Stinky weather

Tuesday was a real stinker of a day but the goods were produced eventually. We started off with nothing but pouring rain and it just got wetter. The best we could do was a quick look at a WT Eagle sitting in a tree before it was obscured by a deluge of the wet stuff and pick off the usual waders and LBJ's. I decided to make a dash for Fidden to have lunch and hopefully get some brighter weather to catch us up - it rained some more! The Dunlin and Skylarks were showing well but spirits were starting to sag a little. We got flagged down to help out a tourist with a flat tyre on a hire car - it didn't have the socket for the locking nut on the alloys and he actually had two flat tyres! Driving through the potholes always does that - phoned the rescue service and left him to it. In the meantime the rain had stopped and it was starting to look good. The Buzzards were up in the air at last......and we stopped off to look for Otters but that was forgotten about as a Golden Eagle put in an appearance. A quick diversion up a track gave us superb views of this giant in the air and perched up (or down as it was on the ground). The Goldie disappeared and just as we were going to leave this appeared.....Not the best shot in the world but a cracking view of WT Eagle. Spirits were lifted and there was smiles all round as we left. Another shout for a raptor clearing a nearby rise had me reversing up the road to view a female Hen Harrier - cracking stuff. We headed off in search of an Otter after that. A good scan around the shorelines was producing nothing at all but on the final look around a head popped up from behind a rock, yawned and there was our final prize. The dog Otter gave himself a good wash and brush up before heading away from his bed but closer to us. A superb end to another day in the field.
Today proved to be one of the hardest days I've had this year. We started well with the Dunlin performing superbly, four Buzzards buzzing each other and the same number of Raven joining in. The Purple Loosestrife is still looking good in the fields.But then it all went pear shaped - the rain came charging in and spoilt everything! Undeterred we ploughed on but it was all common stuff apart from a very brief male Hen Harrier. No Otters, no Golden Eagle...gulp...no sign of any activity at the WT Eagle site...oh dear. We waited and waited for something to happen. It was pushing 3pm before we caught sight of a WT Eagle flying our way......she came closer and closer before dropping food off for the youngster who just appeared out of nowhere on the nest!This is the first sighting of the young bird I've had since it fledged in July - double bonus! We headed off in search of an Otter after we watched the adult fly away again. Another hard look around the shoreline eventually turned one up. It was a dog Otter again but this time the fishing was on land. He was digging away under the seaweed covered rocks and actually came out with a fish. Two Herons started stalking him after that! The clouds were starting to lift off the tops so headed for a good viewing area to have a cuppa and scan the ridges. Five minutes in and BINGO two Golden Eagles flying together - they were distant but it was a good view in the scope. We decide to try our luck somewhere else to get better views. No luck with Goldies but a cracking adult WT Eagle sitting on a rise was just the job. We couldn't ask for anything more so we called it a day.