) are very good for Badger, piner marten, red squirell etc - if a tad expensive.

[eeyore]

http://www.aigas.co.uk/
http://www.rothiemurchus.net/wildlife.html

these are the urls for the sites i mentioned above - wasnt quite quick enough to put them in the original post with the edit function

[Alan]

Originally Posted by eeyore

http://www.aigas.co.uk/
http://www.rothiemurchus.net/wildlife.html

these are the urls for the sites i mentioned above - wasnt quite quick enough to put them in the original post with the edit function

Yeah that's the one I mentioned, the Speyside Wildlife link on the rothie site. Seems it's gone up to £15 though. Still good value though if you ask me. What's £15 for and experience like that!

[darwin]

Hi,

Managed to get booked on a Badger watch on the sunday
Last year while driving away from the Black Isle inland, a Red Kite flew over the car but then again, we live next to the Derwent Kites in NE England and they are a common site now in the right places.
We saw the dolphins last year too at Chantonry Point-that was the same day as the Red Kite.

Our Holy Grail is to spot Golden Eagles, saw some near the Kyle of Lochalsh a couple of years back but they were about 1/4 mile up in the sky so that hardly seems to count!

[eeyore]

You might find this useful then http://www.birchbrae.com/activities/seewildlife.asp

[rlchew]

Originally Posted by eeyore

You might find this useful then http://www.birchbrae.com/activities/seewildlife.asp

I stayed at Birchbrae last Christmas.

No Golden Eagles on the bird tables but we did have nightly visits to the chalet by Pine Martens in search of a jam and honey snack .

For Golden Eagles and White-tailed Eagles, visit Mull .... you can not fail to have good views of birds there.

Richard