September

I'm catching up with things eventually. A selection of photographs from throughout the month.

Bar-tailed Godwit is an annual bird on Mull but we don't get many.

 Black-tailed Godwit is much commoner.

 Curlew.

 Some nice views of Red Deer through the month.

 Golden Eagle with a full crop.

 Golden Eagle on the hunt.

 Grey Heron sunbathing.

 Great Northern Diver with a flattie.

 Greenshank on it's own.

 Greenshank in triplicate.

 Hooded Crow is a popular bird.

 Otter.

 Raven having lunch.

 Skylark - look at the plumage on that!

 Sparrowhawk - just stunning.

 A migrant Whinchat.

 There had to a White-tailed Eagle too.

Just what the doctor ordered

A trip out with Doc produced eight Otters - I could leave it at that but here is a quick run down. Within five minutes we were onto the first two Otters on a point. While we got into position they came round the point, realised something was up but they weren't sure what that something was.

A few Northern Wheatears were along the shore as we moved on...

...and we wondered if we would get some more Otter sightings. We needn't have worried as we found another Otter heading for shore but it was moving off by the time we could see the landing spot.

A nice surprise was the other two Otters that were already on the shore in the same place!

They finished their fish and headed off.

No more good photos after that but we did see Otter number six while we had lunch but we lost it while we watched a WT Eagle soaring overhead. A Bar-tailed Godwit was a good find and a year tick too.

Otter number seven was seen in the afternoon but there was no way to get any closer to that one so a Stonechat was a small consolation!

Otter number eight was seen from a distance and despite waiting for about 45 minutes it never got much closer - a great day out though. Thanks, Doc - by the way Doc saw another Otter after he dropped me off.

Newcastle.

A change of scenery and some different birds on a trip to Newcastle. The weather has not been the brightest but a run up the coast was nice, visiting some of my old haunts. St Marys Island had the usual array of waders - Sanderling...

...Lapwing, Curlew, Golden Plover, Snipe, Redshank and Bar-tailed Godwit.

 Despite the dull conditions the lighthouse always looks good.

Lots of Dunlin on the rocks.

It was nice to see plenty of Carrion Crow up close.

A few Cormorants were fishing in the surf.

A run up to Newbiggin gave us good views of Black-headed Gull...

...but the Mediterranean Gull wasn't so obliging...

...and the Turnstones stayed away from the dog walkers.

Cresswell next to see plenty of Moorhen...

...Long-tailed Duck and Wigeon...

...a cracking drake Pintail with the Mallard...

...and some shy Grey Partridge.

A brief visit to East Chev before the skies darkened and the rain came produced more Grey Partridge, Goldeneye...

...and plenty of Magpie.

Wet and dry.

Another dreich day turned up some quality sightings but low on numbers. We started the day by having a look at the roosting Tawny Owl.

A top quality Otter sighting next with the beast coming ashore almost immediately after finding it...

...and then having a good clean.

Another couple of Otters were welcome sightings as we travelled in the rain as were the three WT Eagles sitting it out. The Mistle Thrush flocks are busy plundering the berry harvest at the moment...just look at the rain though!

We also had a superb sighting of a Sparrowhawk perched up. As you can see it was there long enough for some photos.

We managed to find a couple of Hen Harrier but bird of the day, for me, was my first Bar-tailed Godwit of the year - 151 for the list.

A much better day for the next tour which gave us a good start too. An Otter was spotted plus the BT Diver put in another appearance.

Male Hen Harrier - need I say more?

The sightings kept coming with Golden Eagle being mobbed by Common Buzzard, Mountain Hare, another male Hen Harrier, three Whooper Swan and this Golden Eagle that was checking to see if we had any food!