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12 Feb 2021

Wildlife spotter’s guide: Inverewe

A large eagle soars through the air over the loch. A group of white houses can be seen on the shore, with woodland and hills in the background.
Over 800 hectares of open moorland, woodland and shoreline offer excellent opportunities for discovering the natural history of Wester Ross. Although this area is known as the wildest landscape in the UK, it remains home to a wide variety of animals, birds and insects, all contributing to the biodiversity of the garden and its plants.

Click on the pictures below to find out a little more about some of the species that you may spot as you explore this remarkable estate.

A large eagle soars through the air over the loch. A group of white houses can be seen on the shore, with woodland and hills in the background. A black and white patterned moth perches on a yellow flower, with its wings spread wide. Blades of grass can be seen in the background. A dragonfly with a blue body and four paper-thin wings spread out wide lies along a rough, gnarly branch. It has very large blue eyes. A black-throated diver swims across the still surface of some green-ish water. It sits very low in the water. It has a smooth black head, and white chest, with a sharp black bill. A buzzard soaring through a bright blue sky. Its large wings are fully stretched out, revealing the feathery tips. Its belly is pale, and it is looking down at the ground. A small bat sits on a stony surface, with its wings stretched out to either side and resting on the ground. It has a brown furry body and long pointed ears. A cuckoo perches on a moss- and lichen-covered branch. It has a grey and white stripe pattern across its chest, and its long grey tail hangs down behind the branch. A worm lies curled on some soil. The ridged bands along its pink body are clearly visible. Great spotted woodpecker clinging to the side of a white-barked tree with knobbly bits. It is facing up the tree. It has a red cap. A medium-sized wading bird stands on a patch of grass, with water in the background. The sun seems to be setting over the water, turning the sky yellow. The bird has a white tummy, greyish back feathers and a long bill. Its legs are a pale green. A grey heron stands among a reed bed, its lower body obscured by the grass. It has dark grey, shaggy feathers on its body. It has a white head with a strong black stripe running from above the eye to a crest down its neck. It has a very long, sharp orange beak. A midge clings to the top of a blade of grass, its wings folded against its body. A bright red damselfly hovers beside a glossy leaf. Its lace-like wings are held close to its body. A peacock butterfly, with its wings spread wide, is seen against a green leafy backdrop. A pine marten creeps along a woodland floor, its body very close to the ground and its nose smelling the leaves in front. It has a long busy tail, and a white bib. A red squirrel perches on a lichen-covered branch, facing the camera head on. Its front claws grip the branch. Its spiky ear tufts stand up straight. It carries a small nut in its mouth. A close-up of a robin perching on top of a wooden post. A bright orange butterfly with brown mosiac markings perches on a yellow flower. The background is bright green. A mostly brown butterfly, with white spots around the edge of its wings, rests with its wings wide open on some bright green leaves. A small brown and white bird clings on to some rough bark on a tree trunk, facing up the tree. It has a long curved beak and very long toes to grip with.

Inverewe is also famous for being home to Scotland’s Big Five in wildlife: the golden eagle, red deer, otter, red squirrel and harbour seal.

Check out our special Big Five guide.

Harbour seal bobbing above the water.

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Inverewe

Rare species thrive in this heritage garden as the effects of the Gulf Stream meet the Highlands.

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