What Wildlife Will I See on Skye?

Skye hosts an amazing array of wildlife, and is a great destination for wildlife watchers and photographers. Here is just a brief overview of some of the more popular species you might see.

What can I hope to see on Skye?

There is a large array of birds of prey, so for a bird nerd like me, Skye is paradise! You will definitely see species such as buzzards, harriers, kestrels, sparrow hawks, and if you’re lucky, peregrine falcons. And you will hear different types of owls - I’ve been awoken to the calls of barn and long eared owls before.

But for those of you who need something bigger or rarer to get you excited, there is always the possibility of seeing both golden eagles and white-tailed (sea) eagles.

To catch a glimpse of golden eagles, the Cuillin are probably your best bet. Of course they nest on towering cliffs, so seeing them up close can be very challenging, but keep your eyes peeled to watch them soaring high above.

For sea eagles, the clue is in the name - they can be found around sea cliffs. However, you’re just as likely to spot them on a rock on the beach, keenly observing the water for passing fish. Make sure while you’re driving around the island, especially from Portree - Sconser, that you watch the beaches as you’re likely to see them there. If you see one flying, you’ll know it. With an 8 foot wingspan it’s unlikely you’ll get it confused with anything else!

Sea Birds

There are many, many types of seabird on Skye. A lot of the time you can find them on beaches next to lochs or the sea, but a wildlife boat trip is a great way to spot them too.

Unfortunately Skye isn’t the best place to go puffin watching, if you’re very lucky you might see some off of Neist point. But again, taking a boat trip from the south of Skye to the neighbouring islands such as Canna, Eigg, Rum, and Muck offers a greater chance of seeing them.

Red Deer can be found all over the island, although during the summer they graze on higher ground so you’re less likely to see them at this time of year. Autumn brings the annual rut, and then during winter they return to lower ground in search of better grazing - this is the best time to see them.

Otters can also be found all around the coast and rivers on Skye. Sitting quietly and patiently will often bring good results. There is an otter hide in Kyle Rhea, where you can sit even on a rainy day with your binoculars and watch the otters below. Kayaking is also a great way to see otters, but be careful to not get too close and scare them.

www.southskyeseakayak.co.uk / @southskyeseakayak on Instagram

Other marine life:

Dolphins: bottle nosed and common dolphins are the most regular visitors to the water around Skye.

Minke whales: these can be seen between May-October. On land they can be spotted from Rubha Hunish, as well as Waternish & Neist points to the west. Other, less frequent visitors include humpback whales and orcas.

Basking sharks can also be seen at these locations throughout the summer, especially during June & July.

Seals: common and grey seals can be spotted all around the lochs and harbours on the island. The best way, again, is to take a boat trip, but more than likely you’ll see them pop up in the shallows, if you’re visiting a beach, to see what you’re doing - they’re quite nosey!

There are so many other species of bird and animal on Skye that I don’t have time to mention them all - they’re all incredibly interesting and beautiful in their own way.

Check out these companies for boat trips and wildlife tours - they will take you to the best places to see dolphins, whales, seals, sharks, and sea birds, as well as a chance to see the surrounding smaller islands or sea lochs.

www.mistyisleboattrips.co.uk / @mistyisleboat on Instagram

www.bellajane.co.uk / @bellajaneboattrips on Instagram

www.seaskye.com / @sea.skye on Instagram

For your best chance at seeing any of these creatures, why not book a wildlife tour? Check out www.skyefari.com / @skyefari on Instagram for a 4x4 wildlife tour, or www.skyewildlife.com / @skyewildlifetours on Instagram for a minibus tour with local guides who can use their years of experience to find the wildlife you are excited to see.

There are, however, two other species that I wanted to mention that you need to try and avoid at all costs!!

The Highland Midge

This is an absolute pest and will make your life an utter misery, especially if you are camping or sat outside of an evening, between late May - September. They seem to be getting worse due to milder winters and hotter summers, and once one has sniffed you out, you will be overpowered by them.

Midge head nets offer slight relief, as does wearing thick socks with your trousers tucked in, but the little blighters will find their way under your clothes.

There are rumours that Avon’s skin so soft offers protection, or Smidge, but in my experience nothing works. It may just be that I'm not applying it frequently enough, or putting enough on.

The best thing you can do is don’t venture out after dark. (Keep those windows shut!) If you’re camping, you can pray for it to be mildly windy, as they can't fly in the wind - maybe find campsites near the coast or on very high ground. Some other tips if you're camping are to make sure you eat and have cleared up before dusk (washing up whilst being midged is not fun.. eating is worse). Also a campfire does help to keep them at bay to some extent. Just don't leave your tent after dark to pee... I can confirm that you will regret it.

Whilst they are horrible, they’re not really dangerous, and they don’t spread disease. The only danger really comes from scratching your bites - this can lead to infection.

The Tick

The other critter to avoid is the tick… not only are they disgusting (who wouldn’t want something to attach itself to you whilst it fattens itself up on your blood), they are really dangerous. They are known transmitters of Lyme Disease, as well as many other horrifying diseases. (Ticks freak the hell out of me..)

Smidge does seem to keep ticks away, so I would advise using a good bug repellent, keeping skin covered up with light coloured clothing to make ticks more visible(tuck those trousers into your socks again), and don’t go walking through bracken and long grass, however tempting it might be.

It’s good to be familiar with the tick removal technique, and maybe keep a tick removal tool handy.

When ticks are still in the nymph stage, it can be hard to see them on your body so make sure you thoroughly check your body (every crack and crevice) when you arrive back where you’re staying. If you have removed a tick, watch out for a bulls eye rash, and if possible, keep the tick (in a safe place) so it can be tested by your doctor.

This may all sound scary! But it’s just good to be aware. As long as you’re careful and don’t go wandering through patches of bracken wearing your shorts, you should be fine.

So enjoy your wildlife watching, stay safe, and remember - "Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints - well, preferably don’t even leave them, and kill nothing but time," or maybe ticks.

Tioraidh!

(Note: This post contains Amazon Affiliate links)

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