Page 14 - BBC Wildlife Volume 36 #11

WILD NOVEMBER

The Cuillin: great for
spotting montane
wildlife, but not to
be taken lightly.

“ By now, fauna should

have been forced to
exchange mountain tops

for sheltered corries.”

of year is that already much of the fauna
should have been forced to exchange the
mountain tops and ridges for sheltered
corries and boulder fields at lower altitudes.
This drop in elevation will also take
Britain’s hardiest creatures away from the
spots more traditionally associated with
mountaineering and ice-climbing, instead
placing them in the realms of those unable, SPECIES TO LOOK OUT FOR
or unwilling, to evoke the spirit of Everest
conqueror Sir Edmund Hillary. Mountain hare Rarely dropping below Raven
With a detailed forecast dutifully checked, Superficially similar to 1,000m, the ptarmigan Our largest crow is easily
and suitably suited and booted for a range the brown hare, but more is the montane megastar identified by its massive
of wintry conditions, it’s also important to compact and with shorter everybody wants to see. bill, ‘fingered’ wings,
let others know of both your intended route ears, the mountain hare wedge-shaped tail and
and return time. As to precise locations to will exchange its grey- Snow bunting impressive voice. It is
visit, a good knowledge gleaned beforehand brown summer coat for Losing its glorious pied now a common feature
from books, the internet – or, better still, a winter-white pelage. In breeding plumage, this across much of western
local guides – will also have you searching recent years numbers have stocky bunting turns Britain, due primarily to
in the right ball park. declined dramatically and sandy and rusty brown in less persecution. A raven
The best technique is to locate a good the population is now less autumn. Now is the time proclaiming territorial
vista initially, then scan with binoculars or than one per cent of their they form flocks, and can be rights in its
a telescope while remaining alert for any initial levels. They are most surprisingly trusting while ancestral
movement. Mountain hares or ptarmigan active at dawn and dusk. searching for scraps of food home is a
should be turning into their winter finery not buried under snow. great sight.
by November, making them even trickier to Ptarmigan
pick out in their surroundings. Listening is Marginally smaller than Golden eagle
a key skill to hone, as the ‘cronk’ of a raven, its moorland cousin the The fortunes of this
or bizarre retching call of a ptarmigan, red grouse, the ptarmigan majestic and powerful
should help in pinpointing their location. radically changes its bird are improving. With
Montane wildlife can be distinctly clustered summer plumage – more than 500 pairs now
at this time of year, so if you find one snow predominently grey, breeding in Scotland,
bunting it will invariably be keeping company. brown and black barring ‘goldies’ can be spotted
Finally, with such a limited cast of species – to a startling white, soaring above anywhere
living in this extreme environment, the list of with a splash of black, in from rugged mountains to
wildlife that you spot will be characterised by winter (pictured right). remote islands.
quality rather than quantity.

14 BBC Wildlife