Sunny days

Monday was a cracking day with a nice breeze blowing. Golden Eagle was the first bird on the list as we captured this beast soaring over the ridge.

The Eider ducks were sitting pretty on the near shore as we searched for an Otter. We got decent views of GN Diver along the way and the usual view of the WT Eagle at the nest with the addition of the other adult bird soaring above. We eventually located an Otter asleep on the shore but he showed no signs of waking up in the time we were there. Stunning views of another Golden Eagle at lunchtime as a bird flew past us then started displaying.

 

It was nice to see the Stonechats with youngsters doing well and a couple of Whinchat in the same area. Last stop of the day gave us superb views of Mountain Hare as a few of them raced past us before sitting to attention and then running on. Three Black-tailed Godwit were still in residence along with good numbers of Ringed Plover and Dunlin. A beautiful calm evening with the tide in provided a photo opportunity and still no midges to speak of (that'll be the end of that comfort then!).

Tuesday was another cracking day (T-shirt weather now). The day started off with a couple of eejits walking through the Iris beds scaring all the birds and, obviously, disrupting the nesting birds too. I asked them if they were aware of the birds nesting there and the response was that they were aware but they were just trying to get some photos!!! I sent them packing. Despite the disturbance we still managed to get a single Mountain Hare, a few Dunlin, Whimbrel, Ringed Plover, Wheatear, Skylark etc. Bird of the day was a sighting, at last, of a Cuckoo. There are plenty about but not many that we get to see and the numbers are down again on last year. Areas that held a few birds last year are down to single calling birds this year! I've never seen or heard a young Cuckoo down this end of the island and I wonder if the population is just dying out, through unsuccessful breeding, rather than other problems on migration. Just a personal view from a small area.

On a brighter note the Sedge Warblers seem to be in good numbers this year with at least 4 birds seen. Another two Mountain Hare were seen having a face off with two Hooded Crow. Good views of Tree Pipit and Golden Eagle at were had followed by a brief view of an Otter. A few of the guests missed this beast so I was under pressure to resolve this! Half an hour later I located another Otter sleeping on the shore so everyone managed to see that! While watching the Otter I noticed the Hooded Crows heading towards the nest and it was nice to see the heads of the youngsters come up with blazing red gapes (must have a go at getting a photo!). The Butterwort is back in flower so a few of us descended into the ditch to get some photos.

The young WT Eagle is coming along nicely and the female is happy enough to leave the side of the nest to perch above. We headed back to see if the sleepy Otter had woken up. Sure enough he wasn't there and had swam across the loch to the near shore. We got fantastic views as he came ashore before heading off. A cracking way to finish the day. On my way back home I stopped to get a shot of Early Purple Orchid. which will be out in abundance before long.

Weather beaten.

Saturday was a fine day with good visibility. With the guests on board and requests for Golden Eagle, Otters and male Hen Harrier we headed off to see what wanted to be looked at. Two Golden Eagle were quickly on the list with the birds perched on a cliff and then flying around. We could hear Cuckoo calling but couldn't locate it and a Red Deer or two were seen while we scanned around. The old sixth sense kicked in at the next stop as I drove past a passing place something made me stop and go back to it. I hadn't seen anything but it was just a feeling that I should be looking from here - we found this.

We stood and watched as he woke up, preened himself and headed off - quality! After a quick look at the WT Eagle at the nest we headed back down the loch getting good views of GN Diver and another 4 Otters (two pictured below).

At lunch we had two Golden Eagle in the distance and Tree Pipit before we picked up another Golden Eagle closer in. While we were watching this bird flying in front of the forestry the view through the binoculars was blacked out for a second as another Golden Eagle came straight over the top of us!!! A couple of Whinchat were seen just after that and then we headed off on our travels. We managed to catch up with a male Hen Harrier breaking the ridge and then hunting the moorland - all requests fulfilled, there were smiles all round. Nice views of the Mountain Hares...

...were had while we searched through the various waders at the end of the day.

Sunday started off as a cracking day but by the time I headed off on tour the weather had changed with showers pushing through. I'd already seen a couple of Otters early in the morning so I was hopeful of relocating one of them as we headed round the loch. Golden Plover, Dunlin, Ringed Plover, GN Diver and Whimbrel were all seen before we got sight of an Otter hauled out on a spit of land. A prolonged shower dampened things down a bit before we located another Otter bringing a Dogfish ashore.

At least 3 Lesser Redpoll were seen with a few Siskin while our third Otter of the day was sleeping on the far shore. Two Golden Eagle were picked up just after the shower passed but they were reluctant to fly. A fledgling Stonechat 'chacked' demanding food from a parent bird. Another look through the waders added Greenshank to the tally for the day. Lunchtime was enhanced with the sighting of the Dipper in flight and feeding in the river before I finally got a shot of the Tree Pipit.

The weather was starting to close in and it wasn't too long before it was raining again. There was still a slim chance of Golden Eagle in flight but it wasn't looking good. We waited as the rain got heavier and then a big bird appeared, low against the forestry, being harassed by a corvid - it was the Golden Eagle. Impressive stuff! A fair bit of searching around produced a few more Whinchat along the way before we caught up with 6 Black-tailed Godwit, at least 10 Twite, cracking views of Oystercatcher, Ringed Plover and Lapwing along with a couple of Mountain Hare. The weather had been well and truly beaten!

Staffa and Iona

Friday I had a day off and I was booked in to go to Staffa with Staffa Boat Trips on the MB Iolaire. The weather wasn't looking too grand in the morning as I picked up PS - we couldn't see Staffa over the sea!

Once aboard the boat we headed off to Staffa getting views of Arctic Tern and Manx Shearwater - both year ticks - before we arrived.

A very obliging Twite posed on the grass as we headed for the Puffins.

When we settled down to wait for the Puffins to come we practised a few flight shots with the Fulmars (another year tick)

Fifteen minutes in and we had the first Puffins coming off the sea and flying by before one landed right in front of us.

The Puffins dried up so we took a slow walk back grabbing a couple of shots of Great Black-backed Gull....

...a Shag on the nest....

....some of the rock pools....

...and the sea rushing through the narrow channel next to the landing stage.

On the way back to Mull we checked out the raft of Puffins that were sitting just offshore.

We didn't see a great deal on the way back except for about 400 Manx Shearwater loafing on the water. Iona was the next port of call to see if we could catch up with Corncrake. A quick stop for lunch in the Nunnery with Corncrake calling just outside seemed like a good start. It all went down hill after that. We wandered about not hearing anything so we headed to the Fire Station where we found someone already attempting to get photos. We held back and saw nothing. We were going to give up but the ferry was just pulling out so we had another wander round for nothing! Spotting Postie in the Fire Station we headed down to pester him. He'd seen nothing but as soon as a bird called I picked it up at the back of the field!!

We got good views of this one when it sprung out of the Iris bed with wings spread before scuttling back in. More calling and skulking about, by the bird and not us, with me being the only one keeping track. All of a sudden two birds took flight and flew straight in front of us - nobody got a shot of that!! The calling bird started to head towards where the two birds had landed so we hoped the two birds would fly back across - sure enough we got them again!

Now that's what I call a day off!!!