Recent Scottish wildlife sightings from guide Malcolm O’Reilly.
Rare/sensitive species not listed
Some sightings are not listed. This is to reduce risk of illegal disturbance during the breeding season.
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Recent sightings
(records are not exhaustive, some dates approximate)
26th August 2026 (personal sighting)
Green woodpecker (heard)
Cairngorms: Dulnain Bridge
Birds
19th August 2026 (wildlife tour)
Red kite, common buzzard, golden eagle, white-tailed sea eagle, kestrel, grey heron, meadow pipit, goldfinch, raven, red-legged partridge, pheasant, mistle thrush, redpoll (heard), nuthatch (heard), crossbill spp x 6 (inc juv)
Cairngorms: Strathdearn, Dulnain Bridge
Birds
19th August 2026 (wildlife tour)
Red deer x approx 15 (hinds and juv), short-tailed field vole, roe deer
Cairngorms: Strathdearn, Dulnain Bridge
Land mammals
13th August 2026 (wildlife tour)
Swift, common buzzard, mute swan, goldeneye, mallard, cormorant, great spotted woodpecker (heard), nuthatch (heard), little grebe, moorhen, tufted duck, herring gull, jackdaw, rook, carrion crow, hooded crow, Canada goose, swallow, house martin, teal, crossbills, crested tit (heard), coal tit, siskin, sand martin
Rare/sensitive species not listed
Cairngorms: Speyside
Birds
13th August 2026 (wildlife tour)
Dor beetle, sexton beetle, Scotch argus butterfly, violet ground beetle
Cairngorms: Speyside
Invertebrates
Scotland has a wide range of great wildlife. For an overview read Wildlife in Scotland: A Beginner’s Guide.
Spring birding in the Cairngorms and more
