Magic

Well it's the usual quiet spell at Christmas - I managed to get a photograph with some snow on just before it disappeared. Merry Christmas to you all.

A trip out with Doc saw him trying some unusual parking in the middle of the road so I could take a few snaps of the Buzzard having some breakfast.

The Black-throated Diver is still hanging around in the same area but it never seems to be close enough to shore for a good shot.

A great find in December was a juvenile Greenland White-fronted Goose - I can hear the gasps of excitement - but it really is a good find on my patch.

I didn't notice this WT Eagle was sporting a satellite pack until I looked through the photos. It was a bird released on the East coast of Scotland in 2008 and has now set up territory on Mull.

We watched this Otter from a distance, he knew something was up but couldn't figure it out so he just disappeared. I'm pretty sure it's magic.

Staffa.

Part two of the previous post was a trip out to Staffa on MB Iolaire. A few Kittiwake and a single Gannet were seen in the sound of Iona while waiting for the boat to arrive and a couple of Common Seal were seen...

...from the boat as we headed out towards Staffa. The Treshnish Isles are easily visible as you head out with the Dutchman's Cap...

...Lunga...

...and Fladda...

...stretching across the horizon. A good view of Ben More from the starboard side.

A slow walk up across Staffa produced a Snipe, a Blackbird, Wren and plenty of Rock Pipit. A reasonable number of Puffins were already ashore when I arrived at the nest holes.

There were plenty of Fulmar flying around so I tried, unsuccessfully, to capture one in flight.

There is always a Great Skua or two hanging around so it wasn't too much of a surprise when one suddenly appeared for a fly past.

The MB Iolaire was waiting just offshore...

...as I headed back. A few Eider were sitting around on the rocks and there were plenty of Shag to point the camera at.

We had a look at the Puffins on the sea for the folk that hadn't made the trip up to the nesting site so that was a chance to have a go at some more flight shots.

Plenty of Guillemot and Razorbill on the sea - it's always a good trip out to Staffa.

Snow.

With most of the country struggling with snow I thought I would show how bad it is up here - for now!

Just a quick jaunt out in the sunny conditions and I hit lucky. A couple of Ravens were flying about but calling in alarm too.

A quick scan around and there was one of last years Golden Eagle youngsters.

It wasn't there on it's own as there was another youngster just below it - shame about the blurry image but it was nice against the snow.

A scan across the loch before heading for home produced a good view of a Great Northern Diver...

...and an Otter was fishing offshore. I managed to get in a reasonable position to get some snaps when it brought a fish ashore...

...and had a brush up afterwards before heading off.