Blacktoft Sands - Monday 27th May 2013

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With the wonderful weather predicted Mrs Y, Noddle & I decided to get up early & take a trip down to Blacktoft Sands RSPB reserve.

Highlights of the day included glimpses of Bearded Tits plus Marsh Harriers passing food from male to female in mid-air. Also a brave Marsh Harrier was attacked by a colony of 100+ Black-headed Gulls as it looked for young gull chick for lunch.

Today's sighting included - Bearded Tit, Marsh Harrier, Little Gull, Shoveler, Shelduck, Pochard, Avocet, Little Grebe, Grey Heron, Coot, Tufted Duck, Tree Sparrow, Sedge Warbler, Reed Bunting & Cormorant.

Isle of Mull - Day 8 - Friday 17th May 2013

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The sun was shining so a walk around Aros Park & then a final afternoon spent on the banks of Loch Na Keal in the hope of watching raptors via Salen.

Todays's Sightings - (Aros Park) Wood Warbler, Blackcap, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Blackbird, Willow Warbler, Bullfinch & Siskin.

(Loch Na Keal) White-tailed Eagle, Golden Eagle, Buzzard, Common Sandpiper, Hooded Crow, Oystercatcher & Swallow.

Golden Eagle

Hooded Crow

(Salen) Mink, Grey Heron, Eider & Common Sandpiper.

Tobermory in the sunshine

Tobermory Harbour

View over to Calve Island

Waterfall - Aros Park

Aros Park

Waterfall - Aros Park

Loch Na Keal

Watching for raptors - Loch Na Keal

Salen

Isle of Mull - Day 7 - Thursday 16th May 2013

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We were up early & at the meeting point for our rearranged whale watching trip with Sea Life Surveys.

The rain was pouring down but this didn't put us off as we set off towards Cairns of Coll for the 7 hour trip.

The weather improved dramatically on the trip & it was one of the best trips we ever done. The crew onboard were friendly & very helpful.

Today's Sightings - Minke whale, Common Seals, Grey Seals, Harbour Porpoise, Manx Shearwater, Fulmar, Shag, Gannet, Puffin, Razorbill, Arctic Tern, Guillemot & Black Guillemot.

 Winking Common Seal

Cairns of Coll

Cairns of Coll

Crew & Passengers from the trip

Minke Whale! Picture taken by our guide Ruth - Sea Life Surveys

Isle of Mull - Day 6 - Wednesday 15th May 2013

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With the weather improving, we headed to Fionnphort for the ferry to Iona.

Today's sightings - Hen Harrier (Female), Hen Harrier (Male), White-tailed Eagle, Corncrake, Pied Wagtail, Buzzard, Common Tern, Twite, Sedge Warbler, Hooded Crow, Raven, Gannet, Black Guillemot, Great Northern Diver, Oystercatcher & two separate Otters (Loch Beg & Tobermory)

Iona

Iona

Fionnphort

Twite

Pied Wagtail

Buzzard - Hunting in the wind

Oystercatcher

Sedge Warbler

Isle of Mull - Day 5 - Tuesday 14th May 2013

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We were due to be out in the middle of the sea on a whale watching trip, however due to the weather the trip with Sea Life Surveys planned for today has been moved to Thursday.

So we decided to head down to Salen, then east along Loch Na Keal & round the north-west coastline.

Today's Sightings - Raven, Wheatear, Golden Eagle, Merlin, Great Northern Diver, Buzzard, Hooded Crow, Sand Martin, Red Deer & Cuckoo.

Loch Na Keal

Moorland - North West Mull

Calgary Bay - With Sunshine!

Cuckoo 

Wheatear

Isle of Mull - Day 4 - Monday 13th May 2013

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Today we had an appointment with White-tailed Eagles as we made our way to the Mull Eagle Watch viewpoint followed by a breathtaking drive along the west of the Island & along the south shore of Loch Na Keal.
Today's Sightings - Great Northern Diver, White-tailed Eagle, Raven, Golden Eagle, Otter (Loch Na Keal) & Buzzard.

Isle of Mull – Day 3 – Sunday 12th May 2013

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Raining again......

We took the road to Calgary Bay in the north of the Island despite the weather.

Calgary Bay

Today's Sightings - Great Northern Diver (Summer plumage), Stonechat, Whimbrel, Hen Harrier (male) & Otter again in Tobermory Harbour.

Isle of Mull - Day 2 - Sat 11th May 2013

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Today we finally set foot on Mull & surprise surprise it is raining.

Goodbye Oban

Tobermory

Today's sightings - Black Guillemot (Oban Harbour), Eider, & the local otter in Tobermory Harbour.

View from our apartment

Isle of Mull - Day 1 - Friday 10th May 2013

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Rain, rain & more rain as we drive up to Oban to stay overnight in a B & B near Benderloch.

Today's sightings - House Martin, Swift, Osprey (sitting in a tree), Hooded Crow, Oystercatcher, House Sparrow & Siskin.

To escape the rain, we popped into the Ferryman's of Connel for a bite to eat & a drink or two.

The view from the Ferryman's of Connel - Rain!

Dawn Chorus Walk & Trip to East Chevington (Sat 4th May 2013)

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The alarm went off at 4.30am this morning as Mrs Y & I headed out to a Dawn Chorus walk & breakfast at the Rising Sun Country Park.

In the afternoon, I received a call from Noddle to see if I wanted to go for the PURPLE HERON which had turned up at EAST CHEVINGTON.

A quick drive up & we joined a group of other birders watching the bird on the South Pool.
A good view through the scope of the bird & a Grey Heron kindly stood next to it in the reeds to give us a great comparison of both species.

A quick visit to Cresswell gave us great views of Yellow Wagtail (infield north of the causeway), Long-tailed Duck & a pair of Avocets on the water.

Hamsterley Forest (Mon 6th May 2013)

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Mrs Y, Noddle & I take advantage of the great weather & head down to HAMSTERLEY FOREST.

Rising Sun Country Park (Thurs 2nd May 2013)

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Noddle & I had a quick evening visit to the Rising Sun Country Park. Not a lot around, but a few of the summer migrants could be seen. A couple of Willow Warblers were singing along the wagonway & a few Swallows could be seen chasing each other over the farm.