Facebook

You may have noticed a lack of posting going on. I'm not giving it up, just slowing it down a bit and using Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/WildAboutMull) . There will be different photos on each one so you may want to keep up with both. The Facebook page will be more 'as it happens' while the blog might get a weekly update.Well, we'll see how it goes.
I'm guessing that it's bad luck on my part but I don't seem to be seeing that many GN Divers close to shore - hopefully that'll change as they come into summer plumage!

I watched this Otter come along the shore,make it's way towards the road before going through a culvert and then up into the forestry. It didn't even look in my direction despite being just a few yards away as it went under the road.

It's difficult not to see the Otters at the moment so just enjoy them while you can!

The Crossbills are a daily feature at the shop but the numbers can vary. I had a party of six the other day one of which was this years juvenile - too far for a decent shot but I did put one on facebook.

A sign of things warming up and day length extending is the frogs reappearing - good food for the Otters, Buzzards and Grey Herons.

Here is one that is easy to overlook - a young WT Eagle on the seaweed.

A pair of Dippers were seen together on the shore - one disappeared upstream calling as it went. I watched the other bird for a while until it flew off...and then flew back in a bit closer. There was a cow between me and the bird so I didn't pass that one up - result!

I've seen the WT Eagle taking grass to their nest to use as lining but it took a few seconds to figure out what this Raven was carrying - wool.

Could an eagle look more imperious than this - just awesome!!

Waking up

Otter sightings are still good at the moment - you're having a bad day if you get less than four but females with youngsters help a lot.

There are still a few Iceland Gulls hanging around but they all seem to be youngsters.

This Buzzard allowed a close approach but he must have been having a messy meal - just look at the state of his beak and his feet!

No excuses for the Oystercatcher - if you dig in the soil you will get dirty.

Golden Eagle - overhead and away quick as a wink!

 The Crossbills always seem to be backlit so when this one turned up just as the sun was hitting the top of the trees I grabbed my opportunity.

There have been a few nice days recently so the temperatures are creeping up and waking up the things that have been hibernating. There was a frost in the morning but by lunchtime the temperature was up to 8 degrees. A Peacock butterfly was basking in the rays...

...and not too far away my first Adder of the year was doing the same thing.

Speyside

We had a quick trip across to Speyside to catch up with the specialities over there. On the way across most of the Black Guillemots were looking good...

...but there was still the odd one looking very mottled.

A trip into the woods in Speyside will always produce a few good sightings - Long-tailed Tit...

...and Crested Tit.

The weather was just fantastic - blue skies and very little wind. We had tried a couple of spots for Capercaillie and found nothing so it was nice to come across this handsome chap at our third attempt.

After he had shown us who was boss he settled down to feed next to the track before heading back into the forest - awesome!!

A trip up Cairngorm next. With the weather so good the car parks were absolutely rammed but not too many people in the area we were heading for. It took a wee while to find the Ptarmigan but what a fantastic bird to see. The male birds look like bandits...

...while the female birds just blend in.

The Red Grouse just stand out out like sore thumbs!

A cracking weekend away but it's good to be back.

February

The first week in February has been quite busy as the weather was just superb. The bright sunny days mean that it does get a bit warmer but if you catch the breeze it's baltic!! The Common Crossbills have bred already but the male birds are still singing.

The Otter sightings are quite good at the moment too - anything under four sightings is a poor day but that does include the family parties.

There have been plenty of sightings of Merlin but I was struggling to catch up with it. Doc and I found this one perched beside the road and it did allow a close approach - awesome!

Plenty of sightings of WT Eagle as they prepare themselves for the the breeding season ahead.

Hen Harrier is a daily sighting at the moment but most of the sightings are distant or too quick - this female was leaving at great speed.

I still haven't found any decent looking stags close to the road but there are plenty to see as you drive around.

Plenty of sightings of Golden Eagle too but it was nice to see them getting back into a routine of being close to the road!

Fatal error

A bit of excitement at the beginning of February as the laptop had a fatal error that resulted in me losing quite a few photographs. It took a while to get things back on an even keel but getting out viewing the wildlife helps the stress levels!! The WT Eagles were relaxing together before the start of the breeding season.

 There are plenty of Buzzards on show, as usual, but it's nice to get one sitting on a natural feature for  a change.

 I was out looking for the local Jay (I did see it) and I just happened to walk right up to this stag. It was close enough to touch when it walked past me!

 The local Otters are feeding well at the moment as they seem to bringing a lot of their catches ashore.