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Except for a very lively New Year (Hogmanay) with
fireworks, and the population of Tobermory meeting round our famous
clock, Mull goes gently to sleep, until just before Easter. Or
does it??? Shhhh, we have a secret! The wildlife,
scenery and atmosphere are still 'open for business'.
Winter Wildlife Watching
The islands big three of White Tailed Sea Eagle,
Golden Eagle and Otter are easier to see in winter than
at any other time of year, mainly because both eagle species are
now establishing their breeding grounds and there is a lot of
displaying and posturing over territories. Young eagles are also
looking for territories of their own having now left their parents
and are wandering around the islands looking to challenge
established adult eagles or find another eagle that may have lost
its mate. Even in the depths of winter eagles are also rebuilding
their nests and may have been doing this since November.
Otters usually have their young in early winter to
coincide with the warmer waters of the gulf stream and as the
islands are not as windy as they are in summer it is far easier
to spot them on a calm sea.
There are hundreds of Sea Ducks, Wintering Waders
and Barnacle and Greenland White Fronted Geese which are here to
escape the harsher weather in Greenland and Iceland and whilst
most of our own summering birds have gone to Africa, these are now
replaced by Redwing, Fieldfare, Brambling, Waxwings, Slavonian
Grebe and the odd rarity such as Gyrfalcon and Arctic Gulls. All
the divers can be seen and somewhere among the Great Northern
Divers there must be a White Billed Diver!!
But the prime reason why nature is so spectacular
in the Hebridean Islands at this time, is because it is so very
quiet and our wonderful wild creatures have the island to
themselves. It is their time to go tourist spotting!!!!
Shhhh----Most visitors to the islands
understand that it 'can rain here during the winter'. This
is one of the great attractions, particularly if you like dramatic
cascading waterfalls. Storms erupt the sea into a
white boiling 'frenzy' with surf 'spuming' and crashing to the
shore. Within hours, all is quiet again and the direction of
the wind 'backs to the North'. North is a cold but crystal
clear direction. The air is pure and unspoilt by urban
pollution, with sometimes the promise of snow. On Mull we
get very small quantities of snow compared to the rest of
Scotland, particularly because of the Gulf Stream washing our
western shores. The roads are rarely blocked (for a few
hours each year) as the snow only tends to stay on the highest
hills and mountains, but when it does, the results are
spectacularly beautiful.
Because most of the
major attractions are closed during the winter months, visitor
numbers are low. Think about this!! You have the
island and its people to yourself. Locals have time to sit
and tell you about the old days and to show you their favourite
places. Our very busy visitor's centre at Craignure is now
quiet and the staff have time to spend with you. Our
wildlife experts like David Woodhouse have time to personalise
their Landrover expeditions. Mull can be yours for a while!
At night, the stars are
visible and spectacular. See the night sky as our distant
relatives saw them, before light pollution. Take that short
winter break, or a romantic winter escape!
You deserve it!!
but Shhhh----don't
tell everyone----keep it quiet!!!
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