Mull in Summer
23rd - 29th June 2024 - FULL
30th June - 6th July 2024 - FULL
7th July - 13th July 2024 - FULL
NEW - MAXIMUM of only THREE guests per week & new and improved itinerary.
Isle of Mull Otter
Andy has a great love for the Island of Mull. His family have owned a home at the north end of the island for over fifty years. As a young boy he spent many family holidays there of which a huge amount of time was spent watching wildlife. In more recent times Andy’s time spent on the island has been to dedicated to photographing the abundant wildlife found of there.
Mull is called Eagle Island and is hence the logical destination to enjoy views of the golden and white-tailed eagles, plus many other raptors such as buzzards, peregrine falcons, hen harriers and short-eared owls.
The aim of this workshop is to offer our guests the benefit of the years worth of accrued knowledge Andy has on the island. Instruction and photography tuition (if required) will be given freely in an understanding, patient and easy to understand manner.
Primary Species
These are the featured species of this trip; it's these species we will be concentrating on the most.
Otters - Puffins - White-Tailed Sea Eagle - Hen Harrier - Short Eared Owl - Adders - Dolphins and Whales
Secondary Species
Mull has a prolific and varied range of wildlife, in addition to the primary species the species listed below are realistic and not uncommon targets we will probably will encounter at some point during the week.
Golden Eagle - Wheatear - Dolphin - Buzzard - Common Sandpiper - Irish Hare - Heron plus lots more.....
Day 1 – Saturday
Arrival Day.
For guests arriving via ferry: Andy will collect you from any of the three ferry terminals you choose to arrive at (after 15:00).
For guests arriving by their own transport: Andy will meet you at the accommodation at 17:00
Afternoon tea will be served before you settle into your rooms.
Dinner.
Day 2 - Sunday
Sea Eagles – Otters (Plus Others)
Today we will be taking a private charter on what has to be one of the most exhilarating wildlife experiences available on the British Isles. White-tailed sea eagles have a magnificent 8 foot wing span. To witness one dropping from the sky to swoop down to grab a fish is an awesome sight, and you might expect such large birds to be slow. In fact nothing can be further from the truth. The speed these birds dive is truly astounding; each dive taking no more than a couple of seconds.
It is for this reason we privately charter the boat, this ensures there's plenty of space to be in the optimal position. Andy will on hand to offer help and assistance with camera settings and lens selection. This experience is one you will never forget.
Depending on the tides and weather conditions the remainder of the day will be spent searching for otters, eagles, owls or Harriers.
Day 2 - Monday
Whale Watching Boat Trip
Today we shall be heading out to sea in search of whales, Dolphins, Minkie whales, Basking Sharks and Manx Shearwaters.
The seas around Mull and the Hebrides are teaming with plankton, sand eels and vast shoals of fish, this in turn attracts whales, dolphins and the mightily impressive basking shark to feast on this abundance.
Day 3 - Tuesday
Puffins
Everybody loves Puffins, they are a photographer's dream. Approachable, colourful and charismatic are a few adjectives that spring to mind when describing these delightful wee birds.
Lunga island has a large colony of Puffins and Auks. The Puffins here have developed the convenient behavioural trait of using the presence of humans as a safety mechanism against predation by Gulls, Ravens and Crows. At this time of the year iconic images of Puffins with beaks full of sand eels shouldn’t be difficult to capture, I will also be encouraging you to look beyond the classic images and to look for something a little bit more eye-catching.
Day 5 - Wednesday
Otters
Today will be spent in search of Otters, and by now you should be experts at spotting them. Your Otter field-craft will be top notch and you will be primed and ready. It's now up to the Otters to whether they allow us into their secretive world; fingers crossed we have some close encounters!
Otters are sensitive and shy creatures, and our aim is to teach you how to make an approach, how to predict where the best photographic opportunities are and to do so without disturbing the Otters. Equally as important is knowing when not to proceed, for example if we find a mother with cubs our approach will be far slower, that is if Andy decide it's diligent to do so. The Otters welfare will always be our primary concern.
Day 6 - Thursday
Sea Eagles
Today we will be taking the second of our three hour private charter aboard the Lady Jayne with Martin and Alex to photograph the dynamic and mightily impressive white tailed eagles. In the afternoon we will take a tour around the island looking for Adders, Owls, Harriers, Otters, Deer and anything else that catches our eye. in previous years these days have yielded us with some terrific photographic opportunities, Wheatears, Cuckoo's, Irish Hares, to name but a few.
Being flexible and alert will be the order of the day, who knows what the day may yield?!
Day 7 - Friday 9:00
With heavy hearts today is departure day. We will deliver you the ferry terminal of your choice and bid you a fond farewell.
This itinerary is for guidance only. We may swap days around to maximise the photographic opportunities for the weather conditions, in the case of any of the boat trips being cancelled we will substitute that activity with another subject/s.
What’s included:
All transport once on Mull
Accommodation is in a luxurious comfortable house with stunning views over Loch na Keal.
NO Single supplement - Three Bedrooms - Three Bathrooms - Maximum of THREE guests per week.
All boat trips.
All guiding and tuition - patient and courteous help and advice when and where it’s required.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Soft drinks and snacks.
(A small surcharge may be applied for Vegan/Gluten Free or those with specific dietary needs).
Photographing wildlife should be an enjoyable experience. Although we’re serious about helping to obtain the best possible images, this will be done in a fun and relaxed way.
What’s not included
Alcoholic drinks
Items of a personal nature
Travel/Cancellation Insurance (optional).
Travel to Mull
Recommended Equipment
Waterproof Clothing
Dark/Camouflage jacket/trousers made from a quiet material
Tripod (optional)
Minimum 400mm lens (or equivalent) on a full frame DSLR.
Maximum Group size: 3
Cost £2495
A non-refundable deposit of £495.00 will be required at the time of booking.
The Balance will be due twelve weeks before the first day of the tour.
