Eagles, Otters & Cetaceans on the Isle of Skye
The Isle of Skye is often described as the Highlands in miniature. From the sculpted Cuillin mountains, wild rushing rivers and waterfalls, to the dramatic sea cliffs and stunning remote beaches – it has it all! Tour Leader David Lambie introduces our new trip to the Isle of Skye - a Scottish wilderness!
Spotting the sleek half-submerged head of an otter, sliding silently and gracefully through the water amongst the similarly coloured kelp and bladderwrack along one of Skye’s rocky shorelines is a special moment. Should they then climb out of the water you can watch and listen as they noisily consume their ‘catch of the day’ such as a lumpsucker or a shore crab, this is pure wildlife-watching bliss and just another day on the Isle of Skye!
During our week on the island, we will get the chance to visit many of the quieter corners of Skye where white-tailed and golden eagles soar, sometimes side by side, while they’re busy hunting and feeding their chicks. It’s also a place offering unusual and unique opportunities. We will travel on the last manually operated turntable ferry in the world, visit ‘Camusfearna’ – home to Gavin Maxwell’s otters in his famous book Ring of Bright Water – and take a boat to the Small Isles to visit Canna with its bustling puffin colony. With the long days of mid-June we have plenty of daylight hours to play with. As dusk falls we will listen out for a rasping corncrake and observe red deer coming down off the high hills to graze, using a night vision camera to aid us in our quest.
Image by Paul Sharman
The waters around Skye are also well known for cetaceans, with several shore-watching locations offering the chance of minke whales, shortbeaked common dolphins, harbour porpoise, or if we’re very lucky even orca. Our chances will be further boosted during our day-long boat trip to Canna where apart from watching out for marine mammals, seabirds will also be a highlight including the enigmatic puffin. Later in the week a half-day trip out of the main harbour town of Portree will bring us closer to the magnificent white-tailed eagles as they come down to feed near the boat giving unbeatable views.
It’s not all about the here and now. Dinosaurs roamed Skye millions of years ago and their footprints remain - embedded in the soft sediments that then turned to rock - just one part of Skye’s amazing history that will also feature during our week here. Castles, crofting, abandoned bothies and great Scottish fare and hospitality are all other local highlights. We might even be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of a sky-dancing grey ghost, a male hen harrier displaying to a female over the moors where they breed, or a black guillemot, known as ‘tysties’ locally, swimming underwater from a high vantagepoint on the cliffs.
Tour leader David Lambie has worked with wildlife in Scotland his whole career and has a passion and experience second to none. With a background in forestry, the RSPB and ecology, his knowledge and local expertise will ensure a warm welcome in the Highlands and a rewarding and memorable visit to the wonderful Isle of Skye.
Join us on this exciting wildlife holiday to the Isle of Skye. To book your place or to find out more contact our wildlife experts.
