Dark skies.

Tuesday started with dark skies but rather than do something useful I headed out to see what was about. First stop was for a WT Eagle that was showing well against the dark sky.

As the bird disappeared over the ridge I thought I might have a chance of another view if I drove round the corner. It didn't work but a couple of Hen Harrier plugged the gap nicely. An Oystercatcher flew onto the shore just below me and posed for the arty wave shot!

I could see brighter skies in the distance so I headed for the sun. I caught up with one of the two Lapwing that are spending the winter here...

...and a Red Deer in the shade as the sun warmed things up.

The temperature was up to 10 degrees so I had a quick look for Adders but there was, thankfully, no sign. Another WT Eagle picked up in the distance put some effort into giving me a good view...

...as it cruised past and off into the distance.

A good check of the loch was worthwhile as I picked up a couple of RT Diver, six GN Diver, three Kittiwake, twenty Razorbill, ten Guillemot and two Slavonian Grebe! That was just the first scan as I picked up an Otter and another WT Eagle on the second pass.

The cloud came back in to dull things down again but the sightings continued with another group of 7 GN Diver, plenty of Common Seal, another three separate Otters and two Woodpigeon (the first I've seen this year)! 

Some improvement.

Another three days without the internet and a lost weekend means there has been no update to the blog but you haven't missed anything! I managed to get some, slightly, better photos of the Black-throated Diver....

...and another attempt at the Red-breasted Merganser - I don't think I'll ever get a good shot of these.

The small waders eventually started to come back on Wednesday when I picked up one Ringed Plover and two Turnstone but it was another couple of days before more birds reappeared. Thursday I clocked my first Sparrowhawk and Dipper of the year plus had another sighting of one of the Iceland Gulls. No photographs of any of them so a Shag will have to do.

Friday was a decent day with distant views of Hen Harrier, Golden Eagle, two Otters and a couple of Stonechat that kept just out of camera range. Things improved in the afternoon with a cracking Otter...

...and the return of the Purple Sandpiper, a Dunlin, a couple of Lapwing and three Greenshank to swell the number of waders. Monday was a good day too as a report came in of some Bottle-nosed Dolphin just along the road - off I went. I managed to pick four of them up in the distance and they were heading away. A bit of a drive along the road and another scan produced nothing. I picked up WT Eagle, 8 Razorbill and a few Kittiwakes before I picked up the Dolphins again.

Back at base two second winter Iceland Gulls floated past the shop and landed with the Common Gulls - I managed to get one in flight but that was it.

With nothing else to distract me I had to have a go at this Grey Heron as it came past.

Seven.

The weekend was a bit of a wash out but Monday was just stunning. I've just been nibbling away at the year list but it does add a bit of interest to the sightings. I've mentioned the fact that the small birds are not visiting the feeders in the poor weather, they are coming back in now the wind has dropped but the numbers are down on what we had in December. I have only seen one Robin this year but I've had six Dunnock and not a sign of a Wren! Common birds but interesting. The year list can help with a blog title too - how many year ticks did I get today? Seven.
I was prepared for a bit of driving around but a quick check outside the shop produced a white winged gull that needed a closer inspection. It was an adult bird that was a bit distant and facing away from me so off I went for a better look. On arrival at a closer spot I was surprised to find not one but two Iceland Gulls. A superb 2nd winter bird...

...along with the adult bird - awesome.

Things got a bit confusing after that as both birds flew off and when I relocated two white winged gulls one was a young Glaucous and the other was a young Iceland Gull! Another change of location for a closer look and the Glaucous Gull had disappeared and the young Iceland had a different amount of black on the bill tip and looked darker. I couldn't get close enough to get any decent photos for a comparison and I never saw more than two birds at any one time. A pair of Goldeneye were seen in the vicinity of the gulls as were a pair of Goosander both of them boosting the list.

The last of the year ticks in the afternoon were a flock of six Rock Dove, a single Black Guillemot and a flock of about 180 Barnacle Goose. I got a superb view of a Golden Eagle on my way back home but I'd managed to move one of the dials on the camera which messed up the shots!

No such problem with the White-tailed Eagle that appeared a bit further down the road but it never came that close to me.

The year list now stands at a modest 50 which is just under a third of last years total of 164.