Scotland Acharacle - End of Loch Shiel Scottish Highlands

[AdamSi]

Very excited as we have just booked another week in the highlands, this will be our 3rd year there in April, this time we have gone further west due to our usual log cabin in Blaich being taken but will be nice change to be somewhere different, especially this end of loch shiel as the sea eagles were nesting here last year and could be seen hunting daily (fingers crossed they are there again)

We love nature and wildlife spotting and if weather is good we are going to hire a boat for a day.

What would people's suggestions be for finding otters, red squirrels and pine marten etc (been 2 years previous and have seen red Squirel and know pine marten spotting is not easy unless they frequent your accommodation put food out?)

Loch Sunart is only 20mins away so we also thought a about day trip to mull this year as did Skye last year, again suggestions welcome as we only have a we and want to make best use of our time.

 

[AdamSi]

Wish me luck we set off in the morning and have to visit daughter in Durham on route so it's now just over 700 miles tomorrow but know it will be worth it

 

[kendo1]

Good luck

 

[Moadib]

For pine martens jam sandwiches seem to be your friend (not sure if they're good for the pine marten though...!). Suggestion would be put some food out every night - it will disappear - then after a couple of nights of it disappearing, sit up and wait to see what's coming and taking it. If there's an area you can put where other animals might struggle (up in the fork of a low tree?) that might help.

On Mull there's so many places. Will be getting about time for corncrake, and even if you're early a trip to Iona is fabulous. Also recommend the drive round to the Iona ferry, lots of good bays for otter, divers and other sea birds. Loch na keal is really nice - there's a small parking area just past Knock on the south short of Loch na keal, where if you sit and look south you will often see golden eagles. A boat trip comes along with food for the sea eagles also, so great opportunities for both. Would thoroughly recommend the boat trip from Mull out to Lunga, if the puffins are in. The trip takes in Fingal's cave (Staffa), but the couple of hours spent on Lunga is even more amazing.

Wish you a great trip!

 

[AdamSi]

Thank you, the owner of our accommodation said the Forrest really close to us is Overun with pine marten (not way to photograph but said if anyone leaves rubbish out they are all over it in the night! Seen what I think was my first redwing today? Looked like mistake thrush but smaller with reddish streak under wing, there was quite a few feeding around mounds of seaweed on grassy area of hightide at loch moidart?