Mull

[taxi]

Ok, good news I'm off to mull during June. Mainly looking for otters and the treshnish isles for some of our feathered friends.

Right I know otters can be found around craignure, salen and loch scridain, but I had trouble getting close to them. Does anyone know of a good location where I can get them with in range of my 400mm? I've countless head shots when they are in the water.

Does anyone have any other good locations?

[Ann2]

Loch Na Keal is good, either just north or just south of Gruline. Also worth a try is Croggan. I managed to photograph one there, swimming within 50 feet of a little jetty that I was standing on.

Ann

[taxi]

Thanks Ann2

Loch Na Keal does sound to be a promising location, I heard other people say the same .

What I have read does suggest that croggan could be a good location. I think the 1st day on mull could be spent talking to locals to find good locations, and having a day looking for some activity, could be time well spent

[taxi]

I had an excellent time on Mull, thanks everyone for your help :thumbs:. I couldn't make it to all the suggested locations, the exhaust on my car is hung very low couldn't handle all the roads, forcing me to turn back on loch spelve.

So we headed for Lochbuie just to have a look and what a treat. Chaffinchs and blackbird taking bread from our hands Totally unexpected and all the more pleasing for it.

Did not have to much luck with otters, although we did get within about 5 meters of one otter, neither me nor my better half where in a position to take any worth while photos The experience was still exhilarating.

Here's a list of what we saw, It's not complete, but a good estimate of what we saw. The only animal we had to work for was the otter.

Mull

Golden Eagle
Sea Eagle
Chaffinch
Siskin
Blackbird
Hooded crows
Buzzard
Kestrel
Common Sandpiper
Curlew
Heron
Mute Swan
Robin
Eider Duck
Starling
Oysterctcher
Wheateater
Pied Wagtail
Swallow
House Sparrow

Otter
Roe Deer
Red Deer
Highland Cowes (I know)
Hare
Seal's
and hhhmmmm sheep...... :lol:

On Lunga and Staffa

Puffins
Shag
razorbill
Gannet (Flying by)
Fulmur
Guillemot
Seal's
Rabbits

[PMG]

Sounds like a good trip despite the otters playing silly beggers!

We were told the dog otter in Tobermory is pretty reliable - it plays on the boats, the rocks, the jetty at the car park and the pontoons where the boats are moored.

Despite spending sev hoours we managed to be at the wrong end of the car park when it came swimming passed the jetty! Typical! It is so tame that lucky folk have been 4ft off taking pics with mobile phones ........

So we wish you what we wish ourselves - better luck next time

Pauline

[ChrisJB]

I was on Mull at the end of May. On the whole, the weather wasn't great (so I didn't make it up Ben More, boo), but I did see pretty much all of my target species. We got lucky with otter with good views of one on the north shore of Loch Scridain. Most evenings we had a hen harrier hunting right outside the cottage and I was thrilled to see corncrakes on Iona. White-tailed sea eagle was easy enough, but I had to wait until the very last evening for golden eagle, which was also seen from the cottage. One of my favourite sightings was a summer plumaged great northern diver in Erraid Sound. Staffa was tremendous and I manged to photograph a twite there that had been rung in Lancashire.
A lovely place.

Regards, Chris

[taxi]

Originally Posted by PMG

Sounds like a good trip despite the otters playing silly beggers!

We were told the dog otter in Tobermory is pretty reliable - it plays on the boats, the rocks, the jetty at the car park and the pontoons where the boats are moored.

Despite spending sev hoours we managed to be at the wrong end of the car park when it came swimming passed the jetty! Typical! It is so tame that lucky folk have been 4ft off taking pics with mobile phones ........

So we wish you what we wish ourselves - better luck next time

Pauline

Thanks Pauline, we where aware of the otter in Tobermory, but we wanted images of the otter in its natural environment. Saying that, it would have been nice to watch.

Originally Posted by ChrisJB

I was on Mull at the end of May. On the whole, the weather wasn't great (so I didn't make it up Ben More, boo), but I did see pretty much all of my target species. We got lucky with otter with good views of one on the north shore of Loch Scridain. Most evenings we had a hen harrier hunting right outside the cottage and I was thrilled to see corncrakes on Iona. White-tailed sea eagle was easy enough, but I had to wait until the very last evening for golden eagle, which was also seen from the cottage. One of my favourite sightings was a summer plumaged great northern diver in Erraid Sound. Staffa was tremendous and I manged to photograph a twite there that had been rung in Lancashire.
A lovely place.

Regards, Chris

Good weather and mull can be mutually exclusive , and we only saw the summit of Ben More and the last day. I was too looking at making an assent but never had a chance.

You managed to see a lot there Chris. We managed to see an otter at Loch Scridain as well. there seems to be a holt near the estuary.

WE didn't have much time on Staffa, but a few hours on Lunga, which was an excellent experience

I cannnot wait to get back to Mull. Learned loads on the trip and cannot wait to put it back into practice

[ChrisJB]

It was my first visit to Mull since 1994 and was great to go back Taxi. I've been to Skye more and naturally with me a comparison is inevitable. I decided, Mull wins hands down for wildlife and peace and quiet, but in terms of dramatic scenery it has to be Skye. Loch Coruisk and the Cuillins just blow my mind. Perhaps the fact I have been lucky with the weather on Skye clouds my judgement a little.

Regards, Chris

[ron1863]

Looks like you had a good holiday Taxi. I'm glad you saw most of what you wanted to see and better luck next time with the Otters

[taxi]

Originally Posted by ChrisJB

It was my first visit to Mull since 1994 and was great to go back Taxi. I've been to Skye more and naturally with me a comparison is inevitable. I decided, Mull wins hands down for wildlife and peace and quiet, but in terms of dramatic scenery it has to be Skye. Loch Coruisk and the Cuillins just blow my mind. Perhaps the fact I have been lucky with the weather on Skye clouds my judgement a little.

Regards, Chris

Chris, I will agree totally with you and the wildlife/landscape divide between Mull and Skye. Skye is simply stunning, and I'm itching to go back. Hopefully during in August