Wildlife
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Grantown-on-Spey is a lovely setting in the Caringorm National Park from which to experience a vast variety of wildlife. Guests staying in local accommodation are only a short walk away from woodland walks and the natural setting for the capercaille and crested tit as well the red squirrel and badger.
Red Squirrel
Capercaille
Osprey
Badger
Red Deer
Roe Deer
Other Wildlife The Cairngorm National Park is home to 25% of the UK's threatened bird, animal and plant species. Some of the other wildlife which can be spotted in the park include wildcats, water vole, brown hare and otters. The park is also home to a reindeer herd which assists Father Christmas with his annual rounds. The Cairngorms is the place for observing the Scottish Crossbill, a bird unique to this area and a perfect location for viewing Golden Eagle, Dotterel, Crested Tits, divers and grebes. This is a magnificent, accessible area just waiting to be explored and enjoyed by walkers and wildlife lovers.
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Red squirrels are Britain's only native squirrel. In the Highlands they are still a familiar and much loved sight. Unfortunately, the red squirrel has all but vanished from the rest of the country where the North American grey squirrel now dominates. The red squirrels are welcome residents in most of the large pine trees, right along side of most guest houses in Grantown as well as residing in the pine woods. They are readily recognizable by their reddish coat and pixie-like ear tufts.
The capercaille is readily spotted just after sunrise performing their mating rituals during April and May. There are known nesting areas in the pine woods in Grantown and around the Cairngorm mountains. The capercaille are about the size of a large turkey. The males have glossy black feathers and the females are more camouflaged with brown, grey and yellow. Late summer and autumn can also be excellent times for seeing these large birds when the number of birds is at its annual peak.
The osprey is a specialised, fish-eating bird of prey, most akin to the buzzards or eagles in general appearance. They return to their nesting sites each spring after making an unbelievable trek from the West coast of Africa. It is a much celebrated event when a long awaited bird finally appears. It is a thrilling spectacle to view this bird in action as it flies above lochs and dives for prey. Ospreys are readily viewed during their annual stay in Loch Garten at the RSPB reserve. Webcams monitor the ospreys’ nests each year and watch the hatching of eggs and the fledging of chicks.
The pine marten adult is the size of a small domestic cat. It is slender with dense, chocolate-brown fur, a long bushy tail and a cream-coloured bib on the throat. They move quickly along the ground, rarely emerging into open spaces and are expert at climbing trees. They are mostly likely to be seen in the evening or at night, although they do come out during the daytime in summer months.
This big, black-and-white-headed woodland dweller is widely recognised, but much less often seen. During the summer months, hides along the River Spey may provide good viewing spots for organised watches to view a badger sett becoming active after dark.
Red deer are indeed the Monarchs of the Glen and the largest of all Britain’s land mammals. There are large numbers of red deer in Scotland - a problem for re-growth of native woods, but a bonus for watchers who like to see the herds. Stags’ antlers are multi-branched which they shed and re-grow in summer before the rut. Females do not have antlers. Red deer are most often seen on the hills and are particularly visible during the winter against the white of the snow.
Roe deer have a body a little smaller than a large dog, but have long graceful legs. Males have short straight antlers which drop off in the winter and are grown again by the end of the spring ready for the breeding season. Bucks are solitary, except during the rut, when they pair up with a female roe deer. Small groups of three or four roe deer may be seen together. Roe deer are found throughout Scotland and can be seen coming out of nearby woods to feed in local gardens. They live in the largest range of habitats of any deer in Scotland.