From eagles and basking sharks to butterflies and barnacle geese
The Argyll islands have something new to offer at every turn. From the moment your journey begins, the unexpected awaits: from a Manx shearwater gliding effortlessly over the tops of the waves, to the tell-tale fin of a giant basking shark hanging just below the surface of the water.
These islands have been shaped by their long history with man, and now much of the special wildlife you'll see here relies on crofting and farming activity. That's why our two main nature reserves on Islay, Loch Gruinart and The Oa, are run as farms, attracting between them thousands of barnacle geese in the winter and choughs, golden eagles and hen harriers all year-round.
Coll is a stronghold for the elusive corncrake (though we can't guarantee you'll see one!), while its machair dunes are drenched in colourful flowers in the spring. And on Mull, you can come face to face with the mighty white-tailed eagle - the UK's largest bird of prey - at the Date with Nature project.