WildSmiths are husband and wife team, Greg and Sarah Smith. We offer guided wildlife walks on the Isle of Coll. Welcome to our website.
WildSmiths in 2025
We had another glorious year on the wild Isle of Coll in 2024. We led two great Naturetrek weeks here in May and June and our WildSmiths day and half-day walks continued to be popular with visitors and locals alike. We managed our first sightings of some great Coll rarities, like Bog Orchid and Bog Hair-grass, both of which were new to us, despite assiduous searches in previous years. You might imagine the squeals of delight at these discoveries! In June, we found a stunning first-summer Hobby – a very scarce visitor to the Argyll islands. We also chanced upon a Bordered Grey moth while surveying in the machair one day – a rather sporadic species which again was new to us and our guests.
We added some new species to the Coll biodiversity list. The Nettle Rust Fungus has almost certainly been here for centuries, it’s just no one has bothered to report it previously, while the Common Teasel is a proper new arrival – it made a bid for freedom in the wild last year when its seeds were accidentally imported with gardening materials. We also helped our partners at Buglife in surveys for two rare machair specialists: the Short-necked Oil Beetle and the Northern Colletes bee. We managed to discover new locations for both of these cracking beasts and, while we were at it, we recorded several new sites for an ultra-rare species of dandelion as well – the Many-lobed Dandelion.
Finally, we had a great day with the Coll Seniors Club, looking at the grasses in the grounds of the community centre. In a couple of hours we clocked up 28 different species of grass, looking at the great variety of colours, shapes, locations and features which helped us distinguish one from another.
Sadly though, towards the end of the year, family commitments meant we had to de-camp back to England, from where we have been distant observers of life on Coll. Hence the paucity of records on our ‘recent sightings’ page. We will however be back on Coll for a few weeks this year during April and May at least so, if our visits coincide, and you are interested to see some of the best of Scotland’s wildlife, do get in. touch. Even if our timings don’t coincide, we’re always happy to set you on the right track.
All our activities are carried out safely and responsibly, minimising any possible impact on the wildlife of the island and the local community, and taking into account our customers’ health and well-being.
Elsewhere on this website, you will find blogs and articles about the special wildlife of Coll, resources to help you on your visit and a log of our most recent wildlife sightings.
Do get in touch if you’re coming to Coll and would like to experience its wildlife, landscapes and scenery in the company of expert guides. We look forward to seeing you in 2024.
Greg and Sarah
“The walk with Greg was a holiday highlight – he is so knowledgeable about all things Coll, and not just the marvels of the wildlife.”
Liz, May 2022, Tripadvisor
“Greg and Sarah were great guides, and our walk with them was a fantastic way to kick off our time on Coll!”
Mithila F, September 2020, Tripadvisor
“I would highly recommend anyone who comes here to book a walk with Wildsmiths as soon as they can.”
RockyandLuna, June 2021, Tripadvisor
