02/05/2010

Is it Phionnophort?


The place name is spelt differently on sign posts, maps and brochures. Which is correct? I've used the one on the signposts.
After cooked breakfast and a leisurely sort of belongings, we drove to Fidden, enjoying the views in the sunshine.
An Caolas


The first of the dozens of Wheatears seen to-day, a flock of 8 Whimbrel and a Raven catch-up for Pam (phew). Just 3 Mountain Hares lolloping the moorland, one still had a white back-end. We always drive to the end of the track the first visit of the trip, finding this new and rather splendid sign on the wall of the scruffy farm buildings where we have to turn round.

The many sheep look in good condition, the lambs quite delightful.


No Hen Harrier at Kintra this year, dozens of Wheatears though.

We love Uisken but not to-day. The small parking area at the beach was full of people preparing their canoes. We stayed long enough to enjoy the Sand Martins before leaving for Bunessan. A rather distant Cuckoo flew down from the wires just outside the village, returning with a very large caterpillar which it didn't seem to know how to tackle.



The rough track to Loch Assopol, an unnamed turning beyond Bunessan, had even more Wheatears and a small paddock containing 3 spotted, 1 black and two ginger half grown pigs. They were delightful.
Parking at the end of the allowed track, we sat for three hours scanning the ridges all round, admiring the sweeping view across the loch down to the distant sea. A superb male Hen Harrier hunted from right to left, returning an hour later, one Common Buzzard hovering for minutes on end and, at last 1 Golden Eagle patrolling a ridge over 2 miles away.
Still time to visit the nest on the old Salen Road - via an ice-cream at Pennyghael PO. Very little on the marsh there to-day. We saw another Goldie en route, rather high but I attempted a photo through the sun roof. One day I may take a good one.....

The biggish lay by where we usually park has sprouted a look out - which is reminiscent of as bus shelter - at the top of some wooden steps, labelled 'Nest Lookout'. The door was padlocked. We very quickly scoped the enormous nest from the car, one adult White-tailed Eagle sitting, showing reasonably from time to time.An hour's patience brought its reward. The sitting adult took off , soaring majestically against the blue sky, did a circle and returned to perch in the nesting tree, it's mate ghosting in to perch on a branch below. One adult - blue wing tag - flew to a nearby tree, showing well, the other returning to the nest. Excellent. Must look up the tag on the Mull Birds website, we can't tell the sexes apart.
An enjoyable drive 'home' in soft evening sunlight, past sea loch and blue tinged rocky hillsides. It's a lovely island.

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