February Wildlife spotting - Argyll is the place to spot, spot, spot . . . . .

Wild About Argyll

At Andy Craven Outdoors and Training we are always on the lookout for ways to admire and spot Argylls amazing collection of wild creatures and nature. Whether its by canoe, kayak, coastal exploration or just wandering around.

Here is February's collection of sightings.

14th February Crinan Canal, Lock 10

14th February River Add estuary, Bellanoch near Crinan

Sika Deer 17th February in garden at Asknish near Lochgair

Full Wildlife count for this month - Mid Argyll ~10 mile radius of Lochgilphead

Otter - River Add

Sika - Lochgair

Pine Marten - Lochgair
Sika - Moine Mhor

40+  Bird species

Black Guillemot  ("Cepphus grylle")

Blackbird  ("Turdus merula")

Black-headed Gull  ("Chroicocephalus ridibundus")

Buzzard  ("Buteo buteo")

Chaffinch  ("Fringilla coelebs")

Common Gull Cormorant  ("Phalacrocorax carbo")

Curlew  ("Numenius arquata")

Dunnock  ("Prunella modularis")

Eider  ("Somateria mollissima")

Goldeneye  ("Bucephala clangula")

Great Black-backed Gull  ("Larus marinus")

Great Northern Diver  ("Gavia immer")

Great Tit  ("Parus major")

Greater Canada Goose  ("Branta canadensis")

Greenfinch Grey Heron  ("Ardea cinerea")

Greylag Goose  ("Anser anser")

Herring Gull  ("Larus argentatus")

Hooded Crow  ("Corvus cornix")

Iceland Gull Little Grebe  ("Tachybaptus ruficollis")

Mallard  ("Anas platyrhynchos")

Mute Swan  ("Cygnus olor")

Oystercatcher  ("Haematopus ostralegus")

Pheasant  ("Phasianus colchicus")

Red-breasted Merganser  ("Mergus serrator")

Redshank  ("Tringa totanus")

Robin  ("Erithacus rubecula")

Rock Pipit  ("Anthus petrosus")

Siskin Shag  ("Phalacrocorax aristotelis")

Song Thrush  ("Turdus philomelos")

Teal  ("Anas crecca")

White-fronted Goose  ("Anser albifrons")

Wigeon  ("Anas penelope")

Wren  ("Troglodytes troglodytes") Bird Track also had the following sighting list . . . . . for Loch Gilp Wigeon (70), Mallard (6), Goldeneye (1),Grey Heron (1), Oystercatcher (175),Curlew (5), Bar-tailed Godwit (22), Dunlin (2), Redshank (6), Black-headed Gull (40),Common Gull (5), Great Black-backed Gull (2), Jackdaw (70), Rook (15), Carrion Crow (2), Blue Tit (6), Wren (1), Starling (15),Blackbird (1), Robin (4), House Sparrow (25), Pied Wagtail (yarrellii) (1), Chaffinch (12), Mute Swan (2), Wigeon (70), Mallard (6), Goldeneye (1), Grey Heron (1),Oystercatcher (120), Bar-tailed Godwit (22),Dunlin (2), Redshank (6), Black-headed Gull (40), Common Gull (8), Herring Gull (60), Great Black-backed Gull (2), Jackdaw (25), Rook (18), Carrion Crow (2), Blue Tit (10), Wren (1), Starling (20), Blackbird (2),Robin (4), House Sparrow (25), Pied Wagtail (yarrellii) (1), Chaffinch (12)

____________________________________________________ Car wildlife spotting drive route #1 - Add Estuary and Moine Mhor. http://www.nnr-scotland.org.uk/moine-mhor/ This car route just 5 minutes drive from Lochgilphead never saw less than 10 species on each visit, even in wind and snow conditions. Flags show hotspots - visits were in between 23rd and 28th February. What we saw - Buzzard, Herring gull, Hooded Crow, Oystercatcher, Canada goose, Greylag goose, Mallard, Wigeon, Curlew, Teal, Little Grebe, Red Breasted Merganser, Rock Pipit, Goldeneye, Redshank, Great Blackbacked Gull, Black Guillemot. If you are wild about wildlife - come try Argyll for some 'out of season' spotting . . . . Andy C