🎄The Nature of Mull - Advent Calendar Day 0️⃣ 3️⃣  Making the adder count! These sensational snakes do relatively okay on parts of Mull, but sadly are a 'vanishing viper' on large areas of the mainland in recent decades. These animals often get demonised due to being a venomous snake, but did you know that there has only been one human death by an adder bite since the 1970s in the UK. In that same time, human-based actions have caused the decline of 50% of all the wild bioma

🎄The Nature of Mull - Advent Calendar Day 0️⃣2️⃣ A male Ptarmigan feeding on heather shoots on the Isle of Mull. As the climate has got increasingly warmer and wetter over the last few decades, these snow grouse have struggled to survive in mainly snowless landscapes on the island's high peaks. This species is hanging on by a claw here on Mull but showing incredible signs of survival to still be spotted occasionally on the island. Who else has seen Ptarmigan on Mull?

🎄The Nature of Mull - Advent Calendar Day 0️⃣1️⃣  A Long-eared Owl that had recently dispersed from its nest on Mull. This was one of three owlets to fledge from an old Hooded Crow's nest in a stand of larch. This secretive and under recorded owl species doesn't build its own nest and instead has a huge preference for using old corvids nest for their own breeding attempts so next time you see a Hooded Crow or a Raven on Mull, give these clever corvids a nod of approval for b

We organized a memorable stargazing evening on the picturesque island of Mull, where we welcomed three enthusiastic guests to join us for this celestial adventure. Two of our guests were picked up from the charming town of Tobermory, known for its colourful waterfront and vibrant atmosphere, while the third guest was collected from Craignure, a quaint village that serves as a gateway to the island. The journey to our destination was filled with anticipation, as we drove throu

Quite overcast and grey in the morning with a fresh northerly wind, very appropriate for the first winter day tour since March! Red throated diver and Harbour seals were a nice start before a little egret, buzzards and kestrels. A few attempts for the other raptor species to no avail before five species together at our lunch stop. Two Hen Harriers and both flavours of eagles on the distant skylines. At our toilet stop we had a spectacular otter encounter as we all got in a re

Weather: a drizzly start eventually brightened into another calm, golden light day. Theo and group started with great views of an Otter enroute to our first stop, fishing close to shore from the van before popping up onto a small rock for a preen. Next the local WTE eventually flew into their usual perch in the spruce. Great-northern Divers, Slavonian Grebes and 2 Velvet Scoter were out in the loch. Onto the next sea loch we had another more distant Otter out fishing, a few S

Weather: Drizzly and cloudy start, eventually brightened up but a strong breeze throughout A half day family tour for Theo today. We found the local pair of adult WTE sheltering in the spruce out of the wind and further down a great view of an Otter wandering around on a near to the shore island before heading along the shoreline and inland. Heading onto the next stop a shout from the 6 yr old in the back of a dot above the ridge, a high flying Golden Eagle! It didn't hang ar

Weather: Light cloud to start quickly lifted into a stunning golden light day with a light breeze. We started the day with great scope views of the local pair of WTE perched up in the spruce trees, an Otter appeared on the coast before coming up onto a small island before running the length of it and sprainting, a superb view. We also saw 2 Velvet Scoters ( a scarce bird here), Slavonian Grebes and a few Great-northern Divers, including 1 calling just out on the loch. Onto ou

Weather: Moderate breeze picking up through the day with heavy cloud mostly The days sightings included lots of Red Deer, a ringtail Hen Harrier and 2 male Hen Harrier, one of which gave great views quartering the flat grassland not far away, 3 sightings of sadly distant Golden Eagles, who despite the breeze didn't want to play ball, some sizeable flocks of Redwing and Fieldfare, Great-Northern Divers in the sea lochs and lots of Buzzards enjoying the breeze. The star sightin

Weather: Light and cool breeze and light cloud with occasional bright spells. starting to feel more wintery. Theo's 4hr private photo tour: We started with one of the local WTE in its usual spruce tree, Red Deer on the hillsides and a male Hen Harrier flew over. With the tide turning we turned our attention towards Otters. We quickly found a mother and her small cub on a more distant reef giving nice scope views. In the nearer bay we spotted another family of Otters this time

Weather: Light breeze and mostly overcast with occasional light rain. Both groups started with the local pair of White-tailed Eagles before watching a pod of Common Dolphins unusually high up a sea loch, an indicator of the huge amount of food that's around for the marine mammals lately. A Golden Eagle was perched in dead tree on the hillside and 2 Kestrels over the ridge above. We then watched a pair of adult WTE's on an offshore island before an Otter and her tiny cub appea

Calm winds and bright spells made for perfect conditions to explore Mull’s wild coast once again. Our morning began overlooking the Sound of Mull, where a large pod of Common Dolphins and several Harbour Porpoise travelled south through the calm water. Then came a truly special moment — a stunning Hoopoe, the first ever recorded on a Nature Scotland tour! The bird fed right beside the road, giving us incredible views before flying further along, all against the backdrop of a

Bright spells and calm winds made for perfect conditions to explore Mull’s coast today before the cloud arrived in the afternoon. Our morning began at a sea loch where two magnificent White-tailed Eagles perched in the trees before lifting off to hunt across the water. Behind us, a solitary Otter quietly fished in the bay, surfacing close to shore and offering beautiful views. The excitement grew as a Golden Eagle appeared on a nearby hillside, slowly circling higher into the

Bright skies and calm air made for ideal walking conditions on Mull today. A quick stop on our way to the coast brought an early treat — a distant Otter feeding in the Sound, watched over by two White-tailed Eagles perched out on a rocky reef. We began our coastal walk with a lovely mix of waders and a Red-throated Diver just offshore. The calm conditions made spotting easy, and before long, Harbour Porpoise and Harbour Seals appeared, moving gracefully through the still wate

Light clouds and a gentle breeze set the perfect scene for another incredible day exploring Mull’s wild coastlines. We began at a sea loch where an Otter mum and her two cubs rolled playfully through the seaweed — a fantastic start to the morning. Further out on the loch, two Slavonian Grebes and several Great Northern Divers dived in the calm water. Before long, our first eagle appeared — a magnificent White-tailed Eagle perched at low tide, keeping watch not far from yet an

Mull was alive with activity today after Storm Amy. As we set off from Tobermory, a male Sparrowhawk gave us a brilliant start, darting...

Weather: a rainy and overcast day with occasional bright spells and a light breeze. Theo's 4hr private tour: On our morning out we had...

Weather: Rainy morning but eventually cleared into light cloud but always a chilly autumn day. Highlights of both tours today starting...

Weather: Bright and breezy sunny day with little cloud. Klay's Wilderness tour: Bright skies set the scene for a fantastic day on foot....

Weather: Bright and a moderate breeze with little cloud. Theo's tour: The day started with Fallow deer in the woods and a lovely juvenile...