Golden Eagles

A cracking morning birding, Chough, Raven, Greenfinch, Skylarks and Mipits. We then spent a considerable amount of time watching a pair of Eagles above Ben Tart a Mhill on the southern Rhinns. the sun shone and sky cleared.

Tomorrow I am off into the hills agin guiding, wilderness living and exploring with folks from Kent till Sunday....more news then.

Dawn and Day

An early start this morning with Corncrakes at Gruinart, Rooks and Jackdaws and we watched a Willow Warbler in and out of a nest for half an hour. Really wonderful to see. A Grey Heron stalked frogs in one of the ditches and Arctic Terns were along the strand. Certainly more than yesterday. Later we had a family bushcraft day - based at Carnain beach and accompanied by even more Terns, Oystercatchers and Shelduck . We watched a two parents with 10 young heading out the merse. Ringed Plover, Swans and Eider on the sea. The rain started to fall and is still doing so - even through Young Adventurers and now the 'flying teeth' AKA midges are having a ball!

Hen Harrier heaven!

We headed around the Rhinns and up to the hinterland too. Thrushes, Auks, Seals and Chats. We waited for eagles but no show - however we had five Harriers - four males one hen all in different locations. Superb - and the last one was yards from the landy. We all stood in awe watching it hawk. It was so very clear and close, binoculars became superflouous!

Setting sun at the end of a long wilderness week

We went and returned - the whole week living in caves, watching sun sets and amazing ourslves at the wildness of Islay. In the north of this magical place lies even more. Following the transhumance route the Cuiart Breac expedition found everything form Miwort and Orchids to Green Hairsteaks and emerging Marsh Fritillaries to seabirds and terns and a single male Hen Harrier. Common Sandpipers were busy on the high wee lochens and we feasted on Limpets, Pignut and Wild Goat. Marvellous. The folks did their John Muir Awards and managed to get completely intot he swing fishing and nature watching - even if the Red Deer were recipricating the watching at times! Whlist I was leading this trip with Roger from Bison Bushcraft, Stuart was taking folks out on walking Safaris watching Golden Eagles on the Rhinns - so we had it all ways...

I know...we are SO lucky!

Friday's Birds Saturday

I am writing this a day late - sorry! On Friday we had a great time around Loch Indaal and
down to Claddach. Arctic Terns, Plovers, Eider, Megansers and Gannets too. A Hen Harrier
and Merlin and Buzzard too. Greta Northern Divers were cracking in fuull summer plumage. Two Barnacles and Whitefronts as well. Today we headed northwards to Askaig for the afternoon. At the Merse the Carnain Swans with their cygnets still were around and there were huge numbered of Shelduck again. More Buzzards, Razorbills and other Auks too. Sedge, Willow and a Wood Warbler was a good find.

Wood Sandpiper Hen Harriers

A morning tour started with Shelduck at the Merse, Terns at Ionad Challium Chille Ile and the Carnian Swans with seven cygnets. From Eresaid we spotted a male Hen Harrier and a female in the heather doing what they do at this time of year - it is spring after all! In the distance, a Golden Eagle. In the afternoon, having seen a Wood sandpiper on a pool behind Bruichladdich, we took Ron and Manuela, of http://www.islayinfo.com/ fame, out for a Bushcraft Sausage Sizzle up beyond Killinallan. It was such a perfect day and Campbell's sausages were delicious, cooked over and open fire on the beach. Brilliant. Mark Hancox, photographer, phoned to say that there was now a male and female Garganey at the RSPB wetlands on Gruinart. Thanks.

Marsh Harrier

Out again with Mark Hancox photographing Gannets at Frenchman's Rocks. The light was superb and opportunities wonderful. However, even more interesting was a female Marsh Harrier passing over us and heading out to sea! That and Manx Shearwaters, Puffins, Guillemots, Razorbill and a Peregrine kept us busy all day!