The wrong day?

A trip to Lunga was good in some respects and bad in others. Maybe I was there on the wrong day! The Shags provided good opportunities for photos and they seemed to have plenty of nests with youngsters.

The Puffins performed for the crowds which always puts a smile on your face but I saw very few birds bringing fish to the burrows.

The Kittiwakes appeared to have done well with most of the nests having two chicks and the rest just a single youngster.

Guillemots didn't seem to be doing very well either despite there being plenty of birds...

...with the bridled variety looking particularly dapper.

I only spotted a few chicks in the seething throng.

There was no sign of any Razorbill youngsters but there were plenty of adults around but I never saw any of these birds with a fish either.

Some of the Puffins were still digging burrows!

A few Arctic Tern were seen among the more numerous Common Terns while the Great Skuas patrolled the skies.

The annual trip

Joy and I had our annual trip out to Staffa on a nice sunny day. Not too many Common Seals on the way out but there always seems to one that will pose for a photo.

A couple of RT Diver were seen and quite a few GN Diver but nothing that exciting until a Great Skua flew past the back of the boat.

There were plenty of Manx Shearwater sitting around on the sea...

...and we saw the Royal Navy HMS Exploit training patrol vessel out on an exercise.

All the usual stuff was seen around Staffa - Black Guillemot, Common Guillemot, Razorbill, Eider, Twite on Staffa itself and plenty of Shag.

The Puffins were still being a bit shy so they didn't come ashore but we got good views all the same.

Corncrake.

A trip over to Iona with Doc to have a look for Corncrakes was quite productive. The day started off with rain but it was supposed to get clearer as the day went on. In cool and breezy conditions there was not a Corncrake to be heard! Things did improve but there were a few distractions along the way...Sedge Warbler ...

...Pied Wagtail...

...and some cracking views of Corncrake!

Other delights were some splendid Jackdaws...

...and plenty of tourist Corncrake - Song Thrush.

We spent a fair bit of time trying to track the Corncrake through the grass...

...watching them disappear into clumps of grass...

...and hiding in the brambles.

You could see them watching you...

...but they were showy too.

They may have stood in the open...

...but when they were face on they were surprisingly hard to pick up.

But how do you find the elusive Corncrake?

Just wait for them to start shouting!

A couple of Starling families were housed in the walls and not fussed by the passing humans.

A trip out to Staffa with Davy Kirkpatrick was well worth it. A couple of year ticks on the way there - Manx Shearwater and Purple Sandpiper plus a few Twite, Black Guillemot, Puffin...

...and a superb Great Skua.

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.

Stalling.

The tour on Saturday was another treat with plenty of Mountain Hare seen at the start and an awesome encounter with a WT Eagle. A couple of gull calling in alarm had me slowing down just in time to see the eagle disappear behind some trees. As we bundled out of the motor the bird reappeared, stalling above the trees, before falling back again.

We got eaten alive by midges at lunch but we made up for it with a superb Golden Eagle sighting. No chance of a photo of the initial sighting but a distant shot will suffice. The Goldie was heading for some Ravens with serious intent but then pulled out at the last second.

No Otter to be found on the day but that's the way it goes. An unusual sighting was a Great Skua putting in an appearance while we were looking for eagles!

Monday I gave the wee camera a run out - you can tell by the quality! I got a few more head shots of the Adders for the collection but I'm sure there are a couple that have escaped me.

An obliging Scotch Argus got the camera pointed at it.

A quick check round some of the flowers was worth the effort. Most of the orchids are going over now but the Harebells are superb. A few Field Gentian are in flower now...

...but the Grass of Parnassus is just in bud.

Stunning views of a  Speckled Wood on Meadowsweet had me bailing out of the motor but the butterfly was happy to land on the not so photogenic stones!