Youngsters.

Thursday was a pleasant day with the good weather continuing. I had a youngster on board today so one of the scopes was utilised for her to give her the best views possible. Kids are always a treat to take out if you show them the right things and don't overload them so the numbers of species tend to be a bit lower but the quality shines through...read on! We started off with the WT Eagles which showed well with the chick standing up on the nest and the female perched just above. While we were there the male bird flew in too which was a treat. An Otter performed well giving some people their first views of this endearing beast. We picked it up as it was fishing and we watched quietly as it made it way towards us. Our reward was soon given to us as it hauled out right in front of us - stunning stuff. A Curlew posed on a rise, calling constantly, as it watched over it's young which remained hidden. Always an impressive bird to see and hear.

After viewing the Golden Eagles we headed off to lunch but before we got there we stopped to look at the Common Seal colony. There was a fair bit of activity going on with quite a few seals in the water with their young but a group of Ravens flying in caught my eye as they all headed to the same location. A Great Black-backed Gull and a Herring Gull were already in attendance as one of the seals started to give birth. A superb sighting of life in the raw! The birds were all around the seal trying to pick up any scraps available and the mother actively tried to keep them away from her new born pup. It all made for a very memorable performance.

We found a wee toad crossing the track as we headed for lunch so that was examined closely before setting it it's way back into the undergrowth.

After checking out the Adders we went round the plants on show taking in the smells of Fragrant Orchid and Bog Myrtle along the way. The butterflies were virtually glued to the Wild Thyme as the temperatures soared. A Dung Beetle was found digging it's way into a cow pat which provoked the usual 'bleurgh' for the youngster but a nice beetle to see all the same. If you get the chance to pick one up check out the metallic blue underside. We had a superb sighting of Stonechat, Whinchat and Reed Bunting all sitting on the top of the bracken within a couple of feet of each other. A bit of a wander on the beach to look at crab claws and shells before we headed off to pick up Mountain Hare to finish off what was a memorable day for the youngster. She came in the shop the following day with a bunch of postcards to send off to her friends and one of her teachers telling all about her wildlife tour!!

Friday and Saturday were similar days with both being scorchers and similar sightings too. The Mountain Hares showed well with the Redshanks parading around with their youngster who can now fly and the Ringed Plover chicks looking like washed out adults. The Golden Eagles have given some close encounters too.  

There are some well spaced Greater Butterfly Orchids on the road side.

Basking Sharks are still showing in a couple of areas so that's a treat for everyone. I'm expecting to get back to normal service on the blog sometime through the week when the new equipment arrives.