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ANIMALS

Adders

 

Found all over, but lots of sightings in the following areas. They are often to found near or on rarely used paths, basking in the sun.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Basking Sharks

 

The second largest fish in the world feeds on plankton which flows with the gulf stream around our coast. While a few degrees difference in the gulf stream can mean no basking sharks at all, when conditions are right in the summer, the sea around Mull can be full of these amazing animals.

 

 

 

 

 

Bitterns

 

One of our more exotic  water birds. Rare, but slowly making a come-back.  Spring and early summer are good time to see these.

 

Buzzards

 

While rare in many parts of the UK, relatively common in north Wales. On Mull, it's often a case of, 'Is it an eagle? No, it's just another buzzard!'

 

Common Seals

 

Not as common as the name suggests, common seals are greatly outnumbered by Grey seals around the UK coast.

A good place to see os the Moray Firth, but they can be seen all around Scotland.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dolphins

 

Bottlenose dolphins are suprisingly common around our coasts. They can be regularly seen on boat trips in the waters of North West Scotland, but for regular sightings from land, the hotspots have to be Cardigan Bay in West Wales, Inverness in East Scotland, and from the rocks at Neist Point, Isle of Skye.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dragon Flies

 

Found near water in the summer, there are a number of different species to be found in the UK. Warmer spots are better, so often found in nature reserves in the South.

 

 

 

Fallow Deer

 

Fallow deer are very widespread, but that doesn't mean they're easy to spot. The London deer parks are excellent places to see both Fallow and Red deer where they can run wild, but in a relatively small and contained area.

 

 

 

 

Gannets

 

These cliff dwellers can be found in a number of isloated spots around the coast. Spring and summer is the time to see these magnificient birds.

 

 

 

Golden Eagles

 

The North West coast of Scotland and the Hebridean Islands are great places to see our second largest birds. Mull is particuarly good with daily sigthing on the coast road between Calgary and Loc Na Keal.

 

Grass Snakes

 

Widespread, but difficult to spot. Try the Elmley National Nature Reserve where they can sometimes be seen swimming. Spring and summer are the times to see reptiles.

 

 

Grey Seals

 

Grey seals can be seen all round the coast, but there are very few  places on the mainland where you are guarenteed good sightings. In the breeding season (September to December) there are two excellent places on the East coast of England where, not only are you certain to get good sightings, but you can get extremely close.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Hares

 

Hares are widespread, but often hard to see, hiding in scrapes in the ground during the day.  Spring is definately the time to see them, with Eastern Norfolk being a particular hotspot for March Hare activity. Also often seen around the Bempton Cliffs area of Yorkshire. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hobbys

 

Widespread through the South West, South, and East of England, they can often be see over water where they prey on large insects and small birds

 

 

 

Little Egrets

 

A bird that is far more common than it used to be, and can be found all over England. A good place to see them in large numbers is the nature reserve at Farlington Marshes, in Langstone Habour, Hampshire.

 

Lizards

 

Common lizards are widespread, but very difficult to see on a predictable basis. Bentley wood, Parc Slip and the London Wetland Centre are good places on warm days where the lizards can often be seen basking on paths and wood.

 

 

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Natterjck Toads

 

Very rare ,but being reintroduced, particularly at Sefton Sands, Fornby.

 

 

 

Marsh Harriers

 

The largest of our harriers, it is indistinguishable fro other harriers apart from size

 

 

 

 

Minke Whales

 

Whale watching trips are popular on the Isle of Mull, with regular sightings of our most common whale species. Minkes can often be seen from ferries between the Hebridean islands, but for possibly the best, and definitely the cheapest way of seeing Minke's head up to Neirst Point of the Isle of Skye where you can see the whales from the rocks!

 

Orca

 

Orca are rare visitors to our waters, but can be seen occasionally off the coast of North West Scotland. There is a small resident pod which seems to do a loop around the waters of Skye, Lewis and the mainland. Thi group come very close to the rocks at Neist Point on the Isle of Skye.

 

Osprey

 

Extremely rare, but can can be found in Central and East Wales.

 

 

Otters

 

Otters can be now found in every county in England. For example, the are now resident on the Great Ouse, in Buckinghamshire, but they are extremely shy and difficult to spot, coming out mainly at night. In Scotland, however, along the West coast and on the Hebridean Islands, otter can often be seen in the daytime.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pine Marten

 

Rare and secretive, but in some parts of scotland you can be fairly confident of good sightings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pheasant 

 

Widespread, but sometimes hard to find.

 

 

Porpoise

 

Elusive and shy, but around in quite large numbers. Found in the same sort of places you find dolphins, but not at same time as they avoid their bigger cousins.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Puffins 

 

Puffins spend most of the year at sea, but come back to land raise their young. They have quite specific requirements and nest in remote coastal areas where they can make burrows and are safe from predators. As such they usually be found after a short boat trip from May to July.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Red Deer

 

Red deer are widespread thorough the countryside of Scotland. They can often be seen on the edge of distant hills. Seeing them close-up is a very different thing, but early in the morning is probably the best time. Alternatively, they can be seen (along with Fallow deer) in the London deer parks.

 

 

 

 

Red Kites

 

After being persecuted to extinction in England, the remianing places to see Red kites were restricted to small areas of Scotland and Wales. However, they have been very successfully reintroduced into Buckinghamshire and in some places, (Princes Risborough and Stokenchurch, for example), is possible to see as many as 20+ birds in the air at a time.

 

 

 

 

 

Red Squirrels

 

Extremely rare in England, but can be found in a few locations. Their remaining strongholds are north of the border, but again, rare.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sand Lizards

 

Very rare ,but being reintroduced, particularly at Sefton Sands, Fornby.

 

 

 

Sand Martins

 

Lovely little birds that can be seen  in dunes in the summer moths. Calgary Bay on the Isle of Mull is particularly good.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Water Voles

 

These are very difficult to spot, but photographs appear on a regular basis from two great locations - but you do have to be really, really quiet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wild Boar

 

They're back. some in the south east, but 800 in the Forest of Dean.

 

White Tailed (Sea) Eagles

 

Driven to extinction in the early twentieth century, out largest bird of prey is making a slow recovery after it's reintroduction on the North West of Scotland. It's stronghold is the Isle of Mull, but can be seen in smaller numbers on Skye. Best place to see is Loch Na Keal on Mull.

 

 

 

Parc Slip, Bridgend, Wales.

 

Gillingham, Kent, South East England.

 

RSPB Minsmere, Saxmunham, Suffolk, East England.

 

Ashdown Forest, Nr, East Grinstead, East Sussex, South England

 

 

 

Mull, North West Scotland.

 

Isle of Coll, North West Scotland.

 

Lizard Point, Cornwall, South West England.

 

Isle of Man, Irish sea

 

 

 

 

 

 

RSPB Minsmere, Saxmunham, Suffolk, East England.

 

 

 

 

 

Loch Na Keal, Isle of Mull, North Westy Scotland.

 

Trawsfynydd, North Wales.

 

 

 

Portgordon, Moray Firth, East Scotland.

 

Blakeney Point, Norfolk, East England.

 

Orkney Isles, North of Scotland.

 

Skomer Island in the West of Wales.

 

Inverness, East Scotland.

 

 

 

 

 

Mull, North West Scotland.

 

New Quay, West Wales.

 

Cardigan, West Wales.

 

Inverness, East Scotland.

 

Mounts Bay, West Cornwall, South West England.

 

Mwnt, Ceredigion, West Wales

 

 

 

Shapwick Heath National Nature Reserve, Ashcott Somerset

 

London Wetland Centre, Barnes, London.

 

 

 

 

Wilderness deer park, Greenwich, East London.

 

Richmond Park, Richmond upon Thames, West London.

 

Bushy Park, Kinston upon Thames, West London.

 

Ashridge Estate, Ashridge, Hertforshire, Central England.

 

 

 

Bempton Cliffs, East Yorkshire, North England.

 

Westray, north Orkney.

 

St Kilda, North West Scotland.

 

 

 

Mull, North West Scotland.

 

Staffin, Isle of Skye, North West Scotland.

 

 

 

 

Elmley National Nature Reserve, Isle of Sheppey, Kent, South East England.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Donna Nook, Louth, Lincolnshire, East of England.

 

Horsey Mere, Norfolk, East of England.

 

Puffin Island, Anglesey, North Wales.

 

Mounts Bay, West Cornwall, South West England.

 

Blakeney Point, Norfolk, East England.

 

Orkney Isles, North of Scotland.

 

Skomer Island in the West of Wales.

 

Inverness, East Scotland.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Marham, Norfolk, East England.

 

Bempton Cliffs, East Yorkshire, North England.

 

Elmley National Nature Reserve, Isle of Sheppey, Kent, South East England.

 

Holmfirth, West Yorkshire, North England.

 

Trawsfynydd, North Wales

 

Skomer Island in the West of Wales.

 

 

 

Westhay Nature reserve, Esthay, Somerset, South West England.

 

RSPB Mimsmere, Saxmunham, Suffolk, East England.

 

 

 

 

Farlington Marshes, Hampshire, Southern England.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bentley Wood, Hampshire, South England.

 

Parc Slip, Bridgend, Wales

 

London Wetland Centre, Barnes, London.

 

 

 

 

 

Fornby, Merseyside, North West England.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Blacktoft Sands, East Ridings of Yorkshire, North England.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tobermory, Isle of Mull, North West Scotland.

 

Neist Point, Isle of Skye, North West Scotland.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Neist Point, Isle of Skye, North West Scotland.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cors Dyfi – Near Machynlleth, East Wales

 

Merthyr Tydfil, Brecon Beacons, South Wales

 

 

 

Ulva Ferry, Isle of Mull, Western Scotland.

 

Dunvegan,Isle of Skye, Western Scotland.

 

Cors Caron National Nature Reserve/Tregaron Bog, Southwest Wales.

 

Martin Mere Wetland Centre. Tarlscough, Burscough, Lancashire,  North England.

 

South Uist, Outer Hebrides, North West Scotland.

 

Leighton Moss RSPB, Lancashire, North England.

 

RSPB Minsmere, Saxmunham, Suffolk, East England.

 

Bosherston Lily Ponds, Pembrokeshire, West Wales.

 

WWT, Llwynhendy, Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, South Wales

 

Portree, Isle of Skye, North West Scotland.

 

 

 

 

Lochaber, Glenfinnan, North West Scotland.

 

Cheviot Hills, Northumberland, North England

 

Ballachuan Hazelwood, Seil Island, Oban, North West Scotland.

 

Balnaguard Glen, Perth and Kinross , Central Scotland.

 

Belmaduthy Dam, Munlochy, Highlands, Scotland.

 

Ben Mor Coigach, Ullapool, North West Scotland.

 

Loch Fleet, Highlands, East Scotland.

 

Rahoy Hills, Inverness, East Scotland

 

 

 

 

Magor Marsh, Gwent, South Wales

 

 

 

 

Mounts Bay, West Cornwall, South West England.

 

Mull, North West Scotland.

 

Flamborough Head, Yorkshire, North England.

 

Strumble Head, Pembrokeshire, West Wales.

 

Porthgwarra, Cornwall, South West England.

 

Sumburgh Head, Shetland Isles.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Skomer Island in the West of Wales.

 

The Farne Islands in North East England

 

Lunga, off the Isle of Mull in Western Scotland.

 

Westray, north Orkney.

 

Shetland, Shetland Isles.

 

Puffin Island, Anglesey, North Wales

 

 

 

 

Wilderness deer park, Greenwich, East London.

 

Richmond Park, Richmond upon Thames, West London.

 

Bushy Park, Kinston upon Thames, West London.

 

RSPB Minsmere, Saxmunham, Suffolk, East England.

 

 

 

 

 

Stockenchurch, Buckinghamshire.

 

Gigrin Farm,Powys, Central Wales.

 

Castle Douglas, Dumfries and Galloway, Southern Scotland.

 

Harewood, Leeds, West Yorkshire, North England.

 

Llangadog, Carmarthenshire, Central Wales.

 

 

 

 

Fornby, Merseyside, North West England.

 

Brownsea Island, Poole Harbour, Dorset, South England.

 

Newborough, Anglesey, North West Wales

 

The Black Isle, Munlochy, East Scotland.

 

Lockerbie, Eskrigg, South Scotland.

 

Pow Hill, Northumberlanf, North England.

 

 

 

Fornby, Merseyside, North West England.

 

Town Common, Christchurch, Dorset, South England

 

 

 

 

Calgary Bay, Isle of Mull, North West Scotland.

 

Seaham, County Durham, North England.

 

Scarborough, North Yorkshire, North England.

 

 

 

 

 

Magor Marsh, Gwent, South Wales

 

Calcott, Berkshire South East England

 

RSPB Minsmere, Saxmunham, Suffolk, East England.

 

WWTLlwynhendy, Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, South Wales.

 

 

 

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Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, South East Wales.

 

 

 

 

Loch Na Keal, Isle of Mull, North Westy Scotland.

 

Dunvegan, Isle of Skye, North West Scotland.

 

 

 

 

Need more help? Try the app from the Wildlife Trust. (For Android and iphone.)

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