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.