Best of Scottish Wildlife

[PMG]

Cairngorms in March early April - cold but productive and looks wonderful and no biters!

Western Isles (May, June, Jul) can be cold in May and not all visiting birds will have arrived - June can be rainy but waders and raptors are breeding - Jul can be vile but raptors feeding/catching food all over the place! If I had my way I would go out there for 12 months just for the experience - esp as I am told that raptors are even more noticeable in winter cos the hours of daylight are short for them catching their food..........

Mull we are now seriously considering and had I not done my back in we would have been going next week (via the Cairngorms for a day or three) and then on up the west coast. I haven't been beyond Ullapool since 1976 and I really would like to go to the 'top' just once more.........

The Black Isle just beyond Inverness (and Channonry) is an interesting looking spot and could be worth a look before going cross country to the west??

The best advice has already been given - make a wish list and either work out where to see these sps - or put the list on here and I'm sure quite a few of us could tell you which bit of Scotland would be your best bet for catching up with these sps!

Pauline

[d70mpv]

Hi there, finally made up my mind about which species would be up there on a to see list, so here goes:

Definitely:

Eagles: Preferably Golden, any will do really.
Crossbills
Deer
Pine Martens

Would be nice:

Orcas
Wild cats
Dolphins
Otters

No thanks:

Biting things (yes I mean you, damned mossies, that make a bee-line for me like last night that's now made my thumb look like a cartoon image).

I guess a lot of those have been covered by the previous posters so thanks for the tips!

Pauline, just had a look on your website and the photos are superb, you should be very proud. I love the bit about repairing the roof or getting a new lens, like me, lens every time!

[PMG]

Pauline, just had a look on your website and the photos are superb, you should be very proud. I love the bit about repairing the roof or getting a new lens, like me, lens every time!

Thanks d70mpv I hope to be off out using it in a couple of days time - 10 days on my back in the house has nearly driven me crazy but its cautiously back to work tomorrow and then the last hols of the year........... fingers crossed that I remain ok.......

Pauline

[d70mpv]

Originally Posted by PMG

Pauline, just had a look on your website and the photos are superb, you should be very proud. I love the bit about repairing the roof or getting a new lens, like me, lens every time!

Thanks d70mpv I hope to be off out using it in a couple of days time - 10 days on my back in the house has nearly driven me crazy but its cautiously back to work tomorrow and then the last hols of the year........... fingers crossed that I remain ok.......

Pauline

Blimey, you've got the 500mm though, no? Not the best lens for the back I'd imagine, take care!

[PMG]

Originally Posted by d70mpv

Blimey, you've got the 500mm though, no? Not the best lens for the back I'd imagine, take care!

Yes - true-ooooooooooo - but its the last thing in this life I intend to give up - stupid or what Even with a bad back tho I can poke it thro the car or campervan window - and a lot of my photos have been obtained this way - not from walking about with it. If I have to go back to stalking with the 100-400 then I will just have to make sure I get close to my quarry
Giving up isn't in my vocabulary

Pauline

[d70mpv]

Originally Posted by PMG

Giving up isn't in my vocabulary

Pauline

Good for you! Looks like everyone else's left us to it on this thread so time to move on methinks, nice talking to you all

[derekmc]

There's been plenty of discussion about the spring - and I agree wholeheartedly with everyone's comments about Mull (we had our first trip there in May, and it was one of the most memorable holidays we've ever had)

However, if you're thinking about a winter break, then Dumfries and Galloway could be worth a look. The flocks of barnacle & pink-footed geese at Caerlaverock can be absolutely spectacular - numbering in the tens of thousands. It makes the hairs stand up on the back of your neck they all come up at once!

Just a thought.

Derek

[rlchew]

Islay in winter is also outstanding.

I went last year ....

Trip to Islay

.... and I have just made all the arrangements for this year .

Richard

[d70mpv]

Thanks Derek, much appreciated. We're lucky enough to actually live in Cambridge and the opportunities for Pink Footed geese are pretty phenomenal down here on the North Norfolk coast too, thanks for the advice anyhow.

[ChrisJB]

Originally Posted by larachmor

There are of course many places in Scotland that are great for wildlife, and I have no hestitation in recommending the Isle of Mull as THE place to go for wildlife, and the best time to go I would say is May/June before the midges become too much of a problem. Mull's geography means that you're never far from the sea and you're always in with the chance of an otter popping up. Mull too is undoubtedly the best place in the UK to see eagles - golden and white-tailed. The mullbirds website Mullbirds Online will give you some idea of what's on offer. Mull certainly tops my UK list.

I have to agree with Larachmor on this. But Skye is very good also, as is Wester Ross, between Torridon and Ullapool. The latter I believe to be the wildest, most dramatic scenery in the British Isles. Either way, all three are extremely dear to me.

Regards, Chris