Please bear in mind a responsible approach to viewing and observing wildlife. If there are already other vehicles and people at sites please choose to move on to another.
Disturbing wildlife is in some cases a criminal matter and please take steps to make sure you are not affecting the habitats you are entering.
Otters are seen around many of the coastlines around the West Coast 400
Regular sightings are at these locations.
- Minard and Brainport (stage 4)
- Various locations on stage 9
- Skipness (stage 6)
- Bellanoch bridge (stage 10)
Gannets
Gannets dive for fish and can been seen on many of the stages.
Early in the year look out in stage 6. April onwards there will be more chance in stages 5, 4 and 3
Seals
Seals can be seen throughout the area.
Regular sightings are on the second half of stage 8 in Loch Caolisport
Beavers
The Scottish beaver trial is within stage 9. Car parking is near the war memorial on the B 8025. The Heart of Argyll Wildlife Organisation have their center and guided walks based from Barr-an-Daimh - map below.
Deer
Deer are found all around the routes with Sika and Red deer the common sightings.
Although not wild the red deer enclosures on stage 8 between Tarbert and Torinturk on the left side of the road make for good photo opportunities.
Bird life and Ornithology
Listed below is the Mid Argyll list just for the first few months of the year. (January to the end of May)
Barn Swallow
Black Guillemot
Blackbird
Blackcap
Black-Headed Gull
Black Throated Diver
Black Guillemot
Blue Tit
Brambling
Bullfinch
Buzzard
Carrion Crow
Chaffinch
Coal Tit
Common Chiffchaff
Common Cuckoo
Common Gull
Common Kestrel
Common Restart
Common Sandpiper
Common Whitethroat
Cormorant
Curlew
Eider
Gannet
Glaucous Gull
Goldeneye
Goldfinch
Goosander
Grasshopper Warbler
Greenshank
Great Black-backed Gull
Great Northern Diver
Great Tit
Greater Canada Goose
Greenfinch
Greenshank
Grey Heron
Greylag Goose
Hen Harrier
Herring Gull
Hooded Crow
House Martin
House Sparrow
Iceland Gull
Jay
Kittiwake
Knot
Lesser Black Backed Gull
Lesser Redpoll
Little Grebe
Long Tailed Tit
Magpie
Mallard
Mandarin Duck
Meadow Pipit
Mistle Thrush
Muscovy Duck
Mute Swan
Northern Wheatear
Osprey
Oystercatcher
Pheasant
Pied Wagtail
Pink Footed Goose
Red Necked Grebe
Red Throated Diver
Redshank
Redwing
Ring Ouzel
Ringed Plover
Robin
Rock Pipit
Rook
Sand Martin
Sandwich Tern
Sedge Warbler
Shag
Shelduck
Siskin
Song Thrush
Starling
Stonechat
Swallow
Swift
Tawny Owl
Tree Pipit
Twite
Whimbrel
Whinchat
White-fronted Goose
White-tailed Eagle
Whooper Swan
Wigeon
Willow Warbler
Wood Warbler
Wood pigeon
Wren
Yellowhammer
