Wildlife is particularly abundant on Mull - on our first ever trip there, we saw several eagles and a buzzard within moments of driving off the ferry, shortly followed by a family of otters and several seals.
Here are some wildlife highlights.
Otters are regularly seen on Mull, particularly Loch Scridain, a sea loch to the south-west of the island, where they are often close to the shore or sitting on rocks eating their catch. If you visit this area to try and spot otters, it's well worth stopping off at the Whitetail coffee shop & gin distillery nearby, which is a beautiful gem of a place with excellent cakes.
Seals are frequently seen throughout the Inner Hebrides and the west coast of Scotland, and Mull is no different. There are both common and grey seals - the area around Loch Na Keal is a particularly good place to see them hauled out on the rocks.
Dolphins can be seen from the shore, especially in the summer months. In our experience, they seem to love following small boats in the Sound of Iona and playing in the wake, which is great fun to watch.
Whales, especially minke whales, are often seen in the waters around Mull - it's even fairly common to spot them from the Oban to Craignure ferry in the summertime!
Sea eagles (also known as white-tailed eagles) were reintroduced to Mull in the 1980s, and although still rare in general terms, they can be seen frequently on the island these days. The area around Loch Frisa is perfect for spotting these incredible birds. Keep an eye on Mull Eagle Watch for the latest information and guidance.
Puffins mainly nest on the Isle of Staffa and Isle of Lunga in the summer months (approximately early June to early August) and can be visited on a boat trip.
Basking sharks - although the Isle of Coll is the number-one west coast hotspot for these mysterious and enormous creatures, you can often spot basking sharks off the coast of Mull in the summertime. Basking Shark Scotland provide tours focused on spotting and even swimming with these beauties.
There are a number of experienced and excellent wildlife guides and photographers on Mull who can help you spot some of the rarer species from a respectful distance and find opportunities to get the perfect shot.