Aigas Wildlife Discovery

Spring offers remarkable chances for wildlife observation in Scotland: watch thousands of pink-footed geese gather before heading north, spot pine martens chasing potential mates through the woods, and listen for chiffchaffs just returned from Africa. This programme is designed to explore diverse habitats, learning about the local wildlife encountered throughout the journey. These are the first two weeks of the Aigas season, which also mark the beginning for our new rangers. It’s a chance for them to demonstrate everything they’ve mastered during the intensive Aigas Ranger Training Scheme, while also gaining insight from the experienced senior rangers they’ll be shadowing daily. As a result, this programme is available at a reduced rate.

Highlights

• The chance to see a range of some of Scotland’s most iconic wildlife – from golden eagles to otters, crested tits to rare orchids
• Staying on the Aigas estate with private hides and the opportunity to see pine martens, badgers and more
• An early morning drive onto an area of moorland to witness a black grouse lek
• Opportunities to learn about various important conservation projects, including a visit to our wildcat breeding programme

What to Expect

Begin your week on the Aigas estate, learning about our ongoing conservation projects and meeting the wildlife that shares our home. Spot breeding little grebes and grey wagtails on the loch, watch crossbills and red squirrels in the woodland, and discover our well-placed hides for quiet observation throughout your stay.

Explore Glen Affric, often considered the crown jewel of the Highlands, and immerse yourself in a day surrounded by ancient Scots pine forests. With spring just arriving, you’ll notice early wildflowers beginning to bloom and bumblebee queens searching for spots to build their new homes. It’s also a lively season for the area’s breeding birds; watch for crested tits busily gathering food for their hungry chicks, and keep your eyes on the sky for golden eagles gliding above.

A day on the Black Isle brings contrasting wildlife-watching opportunities, with a wealth of birdlife and the chance to see bottlenose dolphins on the Moray Firth. A trip to RSPB Udale Bay gives great birdwatching: waders such as oystercatchers, bar- and black-tailed godwit, curlew and redshank; flocks of pink-footed geese and wigeon; perhaps even an early osprey if we are very lucky. You will also enjoy the charm of Cromarty village and can spot farmland birds like yellowhammers, linnets and grey partridges across the island.

The west coast is another great day for birdwatching, with our main target species being white-tailed eagles and all three species of divers, alongside the chance to look out for auk species and perhaps a hen harrier. This is also a fantastic opportunity to learn about the geology of Scotland as we will pass through three main geological zones and be able to see the way that the landscape, and the wildlife assemblage, changes as we head further west.

We will contrast this with a day spent on the east coast, where you’ll have the chance to spot a range of cetaceans: seals, dolphins, and porpoises are common sights, and if you are lucky, you might even see a passing minke whale or basking shark. The coastline is also frequented by seabirds such as gannets, eiders, shearwaters, and both common and velvet scoters. If birdwatching isn’t your interest, the sea cliffs offer plenty of fascinating plant life to discover, as well as bees and butterflies. In addition to time scanning the open sea, you’ll get to explore unique estuarine habitats that serve as vital feeding grounds for migratory birds heading north during the summer.

For early risers there will also be an opportunity to see one of the most impressive displays in the British wildlife calendar: a black grouse lek. To witness their theatrics, we will head off before sunrise onto the moor and wait patiently as their bubbling calls develop into hissing and fighting as they vie for the attention of greyhens hiding in the surrounding scrub.

Our final day will be spent in a nearby glen, where the main target species will be golden eagles. We will take our time scanning the horizons and have a look at a very impressive eagle eyrie where the female will likely be sat on her eggs, waiting for her mate to return to her with food. This is also an opportunity to look out for red-throated divers and breeding whooper swans, as well as wheatear and red deer up in the hills. As well as moorland species, we will also take a short detour to a local lochan in search of Slavonian grebes, perhaps one of Britain’s most stunning breeding birds.

Alongside daytime excursions, you’ll have the chance to spend an evening in one of our wildlife hides to observe pine martens and badgers, both frequent visitors. You’ll also learn about our wildcat breeding programme and visit a hide at one of our enclosures for a glimpse of Scotland’s rarest mammal.

During the course of the week you will be based on the Aigas Estate, where so much wildlife is on your doorstep the entire week. Whilst you will be staying in cosy lodges in the house’s arboretum, you will also have access to our extensive natural history library and have meals in the magnificent baronial hall, where you’ll enjoy delicious three-course home-cooked meals each evening.