Sea-watching

 Friday May 6

The Houdini duck is called Cuddles. Heather paid us a visit this morning, bringing clean towels. When the duck sees Heather, it high-tails it back towards its pen.  All very entertaining. 

The wind was due to turn to a North Westerly this afternoon, conducive to bringing migrating skuas closer inshore at Aird an Runair, a headland a few miles north of here. That was our destination. We have seen dozens of Whimbrel this week, all very distant. To-day, Pam noticed a single bird roadside. Although it moved gently away, there was a good photographic opportunity.

 


Passing the Balranald campsite, we called in to the Cabin, a small wooden hut which serves food and drink to passers by. Anne, the owner is a hive of information about the area. Pam asked her about farming the machair, we'd seen a tractor pulling a large roller over a tilled section yesterday. All planting has to be completed by May 15th. First ploughed, then planted and finally, rolled. The planting is a mixture of oats, barley and rye, any two or three of these, as they require different weather conditions.  One of the seeds is bound to thrive whatever the weather, so they get a crop.

We must have spent a couple of hours sea watching at Aird an Runair. It's a magnificent sandy bay with scenic rocky outcrops where the sea splashes high. Not much activity, the promised wind change either didn't happen, or was ineffective. The best was a White-billed Diver, its up-turned pale and hefty beak a dead giveaway. That makes up for missing one in the Highlands. It had been reported on the WhatsApp group earlier today, until I scoped it, I'd forgotten that. A Great Northern Diver was also about. Ringed Plover, Sanderling and Dunlin on the beach, Eiders loafing on the rocks, occasional Gannets passing by and a few Little Terns. Pam caught a glimpse of a skua, but not well enough to identify. Probably Pomarine. That and Long-tailed are the most frequent here in the Spring. 

News of Garganey on Coot Loch , and now on Loch nam Feithean too is becoming very frustrating. Pam suggested that we give it another go. Balivanich is 40 minutes away from Runair. Well, we gave it a thoroughly good go - and failed again. Shortly before reaching the main A875, a Short-eared Owl appeared a field away. As I picked up my camera, another rose from the grass and chased it away, very rapidly, before I got a shot in. One of them returned,flying steadfastly away from us. This is the best I managed.

 


Back to rest for the evening, watching Heather and Ian's daughter Fiona plus dog, chase away a herd of Red Deer which was  eating their sheep's grass.

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