Leaders

Julian Sykes and Ailie Brown

Day 1	Arrive in Glasgow, travel West to Lochgilphead - 3 nights at Grey Gull Hotel.
Day 2-3	Wildlife and birdwatching exploration throughout Argyll and Bute.
Day 4	Journey through stunning scenery, before catching the ferry to Mull - 5 nights at Isle of Mull Hotel.
Day 5-8	Wildlife and birdwatching exploration on Mull, including a boat trip to the Treshnish Isles.
Day 9	Ferry back to the mainland then drive to Loch Lomond birdwatching enroute - 1 night at Loch Lomond Arms Hotel.
Day 10	Leave Loch Lomond for Glasgow.

Weather	Mixture of sun and showers, but cooler on boat trips and in the mountains (10°- 25°).
Walking	Most walks are 1-2 miles on wide sandy tracks, although there is the possibility of a forest walk of up to 4 miles. Walks on Lunga and Staffa, although approx only 1 mile long, are more challenging and only suitable for those with good mobility and balance. Walking boots will be needed.
Boat Trips	Our boat trip to Lunga lasts 6 hours, including 3 hours onshore. Our trip to Iona is a short 10 min ferry ride.
Insects	Biting midges will be encountered.
Meals	All included from dinner on Day 1 to breakfast on Day 10.
Accom	Grey Gull Hotel, Isle of Mull Hotel and The Inn on Loch Lomond - double, twin and single rooms all ensuite.
Group	12

Under-rated Argyll, with hidden corners and evidence of Beaver, through the majesty of Mull, with its high density of eagles, to the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond!

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48uep6bbphidval|MULLANDKINTYRE

	*    See both Golden and White-tailed Eagles amongst stunning scenery
	*    Look for Otters along beautiful rocky shores
	*   Possibility of Corncrake, Great Northern Diver and Wood Warblerrs
	*    Explore wild remote areas in search of rich and varied wildlife
	*    Set sail for the amazing basalt columns of Staffa enroute to Lunga
	*    See Puffins closer than you can ever imagine
	*   Waterside hotels in three charming locations

Day 1	We meet up in Glasgow and head off through Argyll to the west coast and our base for the next three nights in the lochside town of Lochgilphead, arriving in time for dinner.
Day 2-3	Over the next two full days we shall enjoy some of the fantastic wildlife on offer in Argyll & Bute. One day we’ll travel south to the wonderful Kintyre Peninsula, visiting the Sound of Gigha, Campbeltown Loch and the famous Machrihanish Bird Observatory. On our journey we hope to find breeding seabirds along the coast, Red-throated Divers, waders and wildfowl, plus we’ll stop along the famous Mull of Kintyre. The next day we shall head inland, stopping at Taynish NNR for classic woodland species such as Wood Warbler, Common Redstart and Tree Pipit, plus a chance of Marsh Fritillary, if the weather’s kind. We shall visit the Crinan Canal area for Osprey, Whinchat and possibly Cuckoo. Depending on conditions we shall visit Knapdale and walk the Beaver Trail, where we shall see evidence of these secretive aquatic mammals. We shall be making an evening visit for Grasshopper Warbler, Tawny Owl and bats, so you never know your luck.
Day 4-8	We’ll travel slowly up the west coast, stopping at inlets and coastal woodlands, then take the ferry from Oban to Craignure and our shoreside hotel base for the next five nights. Gannets and gulls fly by the picture windows or from the sun deck and nearby, the grounds are sprinkled with orchids and play host to a variety of woodland species. The mighty White-tailed Eagle is a real highlight here, together with majestic Golden Eagle, both busy feeding young now. Mull is probably ‘the’ best place in Britain to see eagles. With around 16 pairs of White-tailed Eagles and 24 pairs of Golden Eagles, the island’s breeding birds are at their highest density anywhere in Europe. Nearby, piping Common Sandpipers, fledged Wheatear and noisy ‘kleeping’ Oystercatcher are on weedy shores, where Common Seals haul out, with mottled drake Eider and resting Red-throated Divers offshore. Birch and oak woodland can hold Redstart, Tree Pipit and Wood Warbler, as well as Sparrowhawk overhead. Here and in moorland glens, are some of our favourite places to see Golden Eagle, whilst Merlin nest in the boggy upland glens. Estuaries have waders such as Greenshank, Bar-tailed Godwit and Dunlin, whilst offshore the myriad skerries hold noisy Common Gull and Common and Arctic Terns. Peaty burns by freshwater lochs are home to Dipper and Grey Wagtail, whilst coniferous woodland has Siskin and sometimes Common Crossbill. A short distance away on rugged shorelines, we have often been lucky with fine views of Otters; engaging animals, as easy to see here as anywhere in Scotland. As we watch, Hooded Crow pick along the shore. Red-breasted Merganser and the occasional Black-throated Diver occur, whilst Kestrel, Raven and Peregrine patrol the forbidding basalt cliffs. In the dramatic folds of inland glens, Hen Harrier and Short-eared Owl hunt over the moorland and young coniferous plantations, where Whitethroat give their scratchy song. Journeying along the croft land on the Ross of Mull, Buzzards adorn every telegraph pole and we’ll take the short passenger ferry to the beautiful white sandy beaches and azure blue seas of Iona. The white cottages and famous Abbey are surrounded by tall hay meadows, where good numbers of calling Corncrake reside, but can be difficult to see at this time of year, whilst Rock Dove and Twite are more obvious. A trip highlight will be our boat journey to the seabird spectacle of the Treshnish Isles. We’ll be alert to any possible cetaceans and seabirds as we sail. We shall see Black Guillemot, Great Skua, Fulmar and possibly Storm Petrel on the crossing. We take in the island of Staffa and the basalt columns of ‘Fingal’s Cave’, before landing on the incredible island of Lunga. We have several hours to wander right amongst Puffins that greet us, whilst green-eyed Shag squawk their disapproval and an incredible throng of Guillemot and Razorbill roar in a cacophony. Fulmar cackle, Kittiwake cries echo up from narrow chasms and Arctic Skuas patrol offshore, amongst the flocks of wheeling seabirds ... it’s a wonderful place.
Day 9-10	Tearing ourselves away from Mull, we’ll travel inland through Glencoe and over Rannoch Moor, to our final base in Luss for our last night. The next morning we’ll return everyone to Glasgow where we say our farewells.

Just some of what we hope to see..

Red-throated Diver	Sparrowhawk	Peregrine
Wood Warbler	Greenshank	Great Skua
Common Tree Pipit	Bar-tailed Godwit	Manx Shearwater
Osprey	Dunlin	Whinchat
White-tailed Eagle	Hen Harrier	Grasshopper Warbler
Golden Eagle	Short-eared Owl	European Beaver
Common Sandpiper	Kestrel	Common Seal
Wheatear	Raven	Otter
Oystercatcher