Summer Wildlife
Red Deer
Our red deer are usually high up in the hills at this time of year, feeding on the fresh growth of grass and heather and keeping away from the insects and pests found lower down. The hinds will leave their calves in the early summer. The mother will leave the new-born calf while she feeds, but return to it regularly. If you come across a deer calf, it is not abandoned - please leave it alone. After a few days, the calf will be strong enough to keep up with the herd.
Glorious Insect Life
This is the time to see our beautiful butterflies and dramatic dragonflies. The golden-ringed dragonfly is a large yellow and black dragonfly that lives near upland streams. It hunts moths and other flying insects. August is the month for the Scotch argus butterfly. It is brown with orange spots, and you might see hundreds on a sunny day.
Bats
The summer evenings are a great time to see our pipistrelle bats in woodland clearings. Treat them with respect as they eat thousands of midges every night. Long-eared bats live in the Castle roof, but they are tricky to see as they don't come out until it's really dark. Head to the river to see Daubenton's bats feeding just above the water.
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