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.

A wet month

Another day of reasonable weather had the camera back in action. There are plenty of Stonechats bobbing about so they seem to be coping well.

This Buzzard was feeding on worms in the field but it moved into the tree as I pulled up...

...but there was a closer one a bit further along the road.

I saw this WT Eagle just above the trees in front of me but it was heading away so I made haste along the road to get in front - a bit distant but it was worth it.

This female Red-breasted Merganser surfaced with a fish which the male bird tried to steal - he was too slow!

The local Hen Harriers have been sighted fairly regular but it's usually the females that you see. This male bird flew in front of the motor and headed off at quite a lick.

I stopped to check the shore for waders and I was pleased to find this Peregrine just sitting on the grass (didn't get one on the patch last year).

Another patch tick was this Wren - I've seen plenty of them but this was the first on the patch.

A nice surprise at the end of the day as this Golden Eagle appeared over the house when I got back!

So the Patchwork Challenge stands at 61 species and 77 points - better than last year despite a wet month.

Bad weather birder.

Another pleasant day up here with grey skies, wind and rain. A trip to Iona for Corncrake was on the cards but the weather wasn't the best. If you don't look you won't see - I'm up for that. Two Sandwich Tern were a year tick so that was a good start.

A Sedge Warbler singing in the rain was another year tick...

...and I saw a Corncrake in the first 10 minutes, another year tick. It wasn't a 'showing well' day for Corncrakes but I thought I should give it a shot. A Rook posed in the rain...

...a Peregrine flew over...

...I got very wet and managed to see three separate Corncrake and got three photos, none were any good! I did concentrate on looking at the birds rather taking photos though.

Good views of Gannet...

...Razorbill and Guillemot on the way back.

Not a bad effort on a poor day.

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.

Chilly.

Friday the skies were still blue but the wind was a chilly northerly. Just before the guests arrived I had a WT Eagle fly past me.

No sign of any Mountain Hares in the morning but a flock of about 30 Whimbrel and a couple of Black-tailed Godwit were nice compensation. The Golden Plover were still present too.

Two Cuckoos, two Golden Eagles and two distant Hen Harriers were all nice to see while we had lunch but the close male Hen Harrier made up for the two distant ones. While watching the adult WT Eagles at the nest we reckoned that there were two chicks being fed - good news there. The two SE Owls and a female Hen Harrier seemed like a good finish to the day until we came across a Peregrine - awesome!

Saturday we woke up to a dusting of snow on the high ground. The weather faired up for the tour but the chilly weather had this Great Tit lining it's nest with copious amounts of wool.

We started the day with the WT Eagles and managed to confirm that there were two chicks in the nest. We got a nice comparison between a summer and winter plumaged GN Diver in the morning. It was a bit of a quiet morning but it soon picked up with Red Deer and Common Seal seen not too far apart. A couple of Goldfinch showed well...

...just before seeing the Tawny Owl out in the open sunning itself!

Our good fortune continued with views of Golden Eagle, a couple of Adder and the first sighting of the juvenile Dippers fresh out of the nest.

A fly over Peregrine was a good find in the afternoon. The waders were good to us too with a 30 strong flock of Whimbrel, Redshank, Dunlin and Ringed Plover all seen. Our last bird of the day was a nice White Wagtail...

...that looked twice the size with it's feathers all fluffed up!

and then there were none...

This morning was a bit of a wash out so I was glad to be otherwise occupied in the shop. First customer this morning had a tale of being stuck by lightning. Leaning against a lightswitch in the shed while waiting for a hail storm to pass then next thing he knows he's lying on the ground - cor blimey!!

Anyway, I digress, the weather cleared and it was time for a scan about the Loch. First bird of note was a drake Goosander which has been present off and on all month. Next on the list was a drake Goldeneye then this Peregrine. No apologies for the quality as this was even further away than yesterdays Otter. The bird was feeding on what looked like a bag of Ready Salted crisps (I'd just finished mine). It's crop was bulging so it was a hearty meal and I'm hoping it wasn't a Greenshank as I could only find one of those. After the meal was finished the Peregrine proceeded to waddle around on the grass and wipe it's face!! A nice male Hen Harrier floated into the view as I was watching the antics so I followed that while the clean up was going on. The Harrier dropped into the grass and didn't reappear so I went back to the Peregrine and that was gone too. A quick scan before the next shower hit produced another drake Goosander, 10 Teal and 12 Oystercatchers.