17th – 24th October 2009: Isle of Mull: Garden Cottage, Gruline Estate
24th – 30th October Strontian: Seaview Grazings
We drove up on Friday after work, having booked into a Welcome Inn at Abington for that night. Continuing our journey north on Saturday, we had lots of time to drive up Glen Etive then back, and into Fort William to do a shop. Our lovely cottage on the Gruline Estate was ready for us and renewed our acquaintance with it! Bob filled up the log basket in the lounge from the wood shed at the top of the garden.
Sunday 18th
As we approached the bridge on the road to Knock we saw a female and juvenile fallow deer in the wood at the side of the road. Red-breasted mergansers were on Loch na Keal, also cormorants with lots of meadow pipits on the grass between the road and the loch.
At Salen we turned right and drove to Grasspoint. In the oak woods were hundreds of redwing with fieldfare (we were to see these birds constantly all week). They were very flighty – constantly flying up from the trees at the side of the road. We were almost at the point when I spotted a hen harrier flying low over the rushy ground. She was a beauty and we watched her on and off for half an hour. We parked at the end but there was nothing much at the point – greylag geese and gulls. On the way back we had robin, house sparrow, long-tailed tits, chaffinch. Saw the hen harrier again as we drove past the big meadow. On the pond near the bridge were teal, mallard, little grebe and herons everywhere. A pair of bullfinch flew up from the road in front of us and we saw a stonechat on the wall. Again, redwing and fieldfare but this time we had better views as they fed on berries in a tree some way from the road. Red deer hinds and stags in a field – maybe they’d come down to the fields as stalking was taking place on the high ground. There were many blackbirds – wondered if they’d come in with the thrushes. Lots of hooded crows about. A buzzard on every other telegraph pole! Well, almost!
On the way back, not far from Salen, I looked up from texting as Bob braked hard – there in front of me was a ‘cow’. Well, that’s what it looked like. It was a huge red deer and there was one behind us too. Bob only just missed hitting the one in front . Phew, very close to having a hire car for the rest of the holiday!
At the lay-by near the boat wrecks (which seem to be looking less and less photogenic as time goes by) we had an otter briefly out in the water. Bob spotted a white-tailed eagle over the hill in the distance. 8 goldcrest in a big tree in the garden of the cottage when we returned.
Monday 19th
It was a beautiful morning so we drove to Loch na Keal where the meadow pipits and mergansers were showing well. Two redshank were patrolling the edge of the water. In the water at the side of the road which goes to Berg was a single greenshank. Greylag geese were paddling about in the water.
By 1.00 it was raining heavily so we drove to Carsaig. Had hoped to see a hen harrier but I think it was too wet. A common seal poked its head out of the water near the jetty, pretending to be an otter.
As we drove we scanned the water constantly. Near Bunessan we stopped to look at a ‘cormorant’ in the water but when we scoped it we saw it was a black throated diver in winter plumage.
We drove back to Gruline through Glen More – still raining heavily and no raptors showed.
I’d been trying to get a copy of Alan Spellman’s little book ‘Isle of Mull Bird Report & Species List 2009’ but the three places I tried had either sold out or didn’t keep it so I phoned to see if I could call at his house for a copy. He was coming towards Gruline later that evening so arranged to meet us there. While we were waiting for him Bob was checking movements of bats with his detector and he picked up pipistrelle and noctule, which we thought was interesting. Saw four fallow deer crossing the road or by the side of the road on our way back to Gruline from Salen.
Tuesday 20th
A fine day. Drove up the Ulva ferry side of Loch na Keal. There was no sign
of WTE on the sandbanks out in the loch. Called at the Red Cross bookshop near the hospital in Salen but the two books I wanted weren’t on the shelves. We met the owner of our cottage in there and chatted for a while. Then onto the main road for Grasspoint again. This time we saw a WTE soaring from over the trees on our right to those on our left and disappearing in the direction of the coast. It seemed to come down by the sea but when we got to the end of the road there was no sign of it. We stayed there a while, enjoying the sunshine – fieldfare & redwing surrounding us again.
As we approached the end of Glen More a golden eagle came over the mountain. We lost if then found it again but then vanished over the crest of the hill. A dead seal was on the shingle by the side of the water near Dieseg. No WTEs on the sandbanks or the rocks.
Wednesday 21st
It was a lovely morning and after a quick breakfast we left to join the RSPB Eagle Watch. A new bird for the week was a wigeon at Aros. We turned off the main road onto the forestry road and drove up the track for a while and waited as other cars joined us. Then we drove in convoy behind Debby, the RSPB lady, to another parking area much further up the track and looking down onto Loch Frisa. Two birds were picked up in the scope high up in the bracken on the opposite hillside. These were the female (Skye?) and juvenile, Heather. As we watched these two avidly, a golden eagle and two ravens flew over us.
After half an hour or so we drove in convoy again back to the hide, where Debby set up the scope on a larch tree at the edge of the forest where Frisa was sitting, looking like the master of all he surveyed. I bought some postcards and a fridge magnet with Frisa on (later I stuck it on the fridge in the cottage so I wouldn’t lose it but I forget it when we left and it’s still there, so I’ve left a note and money with a sae for Debby at the information centre in Craignure asking her to send me another couple – not heard from her yet though. I expect she’s better things to do than pander to an elderly woman who forgets things!)
After all this excitement we drove north and had our picnic on a seat overlooking Dervaig. We didn’t walk to look at the standing stones this time – I don’t expect they’ll have changed since we saw them last!! We returned via the Ulva Ferry road. No new birds on Loch na Keal.
Thursday 22nd
Loch na Keal – Grasspoint – Loch Bui – Glen More.
First we looked for otters off the main road near the cemetery – pulled off the track to scan. We’d seen tour buses here in the past so thought we might be lucky – but not today.
The beautiful ringtail harrier was hunting again on the way to Grasspoint. Watched her for 15 minutes.
Nothing of note was seen on the road to Loch Bui. The stunning scenery was looking its best in the sunshine. In the bay we stopped to look at what we thought was a shag in the water. We were delighted to see a great northern diver in SUMMER PLUMAGE. A new bird for the day in addition to this diver was a goldfinch.
To be continued .........
(Some of the text has changed from my Word document e.g. I highlighted the names of birds but this hasn't migrated to here. How do I do that please?
When I try using the 'bold' key above it just gives me 'things' in brackets)
Sandra
I've always had the same problem with transfer from word. Your bracketed words on here should come out as bold when you make the final post Sandra. If there is a way to keep your word doc the same I hope someone mentions it. I'm looking forward to part two.
Great report Sandra - looking forward to the rest of it.
quote:
(Some of the text has changed from my Word document e.g. I highlighted the names of birds but this hasn't migrated to here. How do I do that please?
When I try using the 'bold' key above it just gives me 'things' in brackets)