Mustn't grumble

A bit of poor weather to start the day stopped us from seeing Golden Eagle but we managed to get Peregrine instead just as the rain started! There was plenty to see while the showers came through with Greenshank, Hen Harrier, GN Diver, a close WT Eagle and two distant WT Eagle being the highlights. We paid another visit to the Golden Eagle site and got a single bird flying around...

...and then being chased by a couple of Ravens.

When the sun came back out in the afternoon a couple of Common Terns at one stop was the best we could manage. Another shower pushing through seemed to stir things up again as we picked up Mountain Hare...

...a sleeping Black-tailed Godwit...

...a few Dunlin, Ringed Plover and about 30 Whimbrel. The return journey turned up a single Red-throated Diver...

...and a couple of Cuckoo.

Cuckoo.

Just before setting off to pick the guests up for the day I had a good view of a Cuckoo sitting on a fence post. Two Otters were seen at the first stop but we had other guests to pick up. With everyone on board we headed back to one of the Otters for better views.

A couple of Razorbill and GN Diver were seen while watching the Otter. Probably the same Cuckoo I had seen earlier was perched on another post as we drove along the road.

The weather conditions were pretty poor but we managed to see one Golden Eagle on the nest and another bird perched close by. A WT Eagle sitting on the nest was overshadowed by a male Hen Harrier that gave good views. A few Buzzards had been seen along the way but one perched on a rock was worth stopping for - it didn't stay for long.

While searching for Adders in wet conditions a Golden Eagle gave us some cracking views.

We spent the afternoon looking for some of the smaller birds and hit lucky with a couple of Lesser Redpoll...

...and a few Yellowhammer.

Four Whooper Swan were seen from a distance so we went for a closer look.

While peering at some Turnstone and Ringed Plover a couple of Twite flew in and landed right next to us - awesome.

A few Dunlin, a single Snipe, Lapwing on the nest and a single Mountain Hare were all very good to see and the last sighting of the day was a summer plumage Great Northern Diver.

Wet stuff.

The last few days have been the same old, same old - pleasant days with all the regular stuff. The camera has been fairly redundant though and you know I won't post without a few pictures! This post brings things up to date. A Cuckoo posed outside the shop but it never came close enough.

The only large bird I have pointed the camera at is a Golden Eagle that, normally, I wouldn't have bothered with - good job I took that eh?

 As usual the Red deer are just superb but even they wouldn't play ball in front of the camera.

So, you can see how things have been going and the Otter has the right expression.

A change in the weather brings a change in fortunes - a day of rain produced a heap of photos. I took this photo of the Herring Gull just to make sure the camera was still working!

I needn't have worried...Mountain Hare were easy to find.

Common Snipe were calling from close by so it was no surprise to find one keeping an eye on my movements.

The Dunlin are starting to move back through in numbers, well I say numbers but what I really mean is there were seven of them.

This Buzzard was trying to mind it's own business and just let the rain run off it's back but the Lapwings were giving it hell - it flew off eventually.

Oystercatchers are always a pleasure to photograph.

Common Sandpipers are starting to go quiet now as the chicks are well grown. It won't be long before they are heading back to Africa.

I followed this Common Seal down the shore as it was looking for somewhere to haul out. A bit of patience rewarded!

Last shot of the afternoon was a chance meeting with a female Hen Harrier. Leaning out of the window and trying to pan the camera with a slow shutter speed doesn't give the best result but that's the way it goes when the wet stuff is here!

Unpredictable.

Tuesday was a bit murky to start with and clearing skies in the afternoon. We picked up 3 Hen Harriers and Short-eared Owl at our first stop - way to go. The previous days Golden Eagle display was improved by the same bird exploding out of the long vegetation about 30 feet in front of us! It was too close for the camera but I managed one shot with the whole bird in!

It did circle around above us for some time to give us a bit more time to get some shots.

It may not have the same draw as the larger bird but Kestrels are just as awesome in my book.

Other highlights from the day were Manx Shearwater, Mountain Hare, curlews, more Hen Harrier and a grand finish with the WT Eagle chicks trying out their wings for size.

Wednesday was a better day for the weather but the heat was building. The first hour was awesome with WT Eagle, two Otters, SE Owl and a couple of Hen Harrier including this male.

A Curlew posed nicely for us too.

Next up was another Otter that made for shore and was lost to sight but we needn't have worried as we located another one about ten minutes later. As you can see this one put on a proper performance.

The Adders have put on a superb show this year with up to five of the reptiles all curled up in a heap. I took my camera this time to capture the event.

A Slow Worm was a treat, another Otter sighting but the best find of the day had to be the Cuckoo posing on the wires.

The temperature was really building in the afternoon but we still managed to get the Mountain Hare - just look at that heat haze.

A golden opportunity for a photo as we headed back to the motor with a Skylark rising beside us.

We managed to get our Golden Eagle right at the end of the day but that's wildlife - unpredictable.

Singing in the rain.

Wednesday we spent some time dodging the showers to get the best out of the day. We started the day with superb views of SE Owls and a female Hen Harrier. While looking for Otters we located a couple of Red-thoated Diver that were singing in the rain.

Adders were a surprise for the guests as they thought the weather wasn't good enough to see them in the open. We picked up an Otter fishing in a bay and viewed the area from above so, at times, you could see the Otter swimming underwater. We did hear a couple of Cuckoo calling on our travels but only caught sight of one of them. Plenty of small birds including Lesser Redpoll, Linnet, Whinchat etc before we had a Mountain Hare in the rain. The run back to base was livened up by one of the guests spotted another Otter. We watched this one come ashore a couple of times with fish.

A few stags finished the day off nicely.

Thursday was another good sightings day despite the showers. We started the day with a female Hen Harrier and a few Mountain Hare.

A male Redpoll perched on a fence next to a male Whinchat and a few Yellowhammer were feeding on the ground all in the same spot. Best find of the day was a Cuckoo that flew out of some trees to perch on a post right next to us before flying up to the wires.

A pair of Red-throated Diver showed well before we picked up our first WT Eagle in the distance. Not too long after that all of the Curlews flew up, calling in alarm.

The reason for the alarm was a WT Eagle flying through.

As the bird flew into the distance it was chased through by a SE Owl and a male Hen Harrier! A bit of a clear spell in the afternoon produced a Golden Eagle, Adders, Slow Worm and a young mouse in the middle of the road! An almighty clap of thunder gave us warning of some approaching weather. We had torrential rain and lots of lightning on the drive back - no wildlife as we could hardly see out of the windows!

Interesting.

On Sunday we saw lots of interesting behaviour. We started off with a long wait for the WT Eagles as we watched the chicks lazing on the nest. We picked up a distant adult bird and watched it soar over the nest at a great height then suddenly we had one of the adults flying in and that was closely followed by the second adult - three birds then! One of the birds left the nest and flew around...

...before dropping into the trees next to a stream. We moved a bit closer and an eagle-eyed guest caught a flash of white in the trees near the ground and we scoped the adult bird. We watched as the bird dropped from it's perch, out of sight, into the stream - interesting. As that was happening the was a bit of excitement occurring above us as a young Golden Eagle flew over with a Common Buzzard giving it hell. If you look closely you can see the Goldie has it's head twisted right around.

Two adult Golden Eagle watched this from a distance...a hard act to follow. Golden Plover, Hen Harrier, Wood Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, more Goldies and Whinchat helped to pass the time.

The heap of Adders shot that I was after was achieved after a fashion when we found four of them together.

We finished the day with the Short-eared Owls but the Curlews stole the show. Most of these enigmatic wader have young to look after so they would come close to berated you...

...before wandering off into the vegetation. It's all interesting stuff!

Monday we had more interesting encounters. There is nothing better than clapping eyes on a Cuckoo and we followed this one up the road before it took a sharp right to pose for a photo. They always have the company of the little brown job - Meadow Pipit.

Just prior to this we had been watching a female Hen Harrier circling above the trees. When we got onto the moor it wasn't long before we saw a Golden Eagle streaking across in front of us. I was wondering what it was after when I clapped eyes on the Hen Harrier right in the flight path!! The Harrier twisted and banked away as the Golden Eagle dropped to the ground and came up with the vole that the Harrier had dropped. The Golden Eagle was joined by it's mate and they circled around in triumph.

One of the Goldies came over to take a bow and soak up the cheers and applause from us!

Another interesting sighting was had as we looked for Mountain Hare. There was, possibly, more photos taken of this than anything else on the day - the Waverley moored off Iona.

There is always something else to see and this Red Deer was worth the stop. This one has moulted into it's summer coat and looks stunning in the sunshine.

Even the local Buzzard came in for a look.