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Wind, rain, cannabis and a Harlequin Duck. (1 Viewer)

Sunday night my girlfriend Sarah and myself set off from Manchester at 7pm heading north for Lewis.

We arrived at Aviemore at about 1am pulled into a layby and slept. Woke at 6am and drove a short way to Loch an Eilein. Despite being dry and bright, the wind was horrendous and we couldn't hear anything at all. During a brief lull in the wind we managed a fly-over Siskin, 2-3 Coal Tits and a Sparrowhawk.

We decided to walk right around the Loch as it might be sheltered across the far side: wishful thinking that was! If anything it was worse, so we decided to sack it off and walk back.

Nearing the car park the wind paused very briefly and this time Bingo! 2 Crested Tit were calling just by the path. They took ages to find, but eventually we got reasonable views, one actually quite low down in the bracken undergrowth.

Next stop Aviemore for bacon rolls - well it can't all be wind and birds! Also a quick trip to an outdoor shop as Sarah wanted some new sunglasses (how little did she know what was in store!)

Long drive on never ending roads up to west coast next and to a site for White Tailed Eagle. Some pretty awesome scenery as well along the way and 2 Red Kite that I saw but Sarah was asleep - gripped off!

Rain, rain, rain, rain, rain. Couldn't even see the sea which was about 30 metres from the layby we were parked in. Eventually it stopped after 30 mins solid and we slowly picked out a few Black Guillemots and a couple of Great Northern Diver including one stunner that was pretty close to full breeding plumage.

Rain, rain, rain, rain, rain again! We were not hopeful. Eventually it stopped and the sun actually came out WOW! A Buzzard was a fun thing to string as an eagle for a few minutes, but then I found it; just lazily flapping low over the sea on massive surfboard wings with a few gulls in tow a huge juvenile White Tailed Eagle. Didn't feel all that bad about getting wet now.

Couldn't find the female-type Surf Scoter and as the rain started yet again we decided to drive to Ullapool.

Paid for the ferry and then we checked the gulls. BANG straight away the first bird - a cracking Iceland Gull. Lots of Black Guillemot in the harbour and some really close Eider.

After a pint in the pub we boarded the ferry. I was starving and had a cheeseburger - BIG MISTAKE! Remember this equation for future use:

Pint+Cheeseburger+UllapoolStornoway ferry = visit to toilet!

Bad, bad journey. All I will say is that the toilets were packed solid!

Arrived 8.30pm and drove straight up to Griais (pron. Gress) where the Harlequin was. We slept in the car just metres from the river where I imagined it was sleeping, but I refrained from shining full beam onto the water to see if I could tick it!

The car rocked from side to side all night long from the gale force wind and heavy rain. Not a comfortable nights sleep!

Woke up about 6.30am, but it was still dark from the thick rain clouds. How I wished I'd booked a B+B!

Damp, confused and very irritated I got out and scanned the water; HOLY S*** there it was with 2 Red Breasted Merganser and it was really close to us as well. I dived for the camcorder, but as I dived it dived and emerged much further away. I did manage one apalling image through my binoculars handheld - not to be posted!

We watched this tiny little thing for about 20 minutes and even though I could have done, I decided not to stalk it as it seemed so happy just diving and basically having a bit of a laugh.

It then just got up and flew toward the sea with the two Mergansers at about 7.15 ish.

I then realised that I was completely soaked and worst of all I'd left the car boot open!

Food and hot drinks were now essential if I was going to manage to survive a morning sifting through gulls in the harbour at Stornoway. A full English (well I suppose Scottish) and loads of tea later and I was ready for them damn gulls.

No break in the rain, but we were now beyond caring. Gulls, gulls, gulls. Soon picked up 2 white wings - both 1st winter Iceland, but one was pretty mucky and I had a brief temptation to call it as a Kumlien's, but no matter how hard we tried to convince to convince ourselves, it was just an Iceland. The gulls were really easy to approach at rest on the pier, and we had some stunning views. We totalled up at 1 adult and 2 first winter Icelands, but no sign of American Herrings or any Kumlien's.

Next thing had to be to find a proper place to sleep and, more essentially, dry out! Every B+B was booked up even to the surprise of the owners, so we decided on a hostel. We found a cheap one that had a double room for a bargain £8! So we went there straight away. A young rather vacant girl let us in & took us to our room. Nice, clean and quite newly decorated.

Then she showed us the rest of the place. It was basically a drop-out doss house for disillusioned young mainlanders. Amazing. If I'd have been 18 I would never have left. The "smoking-lounge" was mainly used for smoking a popular, but nontheless illegal, plant type and it was a highly amusing experience, especially when someone asked us what we were doing up on Lewis!

Dry at last! So what did we do? Back to Griais for the Harlequin again and more rain.

There he was again, now teamed up with 2 Mallard but still having a laugh. We left about 4pm after getting some reasonable video.

Back to Stornoway harbour and the evening roost on the piers. Adult Iceland, 2 first winters and a near definite 1w Kumlien's - really dirty, with a nearly all dark bill, thick heavy barring on undertail coverts, darker edges to primary tips, messy brownish patterning on the tertials and a dark eye mask.

Also one really odd bird that took me a while to work out - but a combination of structural features led me to conclude it was a small, probably female Glaucous in a very faded 1w plumage. But still no American Herrings.

Pub then bed.

Left the hostel early and drove back up to Griais for one last look at the Harlequin. Great bird - murder to try and film!

Rain had stopped today, but the wind was if anything worse. Back to Stornoway Harbour for one last go at an American Herring. 2 Iceland really close and a strange Herring that was in 1w plumage, but had a near-fully developed yellow adult bill - damn gulls!

Finally thought I'd got one: a really dark, bulky, mean looking thing with a very dark tail and rump, solid dark tertials with only thin fringing, two toned pink and black bill and very flat crown. It also had a strange S-shape to its front that I've noticed in photos before.

I'm pretty sure this was a 1w American Herring, but as it lacked the pale head I really would have liked to see, I'm afraid it's only in my notebook as a probable - all be it very probable.

Ferry left at 1.45pm and thankfully it wasn't quite as rough, although I did notice many green passengers.

Straight off the ferry and straight home arriving back in Manchester at 1.05am this morning.

I'm knackered!
 
Hi Tom,
Such disgusting use of illegal narcotics!I hope you didn't inhale...?;)
Any chance of you sending shots of that possible smiths to me by PM?Would be interested in seeing them.
Well done on the Harlequin,btw!Still waiting for our first record here: Donegal seems the best bet.
Harry
P.S.I had great views of an adult White-tailed Eagle from the train yesterday,pity it was in an enclosure on Fota Island!
 
Erne for Eire?

Harry Hussey said:
.........P.S.I had great views of an adult White-tailed Eagle from the train yesterday,pity it was in an enclosure on Fota Island!
Hi Harry,
Is there a re-introduction programme for Sea Eagle in Ireland?
Regards,
Steve
 
Hi Steve,
Steve G said:
Hi Harry,
Is there a re-introduction programme for Sea Eagle in Ireland?
Regards,
Steve
There WAS,and it was originally intended to use the birds at Fota for captive breeding purposes.A pair was released on Inishvickillane island,Co.Kerry,but one died and the other left the area.Of course,with the island belonging to former Taoiseach(our Prime Minister) Charles Haughey,perhaps this was a publicity stunt?Surely they were aware that lots of birds had to be released in Rhum before any breeding took place?
The pair in Fota failed to breed,and I think that one bird was replaced,but breeding still hasn't occurred.With the Golden Eagle reintoduction scheme now in full swing,any reintroduction of White-taileds will have to wait,but there may well be a full scale programme some day(also talk of Red Kite,if it hasn't already recolonised naturally by that stage).
Harry
 
I suppose I should make it clear that I didn't partake in the activities in the "smoking room."

My gull tallies would have been much more impressive if I had!
 
Fascinating read, Tom but what a lot of effort for a "common and garden" bird like a Harlequin ;-) (I won't mention the 800 km round trip I did in November to see a Stock Dove!).

Interesting that you saw Harlequins with Mallards. I saw two drakes last spring with two drake Mallards on a river on the outskirts of Reykjavík. The Mallards were diving for food whilst the Harlequins sat and looked on. It was if they had just given a master class themselves and were then watching how the Mallards performed.

E
 
Great report, though too jealous of the Charlie to say much else! Wife won`t let me go for it - will have to devise some devious plan to get away for a weekend!
 
Yes, a very well done narrative, Tom. Very personable, thanks. Took me a full day January 1st to find my Harlequin for the year-- we usually have plenty, but for some reason sparse this winter.
 
Jasonbirder said:
Great report, though too jealous of the Charlie to say much else! Wife won`t let me go for it - will have to devise some devious plan to get away for a weekend!
I'm sure Tom said it was cannabis and not Charlie.....;)
 
[Quote:tommckinney]

.... Paid for the ferry and then we checked the gulls. BANG straight away the first bird - a cracking Iceland Gull. Lots of Black Guillemot in the harbour and some really close Eider.....

I'm knackered!


Dear knackered,

You mean you SHOT an Iceland Gull? Bit unsporting - what?

Touche, Pussey Cat!
 
You really deserved your 'cracking' birds after enduring the terrible conditions. I hope the memory stays bright and clear after you have forgotten the rain and wind.
 
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