We had a wonderful 'summer' holiday in Scotland. The weather was particularly mixed this year; but despite the cool temperatures, we had not expected to find spring primroses and bluebells and quite so much snow around in mid-June. It might even have been good weather for penguins!
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| Sign on the lovely Scottish island of Gigha |
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| Snow around Kintail |
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| Heading north through Glencoe |
Insects were rather thin on the ground this time, but we saw quite a few birds (like the Arctic Terns in the photo below) and an interesting selection of animals.
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| Dunvegan, Skye © David Gill 2015 |
I shall begin with my 2015 mammal list:
- Bottlenose Dolphin (from the ferry to Lochranza on Arran)
- Common/Harbour Seal (largely at Dunvegan on Skye)
- Grey Squirrel (Culzean)
- Hare (particularly at Kilmartin and on the way to the Mull of Kintyre)
- Otter (Skye and Argyll)
- Pine Marten (sadly no photograph, but a first for us)
- Rabbit (Skye)
- Red Deer (several locations)
- Red Squirrel (just one ... adjacent to Loch Awe)
- Roe Deer (several locations)
- Shrew (a nest, Attadale)
Sadly we failed to see any of the
Knapdale Beavers (the weather was particularly deluge-like that day), but we enjoyed looking. Their watery realm was straight out of a fairytale!
Beavers may have eluded us in 2015, but (despite a week on Mull last year), we had our best
Otter sightings ever ...
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| First view: was it an Otter? |
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| Definitely! |
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| Last view before it disappeared into the water ... |
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| Bluebells (and Primroses) on Midsummer's Day |
lots of nice sightings there, Caroline, and lovely photos of the otter!
ReplyDeleteLovely photos of the otter - I've never seen one in the wild. I really would love to return to Scotland - it sounds as though you had the most wonderful holiday :)
ReplyDeleteThis post is lovely Caroline and it's easy to forget I like in such a beautiful country.
ReplyDeleteThe cool weather extended many spring plants here as you have found. Yes, snow on the hills is rather a sight mid summer.
Beautiful pictures one and all. A super thumbs up for Scotland!
Super sightings Caroline, nicely captured too.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photos--you're in a lovely place
ReplyDeleteI feel I'm right there with you, Caroline, discovering and smiling...wonderful, beautiful, all!
ReplyDeleteI feel that I'm right there with you "in each moment of your discoveries," and that makes me smile! What a great adventure and I'm honored to be part of it.
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