What a luxury. A walk in shower after a good night in a comfortable bed. Shame, the breakfast could have been better. The ingredients were lovely, their own hens' eggs, unsmoked bacon, mushroom and tomato. Someone needs to tell Deb about using kitchen paper to mop up the grease.
Two other couples at breakfast were also birders, one french man asking Chris about seeing the Black Duck. The answer was that he knew one man who had been looking for three years in a row......
As Pam went to fetch the car, a Cuckoo flew across the garden and away, not seen again. That's birding.
We weren't in a hurry to leave as the cottage on Mull is not available until after 4 p.m. We tried both bridges and the Kilcamb Paddock road to the river mouth. Mallard, Goosander, and a few gulls. A lone Grey Heron stood silently eying the water for breakfast, its backdrop a greater draw. It's lovely here
No raptors on the drive to Lochaline for the ferry across the Sound of Mull. Sunshine always enhances the stunning scenery. And its fun looking......
The big ferry was in operation to-day so we could not see anything on the trip across. Just hear the churning water beneath the 360 degree propellers enabling the carrier to turn on a sixpence.
After a call at the Craignure shop to buy my Saturday DT, for the Cryptic Crossword mainly, we got the last one, off to Grass Point. Swallows and a singing Tree Pipit on the winding, climbing, descending, lane down to Grass Point shore. The Pipit posed on a wire until I picked up my camera.
This Mistle Thrush alerted me by uttering its churring alarm call in flight onto a post. A nearby nest?
Only enough space for four cars to park at the end - it was full. We loitered in the turning area hoping one would leave, enjoying a flitting male Stonechat. Lovely.
No-one did leave and, apart from a male Wheatear, there were no birds to keep us. The hillside Bluebell carpet amongst the emerging bracken ammonites on sticks, scattered with ancient lichen encrusted birch trees and mossy rocks, proved a challenge.
North of Craignure, Pam noticed a raptor flying over the road. A Golden Eagle led us a merry dance, dipping out of sight behind a ridge, re-appearing soaring into the sky before turning back to repeat the hide and seek.
A short rest at Garmony watching one of the ever increasing flocks of Canada geese washing in a freshwater pool whilst the Caledonian McBrayne ferry to Lewis sailed slowly up the Sound.
At Salen, we took the moorland road to Dervaig. Very little traffic on this narrow single track road to-day. And much of it has been re-surfaced with a thick layer of gleaming black tarmac - except for where the cows have plastered it.
Ever vigilant Pam called out her joy. A superb adult male Hen Harrier sped along the stream bank below. So pale that first thoughts - very transient - were that it was a gull. We watched it for several minutes, never able to take a photograph. Well I did take three, none of which are fit to be seen.
After a scan of Dervaig's Loch Cuin, more Red-breasted Mergansers, we checked on the White-tailed Eagle nest. Consternation. It looks as though there isn't one. Only a thin row of conifers left and no sign of a nest. Must ask.
Nearly 4 p.m. and time to see our cottage for the week. Over a cattle grid along the Croig road. First impressions wer good. Lovely situation with tree and shrub sheltered gardens around (the moth trap is out already) and lambs playing daft games outside. Inside is as comfortable and well decorated as it looked on the web pages. We have a bathroom each ! No sea view from indoors but mountains and trees. A fruit cage in the garden and rhubarb growing, Ian. We look forward to exploring.
This Mistle Thrush alerted me by uttering its churring alarm call in flight onto a post. A nearby nest?
Only enough space for four cars to park at the end - it was full. We loitered in the turning area hoping one would leave, enjoying a flitting male Stonechat. Lovely.
No-one did leave and, apart from a male Wheatear, there were no birds to keep us. The hillside Bluebell carpet amongst the emerging bracken ammonites on sticks, scattered with ancient lichen encrusted birch trees and mossy rocks, proved a challenge.
North of Craignure, Pam noticed a raptor flying over the road. A Golden Eagle led us a merry dance, dipping out of sight behind a ridge, re-appearing soaring into the sky before turning back to repeat the hide and seek.
A short rest at Garmony watching one of the ever increasing flocks of Canada geese washing in a freshwater pool whilst the Caledonian McBrayne ferry to Lewis sailed slowly up the Sound.
At Salen, we took the moorland road to Dervaig. Very little traffic on this narrow single track road to-day. And much of it has been re-surfaced with a thick layer of gleaming black tarmac - except for where the cows have plastered it.
Ever vigilant Pam called out her joy. A superb adult male Hen Harrier sped along the stream bank below. So pale that first thoughts - very transient - were that it was a gull. We watched it for several minutes, never able to take a photograph. Well I did take three, none of which are fit to be seen.
After a scan of Dervaig's Loch Cuin, more Red-breasted Mergansers, we checked on the White-tailed Eagle nest. Consternation. It looks as though there isn't one. Only a thin row of conifers left and no sign of a nest. Must ask.
Nearly 4 p.m. and time to see our cottage for the week. Over a cattle grid along the Croig road. First impressions wer good. Lovely situation with tree and shrub sheltered gardens around (the moth trap is out already) and lambs playing daft games outside. Inside is as comfortable and well decorated as it looked on the web pages. We have a bathroom each ! No sea view from indoors but mountains and trees. A fruit cage in the garden and rhubarb growing, Ian. We look forward to exploring.
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