back from the mainland

...yes, i'm back and although Cuckoos have been reported in southern england here scientists gather, hosted by SNH to chat and discuss Greenland Whitefronted Geese. There numbers are dropping despite plenty of conservation. have a couple of places available on next month's goosefest - welcome.

here's my report for islayinfo.com


I have been on the mainland and travelled slowly through it. I was on a bicycle and on such one does have th elxury to notice things and be inthe picture so much more than remotely from a car. I travelled by ferry too.

What did I notice as I crossed argyll? well it was wet, but that did not matter, I had decent clothing and was warm. i was in the nature and moving with it.

it is but a wild place, this in which we live, few houses, small roads sitting atop the bog and rock. And I noticed, as I climbed plenty of wee birds, Blue and Coal tits, a tree creeper and the odd Sparrowhawk too. And then out on the hill a buzzard lazily glided up a glen as i pulled my way up! The further in i got the less the birds appeared. Thick and dense this forest seemed impenetrable and so I rode along the narrow roads with passing places allowing odd vehicles to head in opposite directions. Reaching a lochen a couple of Teal swam around gently and a Grey Heron looked at me suspiciously.

I made my way aware of my slow intrusion and pedalled up the brae. The water ran down in rivulets a mixture of road dirt and earth from the grassy edges.

The future spread ahead of me as the view sprang to my eyes, emerging as I topped the small road that broke the horizon. The county stretched before me and I was feeling every moment, wet, bump, smell and sound.

It did not stop till I had reached my destination.

Eider Ducks greeted me from the Clyde river, cooing and wooing as I entered my digs.
i had time to reflect on the day and the week as I stood under the hot hot shower and my clothes were being washed beneath my feet too. The day flowed down the drain with its accumulated dirt but the memories lived on and I was please with what I had been part of.

That night I lay in bed the window ajar and the sound of Oystercatchers called my sleep quickly - like all days in nature it was drawn to a close and within I still held those experiences tight.