March - In like a Lion...

...we'll see if it goes out like a lamb!
I still have ongoing problems with BT and their broadband so I'm doing this post at the shop. When it takes four hours to get connected you don't want to be writing a post as it's usually time for bed at that point! Enough of that.
The gales at the beginning of March had a plus side as a Ring-billed Gull turned up in my garden - result!!

The following day it was outside the shop.

A single Adder was seen on a sunny day but this Blue Tit singing was a much better photo opportunity.

More wind followed and made the waterfalls into water-rises!

You wouldn't think that this Reed Bunting photo was taken while the wind was blowing through at 40mph - quite calm at ground level.

Still only a single Adder on show a week into March - so I may have to find another site for them.

On the plus side I did see a couple of Common Lizards on the same day.

It was a lovely, calm, sunset that evening.

After the sun went down I picked up BB and headed out into the dark to search for Barn Owl - we were not disappointed.

Something to crow about

As this post is going out on the 12th August I'd just like to say that the two female and one male Hen Harrier that were seen today were a real treat.
We had a cracking view of an Otter having a real struggle to bring it's catch ashore. It wasn't until it reached a decent bit of shore that we got sight of the fighter - a cracking Lobster.

There have been plenty of Common Lizards hanging around...

...very close to the Adders. You would think the Adders would be picking them off.

Another good sighting this last week was the young WT Eagle taking one of it's first flights. I'm hoping that the secondary feathers are just naturally curled upwards and not some problem that the bird has.

The local Buzzard looked good in the morning light...

...while the Mink was nice to see but not so welcome.

A Carrion Crow has been loitering at the back of one of the fields for about a week now - one close view is all you need for a photo.

While visiting the Adder site the screaming of a House Martin alerted me to a passing bird of prey - Hen Harrier, fantastic!

Just as fantastic was the Song Thrush collecting food for it's young.

Different

An impromptu tour made up for a bit of a different day. The target was to find an Otter to photograph and then any species of fauna in front of the camera. We started off with a nice Common Seal...

...just before we bagged a couple of Otters.

We managed to stumble across a Spotted Flycatchers nest with four chicks - luckily we had already got photographs of one of the adults so we left pretty quickly.

A Black Guillemot was watched as we had a cuppa.

Next on the hit list was a Peregrine chasing a Rock Dove that wasn't captured on the camera but the falcon put on a good display.

 A couple of WT Eagle were seen, Whinchat and a newly fledged group of Swallows.

 A Red Deer hind didn't want to wander off so it had to be photographed.

A Yellowhammer gave us the run around but it made for some interesting flight shots.

We couldn't find an Adder but this Common Lizard was abit of a performer.

 We waited over an hour for a Golden Eagle to take to the air but it never obliged so we headed off to the Tawny Owl site instead - a great day out with a few different things seen.

One in the hand.

A bit of a search around for WT Eagle finally paid off at the start of this tour when we located an adult bird sitting in a tree.

We were lucky enough to come across an Otter at our next stop and we watched it eat it's catch...

...before it made it's way up a stream, through a culvert and off into the holt - awesome. A distant view of a Golden Eagle followed that and a cracking view of a male Hen Harrier - that would be enough for most people but there was more to come.

An Adder performed very well...

...and the kids on the tour captured a Common Lizard.

We viewed the Common Tern colony that had at least six youngsters in the group. A good view of a Red Deer stag was appreciated...

...a single Mountain Hare was seen and the best Buzzard sighting was a poser.

Check up.

A bit of a better day so time to check on a few things. The Adders have been a bit quiet lately but there is no sign of them in the regular spots....yet. You can still find the odd one here and there.

No sign of any Slow Worm yet and the Common Lizards can be found wandering around - usually up your leg;-)

A bit of a check on the SE Owls a bit later in the day was quite productive. A good half a dozen Hooded Crows seemed keen to be upset about the slightest thing - nothing unusual there.

Plenty of views of Hen Harrier including displaying birds.

The Short-eared Owls were quite busy with display and not so keen to sit on the posts - could have been the showers that were passing through.

As you would expect, when you start heading for home you get something that keeps you out a bit longer. Well worth the effort!

Heads you win, tails you lose.

With bits of sunshine breaking through there was nothing for it but to go reptile hunting. A bit of a hold up when I came across the Otter family fishing just offshore. They hauled out at one point and it looked like that was going to be it but they chose to swim back the way and into camera range. The only way to keep a look out...

...and it must be thirsty work as they clamber out for a drink.

It was a nice way to start the outing and there were two WT Eagle circling overhead at the time! A Cormorant was drying off in the breeze - I noticed the bird was sporting a ring when checking the photos.

I didn't have any trouble finding this Common Lizard...

...but, somehow, I didn't pick up the Adder until the last second when it's tail was disappearing into the vegetation. I gave it 10 minutes and had another look - no problem.

The following day I found a Slavonian Grebe reasonably close to the shore so I grabbed some shots.

A couple of Woodpigeon feeding in the open were hard to resist. They seem to be increasing in numbers on the island.

I picked up a year tick in the shape of a Peregrine - nice view through the scope but not worth pointing the camera at it but you can see what it is!

A few Pied Wagtails are appearing, all males, along the lochs. It's a real treat to see them back.