Seals on Skye: A Wild Day at Dunvegan Castle
Discover the enchanting world of Dunvegan Castle through a wildlife photographer's lens. See the seals and birds that call Dunvegan home.
Dunvegan Castle, the ancestral home of Clan MacLeod, is a majestic castle perched on the shores of Loch Dunvegan on the Isle of Skye. It's a place steeped in history and surrounded by natural beauty. The gardens are exquisite, but for the wildlife definitely (and unsurprisingly) stole the show!
Bird-themed decor in the inside of the castle
The castle is full of history, but it's also full of life. The interior is adorned with beautiful bird-themed decor, from figurines to wallpaper. It's clear that the stewards have a deep appreciation for the natural world.
A few photos of the beautiful bird themed wallpaper in on of the castle bedrooms.
A couple of cute bird figurines. I'd love to learn more about these cuties.
Gardens and birds
The castle gardens are a floral haven. I spent lots of time exploring the grounds, watching birds flit from tree to tree. A spotted flycatcher posed for me, and of course I saw a Chaffinch. Many of the other birds I saw were either high up in trees or moving too quickly for me to get good photos.
Some flowers and a fountain. I had my Canon RF 100-500* lens equipped so garden photos were a bit difficult.
A Spotted Flycatcher enjoys poses contemplatively
A common Chaffinch high up in a tree
Seal trip
The highlight of my visit was the Dunvegan Castle seal trip. As is typical for Scotland, it was threatening to rain for much of our visit. We decided to risk it for the seal trip anyway though. It was a great choice. We boarded a boat and set off to explore the coast. Our tour guide was amazing, he positioned the boat to get great wildlife shots. Once he realized that I was getting photos of birds, he actively pointed out and identified birds for me.
Some Greylag Geese flying above the loch
A European Shag getting ready and then taking off.
More European shag, some appear to be juveniles by their plumage, chilling on some fishing apparatus.
A pair of Common Eider hang out near the water's edge.
I got to see some Grey Heron nests, and I even captured a photo of a baby floof in the nest (easily seen in the bottom two photos).
Gulls are everywhere in Scotland, including on the seal tour. This Herring Gull was a bit of a loner.
The vistas from the seal trip were fantastic as well.
Overlooking the Scottish landscape from the seal tour.
It wasn't long before we spotted our first seal. The seals were basking on the rocks. They were incredibly photogenic, with lots of personality.
This ginger girl looks absolutely blissful as she sleeps. You can see how pregnant she was. Seals lying on their side do so because they are expecting! Unfortunately we were too early to see these pups. I wonder if her babies will also be gingers!
The seals seemed to watch us but we weren't too close and they were unconcerned. It was a whole seal party on the shore.
This girl seemed to have just heard a hilarious joke. And then she stuck her tongue out at us!
I also captured a couple of swimmers.
While other seals seemed to be laughing, this white seal seemed very serous. Was it on lookout duty? Is that just it's face?
Back from the seal trip
Upon return from the seal trip, near the loch there were a few more birds looking for lunch before we went back up to the Castle.
A hooded crow in flight and looking around for some food.
A Lesser Black Backed Gull soaring above the water.
Visiting the cafe
We stopped by the cafe near the parking lot to grab lunch. Here I got a chance to have an up close encounter with a Common Chaffinch!
Conclusion
My visit to Dunvegan Castle was an unforgettable experience. I saw a variety of wildlife, including birds, seals, and even a cheeky chaffinch. The castle is a beautiful place, and I would highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in nature and history.
These seals were adorable! Where else have you seen seals? Leave some suggestions in the comments below!