A trip to the shop.

Saturday I was sent on a mission to find some marshmallows. Not some weird bog plant but the type of thing you toast on an open fire. Just before my mission was given to me there was a bit of a commotion with the gulls outside. A quick peek from the window and I could see the gulls were up and so were the Greylag Geese (not this one, obviously).

The reason for the terror was the large bird that was making threatening moves toward them! It got nowt and settled down for a rest so I had a cup of tea and waited. Half an hour or so and it was on it's way again.

I headed off to hunt down the elusive marshmallows clocking a nice Sparrowhawk along the way. Not the best of the shots but I liked the Pied Wagtail in this one - 'I'll have you!'

A single Whooper Swan was another nice find along the way.

A quick check for waders turned up about 20 Ringed Plover, 6 Dunlin and about 60 Golden Plover.

With no luck on the marshmallow front I headed across to Iona getting some nice views of Gannet.

A quick visit to the shop and I had the marshmallows sorted. What to do now? I had a bit of a wander around seeing plenty of Linnet and Twite but not much else so that was me on my way back home. I got the offer of a lift back to Mull on the MB Iolaire...via Staffa! The prospect of getting a few snaps of the Puffins was too much to resist. A few Twite kept us company as we waited for the Puffins to come ashore.

The Puffins put on a great display...

...lots of posturing.

A Whimbrel had a bit of trouble keeping it's footing.

The Puffins carried on with their business of pairing up and defending their nest holes...

...and a bit of fly watching to pass the time.

Well, it made me laugh too.

A bit of nature in the raw as we left Staffa as a couple of Great Skua were harrassing a Common Gull before, finally, taking the bird out.

Not your usual trip to the shops!