A Surprise Viewing

Friday May 13 

Pam remembered to check the Emperor Moth eggs. They've hatched. A quick food plant check. Sallow. The Willow species widely used as hedging. Pam immediately provided some and, from the speed in which they converged on the leaves and started eating, they were very hungry.

Despite a kind message from Sue saying that the skua passage at Aird an Runair was happening, we continued our journey south to Benbecula. Yes, in search of that elusive Garganey again - we should have gone to Cley when they were first in. Nearing the pull-off at the east end of Loch Fada, we saw two cars already present, their occupants taking up the remaining space with scopes on tripods. Immediately, the birders moved, and so did one of the cars. Lovely, just how things should be. We had plenty of room to view the loch - and a female Red-necked Phalarope. The female is the highly coloured bird, as the male incubates the eggs. As usual here, rather distant for such a small bird. She bathed and preened constantly for the first ten minutes, before steaming off into the reedy bank, preening some more, tucked her head under her wing, and fell fast asleep. She must have been fresh in.



There were no birds at all on a wind lashed Loch Bi, let alone a Scaup. 

We returned via Benbecula, passing the airfield, where a Loganair aircraft, an ATR72, was waiting for take-off, en route to Stornoway. Who can resist. Not us.

 


We drove back to North Uist and Aird an Runair. The barbed wire fence around the campsite field had a 'singing' Corn Bunting.

 


The front row of the car park at Aird was full. We parked higher up the machair. Soon after I'd settled with my scope poised. a wind-swept Sue and Ian appeared from the rocky headland used to enable birders to get nearer to the birds. They were very happy, having seen over a hundred Long-tailed Skuas and a few less Pomarine, During our time there, we saw a few Pomarine Skuas, Arctic Terns, Gannets, Eiders - and an upper teens flight of Long-tailed Skuas. 

There are several lochs viewable from  the lane back to the main road from Balranald. One of them was rumoured to have a Ruff. Pam pulled in onto the grassy verge and found a male Garganey. At last. 

Apart from two Stonechats, we saw nothing on Committee Road - until shortly before we left. Two large lenses stuck out of a car window alerted us to a Short-eared Owl hunting the hillside. There was another passing place for us to use, in the ever decreasing light. Not the best photos of a flying Shortie, but they're mine.




 

Cuddles Update

Fiona has discovered why the Muscovy duck was constantly escaping. The woodpile had a down filled nest in which she had layed nine eggs. There was no chance of them hatching, as the only male duck is an Indian Runner. Once the eggs were taken away, she  remained in the pen. Simples.


 

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

North Uist Day 1

Image
 Sunday May 1 What a lovely day. Despite a late start - lunchtime - we were successful with birds seen, the sun shone, and we loved being back. We needed a leisurely morning after a hard week rushing around and yesterday's ferry journey.  Our first stop was Baleshare, a mere two miles down the road. It's a pretty flat, tidal and low lying island which is now connected to the rest of North Uist by a causeway.  The causeway was built in 1962 and it made a huge difference to the island's mainly farming community, with fifty or so now resident on Baleshare. The main reason for singling out this small island, is that it has magnificent beaches on its western side.   One is unlikely to see many others on the beach, as it is not on the tourist's normal route. It is on ours, as we have seen some good birds out here in the past. The parking  is a flattish area of shingle. Pam located the sought birds, and we drove the car further for a better view. One of...
Read more

The Black Isle

Image
 Monday April 25 I changed beds last night. The previous brass bedstead was so high that I needed a trampoline to get in. The new one is still a good height, and comfortable, so that's sorted. Dictated by the weather, we decided to visit the Black Isle. En route, we pulled into the layby at Dulnain Bridge from which to view the river. No Dipper to-day but Pam found a bedraggled Grey Wagtail huddled on a flat rock. Carrbridge holds a special place in our hearts, we stayed there in a chalet for over twenty years. A very short detour took us to THE bridge over the river from which we often see some good birds. As we turned round, a piper in full regalia climbed onto the ruins of the bridge and began to play. Awesome. In such a fantastic setting too. Pam is always very moved by bagpipes, she loves them. I joke that it's because she's tone deaf - although I'm fond of them too. A fellow teacher piped me on board the paddle steamer on which we celebrated my retirement.     ...
Read more

Over the Sea to Skye

Image
Friday April 29   Not a long journey to-day, the leaving of a rented house is always a chore though. I still resent having to strip beds and, sometimes, vacuum, before leaving. Surely that should be part of the service provided for the eye-watering rental price. Pam is very good about it. We failed to locate both the toaster and the rubbish bins whilst we were here. The indoor bins were left unemptied. We did without the toast. A beautiful, warm, and sunny morning on which to see the Highlands and the scenic roads to Skye. The thermometer showed 16C at one time. We made good time to the Skye road bridge, despite a lengthy part of the A road being single track with passing places. My first trip to the island was a very long time ago, in a minibus full of schoolkids and camping gear, for a wet week on a beach in the Cuillins. The first time that I saw Highland cattle eating seaweed on the beach. To-day we followed an easterly route, stopping at a Co-op parking area, which overlo...
Read more