articles/Nature/ottersmull-page1

Otters and Sea Eagles The Isle of Mull - Mike Jones - part 1 of 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Published 01/06/2012

The factor that brings me back to Mull are the moments of sheer ecstasy when the weather and the light combine to illuminate this gem of an island and wondrous diversity of wildlife that visit and inhabit the area. My passion for the highlands of Scotland has lasted since my childhood, but my love affair with the islands is like the siren that beckons you on to the rocks.

In real terms Mull is the fourth largest island off the coast of Great Britain, with a coastline of 300 miles and a population of just 2,200. The island is accessed by three ferries, with the most popular being the Oban to Craignure ferry (45-minute passage) and the Lochaline to Fishnish (15-minute passage).

The habitats of the island are varied: from the highest mountain (Ben More) at 3,169 feet, the moorlands, sea lochs and hill lochans, the marshes and through to the sandy beaches. The island supports a wide range of resident and migrant birds and many passage birds call in to re-fuel en route. Raptors include the golden eagle and white-tailed sea eagle, hen harrier, peregrine falcon, kestrel, merlin, sparrow hawk and buzzard. Amongst the owls, barn owl, long-eared owl and tawny are resident and short-eared owls visit to breed.

The 300-mile coastline and the tidal lochs are attractive to many waders and the birds of passage which stop to feed en route to their summer and winter feeding grounds. All three divers (great northern, black throated and red throated can be seen at different times of the year and Slavonian grebe can be seen on the sea lochs in the winter.

• Otters and Sea Eagles The Isle of Mull - Mike Jones page 1
  
• Otters and Sea Eagles The Isle of Mull - Mike Jones page 2
  
• Otters and Sea Eagles The Isle of Mull - Mike Jones page 3
  
• Otters and Sea Eagles The Isle of Mull - Mike Jones page 4
  
• Otters and Sea Eagles The Isle of Mull - Mike Jones page 5
  
• Otters and Sea Eagles The Isle of Mull - Mike Jones page 6
  
• Otters and Sea Eagles The Isle of Mull - Mike Jones page 7
  

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