There is also the great thrill of seeing wildlife truly 'in the wild'. No visitor to Scotland will ever forget their first sighting of an eagle, or an otter or dolphin. A few tips will help you to get the most out of your visits. Take binoculars and a camera. There are excellent lightweight binoculars and cameras which will not weight you down but give you great opportunities both for observing wildlife and capturing it on film.
Many people also take lightweight camcorders nowadays.
Select pocket-size field guides which have good colour illustrations to help you identify what you see. You might also like to take a notebook to record what you see while you are out. Check reserves listings for the best season to visit - at Loch of the Lowes and Loch Garten, for example, you want to be there when the ospreys are nesting. Join walks led buy wildlife rangers or wardens, who will help you to see and identify all the local wildlife. In the wild, don't disturb wildlife unnecessarily.