Where to Look for Scotland’s Wildlife, From Orcas to Red Squirrels

On Mull, look over the lochs and wooded coastline for a broad-winged eagle. An adult’s white tail and pale head help distinguish it from a Golden Eagle. If you see one flying alongshore, follow it with binoculars from a public viewpoint and give nesting areas a wide berth.

At Chanonry Point on the Black Isle, try watching from shore on an incoming tide. Start with the curved dorsal fin or a brief splash, then watch the same stretch of water for a second surfacing. The dolphins choose where to feed, so give them plenty of time and keep the encounter on their terms.

Try a headland with a broad view of the sea in Shetland. Look for the tall, dark dorsal fin and the flash of white on the head when an orca turns. Calm stretches in summer make fins easier to see, though pods can pass at other times. Pick a safe vantage point and give the water time to reveal what’s moving through it.

In Glenmore Forest Park, pause along a pinewood path and look for movement along trunks and branches. Red squirrels often show rusty fur, a pale underside, and a bushy tail. Ear tufts can be more noticeable in winter. If a squirrel disappears around a trunk, wait for it to come into view instead of following.

Head for a viewing hide at Loch of the Lowes near Dunkeld in spring or summer, when ospreys return to breed. Over the loch, look for a pale underside, dark wrist marks, and long wings bent at the wrists. The reserve’s public viewing facilities keep visitors away from the birds’ nesting area.

Kirroughtree in Galloway Forest Park is one place where forestry staff have recorded pine martens. These elusive woodland mammals are more likely to be active around dusk and in the dark. If you get a glimpse, look for a bushy tail and a pale bib on a brown body. Treat it as a chance encounter and keep to public paths.

On Yell in Shetland, scan rocky shorelines from a quiet spot above the water. An otter may appear as a low head at the surface, followed by a long tapering tail as it dives. Keep your distance and leave the route from water to shore open.

In Glencoe, listen for stags calling during the autumn rut. From a distance you can watch how a stag follows the group, calls, or turns broadside to show its size. Keep away from the deer, especially if you hear two males answering one another.

On the Isle of May, make the most of the spring and early summer breeding season. Look for the orange feet and colorful bill of a puffin that has come ashore. Birds pass along the open water below the cliffs as well. From land, stick to the marked route around the burrows.

On the upper slopes of the Cairngorms, scan open ground from the path. A mountain hare that has turned white for winter may stand out on bare heather. In a snow patch, you might see only its dark ear tips at first. Watch where it sits without moving closer to make it run.

Try the Newburgh side of the Ythan estuary and watch across the water toward Forvie. A gray seal’s long, sloping head is a useful clue if you see it in profile. Keep clear of hauled-out seals and enjoy the view across the channel. Binoculars offer a closer look without making a seal lift its head to watch you.

In Glencoe, scan the ridges and slopes for a large eagle working the rising air. A Golden Eagle has a relatively long tail and may carry its long wings slightly raised while soaring. Give yourself time to see the silhouette from different angles before deciding what it is.