Scotland's wildlife big five; Your favorite?

Scotland's big five; Your favorite?

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epickoala123

Well-Known Member
10+ year member
As some people may know, 2013 is the year of natural scotland, so The wildlife foundation has released a list of 5 wildlife spectacles to see.

so Which is your favorite?
 
It was a very hard choice for me, but the image of a red deer on a misty moor sums up Scotland's beauty and wildlife
 
Scotland has the best land-based dolphin watching in Europe. Common/harbour seals are nowhere near as spectacular or as specifically Scottish so I'd replace with them bottle-nosed dolphins.

Alan
 
I say the Scottish Wildcat, it's rare, endemic to Scotland (unlike everything else on that list), and a top predator.

~Thylo:cool:
 
gentle lemur said:
Scotland has the best land-based dolphin watching in Europe. Common/harbour seals are nowhere near as spectacular or as specifically Scottish so I'd replace with them bottle-nosed dolphins.

Alan
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How are dolphins specifically Scottish either? Both the seal and dolphin can be found all over and Scotland is only one small place in the range.

~Thylo:cool:
 
ThylacineAlive said:
How are dolphins specifically Scottish either? Both the seal and dolphin can be found all over and Scotland is only one small place in the range.

~Thylo:cool:
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I should have chosen a better phrase than 'specifically Scottish'. I nominate the dolphins because Scottish bottle-nosed dolphins are the largest individuals and most northerly living population in the world and the easiest to watch, in Europe at least - which makes them a much better spectacle than the seals (much as I love seals).
Actually, none of the creatures on the original list is uniquely Scottish either, but all of them are easier to see in Scotland than elsewhere in the British Isles. The wildcat certainly is specifically Scottish, but I think that it is a poor choice as a spectacle because it is so hard to see, and even if you see something that looks like one, you can't be sure how wild it is!

Alan
 
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None of the 5 proposed althrough the Golden eagle is the most spectaculair of the 5. Iwill however go for the White-tailed sea-eagle because - next to be spectaculair - it is a conservation-succes-story. A re-introduction programm and now again a breeding-bird makes it a real winner !
 
I think I would have nominated Wildcat and Capercaillie instead of two of the other species, and maybe Dolphin too. The two from the existing list I'd keep would be Golden Eagle & Red Deer.

Another Scottish speciality for me is Black-throated Diver- stunning bird.:)
 
I voted Red Deer because I've never seen a Golden Eagle.

However surely the wild Haggis should have been on the list, rarely seen, but if you are lucky enough to spot one, oh what a glorious sight, warm, reeking, rich. :D
 
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Add me to the list of those confused why no White-tailed Sea Eagle, Capercaillie or Scottish Wildcat.

But my vote would have to go to the Scottish Crossbill (Loxia scotica) - the UK's only endemic vertebrate, and a very funky bird!
 
I too am confused about the capercaillie and wildcats absence but I voted otter anyway as I find them far more charismatic than any of the other species... And I've been fortunate to see one in the wild as well! :p
 
After some thought I think my personal 'top five' would be( in no particular order);

Wildcat.
Golden Eagle
Pine Marten
Capercaillie
Black-throated Diver.

I could easily extend it into a 'top ten' but I still don't think Scottish Crossbill would make it ;)- Snow Bunting and Crested Tit would though.:)
 
Scotland's wildlife....

Northern Gannet anyone? Nothing quite beats the noise, smell & visual spectacle of a big Gannet colony; Scotland holds much of the world's population.
 
The list may appeal to us, but to this is a list of great wildlife spectacles to see with reasonable ease, so I personally think that the scottish wildcat shouldn't be on the list, even though it's in my top 5 scottish species. Again with the gannets, only one spot in scotland (troup head) so It doesn't quite fit the bill
 
vogelcommando said:
None of the 5 proposed althrough the Golden eagle is the most spectaculair of the 5. Iwill however go for the White-tailed sea-eagle because - next to be spectaculair - it is a conservation-succes-story. A re-introduction programm and now again a breeding-bird makes it a real winner !
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That bird is also my choice, I like sea eagles of any species.
 
FBBird said:
Northern Gannet anyone? Nothing quite beats the noise, smell & visual spectacle of a big Gannet colony; Scotland holds much of the world's population.
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I agree; a boat ride from Edinburgh to see the gannets (and other sea birds) on the Bass Rock is one of the wildlife highlights of a trip to Scotland. (And, of course, the gannet’s specific name bassanus is derived from the Bass Rock.)
 
Tim May said:
I agree; a boat ride from Edinburgh to see the gannets (and other sea birds) on the Bass Rock is one of the wildlife highlights of a trip to Scotland. (And, of course, the gannet’s specific name bassanus is derived from the Bass Rock.)
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You can get boats from North Berwick, but I recommend the landing trips which can be booked with the Scottish Sea Bird Centre (nearly sold out for 2013 already). The only snag that landing is only possible in decent weather. I think you can also get trips to Ailsa Craig, but that's much further from the shore.
The other spectacle involving gannets is a baitball feeding frenzy, I saw one on a whale watching trip in the Firth of Lorne involving gannets, kittiwakes, great black-backed, herring and common gulls, guillemots and a Manx shearwater: the only missing element was a minke whale arriving in the middle.

As spectacles, they would beat an otter or a golden eagle in my book. But watching the dolphins chasing salmon at Chanonry Point is still more spectacular, and to make a point that would appeal to any true Scot, it's free :)

Alan
 
Pertinax said:
I think I would have nominated Wildcat and Capercaillie instead of two of the other species, and maybe Dolphin too. The two from the existing list I'd keep would be Golden Eagle & Red Deer.

Another Scottish speciality for me is Black-throated Diver- stunning bird.:)
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Me too. I am tied between Scottish wild cat and capercaillie - famous Scots grouse.
 
We seem to have got into dual threads with this(no harm in that)- those discussing the 'iconic species' list at the top of the thread, and which species would be in our own 'top five' and then also branching into the best wildlife spectacles which can be seen in Scotland. The two aren't necessarily closely connected, as EpicKoala pointed out earlier, some of the potential 'iconic' species would be extremely hard to see- pricipally the Scottish Wildcat - not on their list anyway. And I don't think Red Squirrel is that iconic for Scotland really.

As a tip for anyone hoping to see Eagles- they are not that easy to see. For Golden the best bet is to stake out a quiet minor mountain road in known eagle territory, with a wide vista over nearby mountain ridges- sooner or later an Eagle should appear- but you may have a very long wait!

I have no experience with W.T. Sea Eagle, except not seeing them on Skye:( despite being near the location of a nesting pair.
 
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