Saturday 7 May 2011

It's not always easy but it's always good.

Thursday started off in the rain - it didn't look promising but you can't let that stop you! Another tale of going to pick up the last of the guests and we pick up a few things along the way - GN Diver, Common Seal...
...and an Otter!
With all of the guests on board and the weather not looking too good we headed off to see if the WT Eagle was visible. Lucky for us it was but with only the bird on the nest visible we took off pretty quickly to view a Golden Eagle nest as it might be our only chance to see one. With the nest visible through the scope everyone got a view of the Goldie keeping an eye out for any passing danger. We managed to pick up another Otter as we drove along the loch side which got the last of the guests onto a even footing with everyone else. The Grey Herons were encouraged to forage away from the shore for a change.
Five freshly arrived Golden Plover were a nice surprise.
Kestrel, Raven, Common Buzzard and Whinchat were all well received. 
Despite the cool, damp, conditions an Adder was still located sheltering in the grass...
...and we found some Mountain Everlasting in flower too.
The surprise sightings continued in the afternoon with a brief view of a Peregrine and a cracking Merlin that flew through a flock of Sand Martins that were hawking over a loch. A good showing of Dunlin and Ringed Plover along with a few Snipe that were displaying and a couple of Mountain Hare.
Friday was still a bit overcast but it looked good to clear. We had a bit of a slow start to the day with the Mountain Hares difficult to find but we got them in the end. The Whimbrel seemed flighty today as a flock of ten headed away from us. We kick started the day with a male Hen Harrier just as the sun broke through and that improved things no end. The Adder was in full view for the first time in a long time...
...a Slow Worm slithered it's way past us as we had lunch...
...and two Golden Eagles put on a great display too. The Red Deer have been spending a lot of their time in the woods to keep cool but now the temperature has dropped out they come again.
A sleeping Otter was sprawled out full length on the seaweed showing how ginger their fur looks in good light when they are dry. A Raven showed well as it collect food to take back to the family...
...and the WT Eagles were both present at the nest and just to top things off nicely one of the birds took flight.

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