With the cold days and nights now hopefully behind us, May is one of the busiest and most colourful months for Scottish wildlife.
April saw mating seasons begin in earnest and many of these continue in May, while the first young animals are born, venturing out into the world to explore and learn.
Meanwhile, most of the animals that migrate to Scotland to spend the summer in our relatively mild climate have now arrived – often in spectacular numbers.
The final animals have now emerged from their winter hibernation and insects take to the wing after spending the colder months safely contained in pupae and cocoons.
It’s also the time of year when we humans start to spend more times outdoors – becoming more aware of the natural world around us.
9. Take a trip to the largest gannet colony in Europe
The sleek and elegant gannet migrates to Scotland to raise their young over the summer. The largest colony of the eye-catching birds on the Bass Rock is relatively easy to get to, with regular boats leaving from the Scottish Sea Bird Centre in North Berwick. Watching them dive into the sea at high speed to catch fish is a spectacular sight. Photo: Canva/Getty Images
10. A prickly courtship
May is also peak hedgehog mating season and it can be a strange sight. The male circles the female who tends to initially greet him with a series of vigorous headbutts before accompanying him to the nearest bush. Photo: Canva/Getty Images