A week on Mull (1 Viewer)

[Original PaulE]

A couple of Blog posts to start my trip report, for our break on Mull, I've got literally thousands of pics to sort through so there will be a bit of a lag on my posts!! Firstly our journey up from Sussex, fairly uneventful a few Red Kites along the M40, we dipped the Waxwings in Carlisle but managed to catch up with some in Scotland. Day 2 was rain all day, The ferry journey was quite good with some Great Northern Divers, a nice winter plumage Black Guillemot, Guillemots, Kittiwakes and some Common Gulls. We had a bit of a drive around before we lost the light, finding a Dipper near our accommodation in Dervaig! A few more pics on the Blog at the link

Journey to Mull

 

[Original PaulE]

So first full day, grey and misty but at least not much rain!! Was pretty successful with 2 Otters seen, a Ringtail Hen Harrier, Slav Grebe and several Waterfalls the highlights.

First day on Mull

On going to bed, the windows were rattling and the howling was unbelievable😲😂!! The weather was attrocious!!😂 So it was with some relief...

birdsandcake122.blogspot.com

 

[Original PaulE]

Bit rainy here at the moment, so caught up a bit with the Blog, though still a few days behind. Our second full day on Mull, found an Eagle but was miles up in the sky, another Otter showed alright, but the highlights were the Divers, with all three species you'd expect in the area seen, still trying to turn one of the many Great Northerns into a White-billed but no luck yet. An interesting sighting was a group of Seven GND feeding together, not seen this before, even though there maybe loads in an area they always seem to keep their distance from each other. These were very much together, saw them feeding for about ten minutes like this, is it normal behaviour? Lot more pics on the Blog at the link, though the light, wind and lack of skill means the standard is poor. Black-throated Diver and the Gang of seven picture below!

Day of the Divers

With an improving weather forecast, we decided that today we head down to Fionnport in the south of the island via the scenic route, taking...

birdsandcake122.blogspot.com

 

[Original PaulE]

So our adventure on Mull continues, the weather on Tuesday was a bit more favourable and the Raptors took advantage. Multiple sightings of both Eagles, a male Hen Harrier, sadly distant, numerous Buzzards, flock of Common Scoter, big group of Slav Grebes and lots of Divers the main highlights!! Pics of all the above on the blog at the link, The weather weren't so great as to make my pics look good but I done my best! There's a lot of silhouettes

Eagles at Last!!

After two and a bit days on Mull, land of the Eagles, we had seen a grand total of one Eagle, a Golden Eagle that was so high up it was nea...

birdsandcake122.blogspot.com

 

[ClarkWGriswold]

There’s a good pub in Dervaig Paul👍 Enjoying the write up as well.

Rich

 

[Original PaulE]

There’s a good pub in Dervaig Paul👍 Enjoying the write up as well.

Rich

Yes only open on Friday and Saturday and Sunday roasts for food! Not sure if it's open for drinking other times!!!

 

[Original PaulE]

Back home now, catching up on Blog posts, this one was from Wednesday, very windy and rainy, spent too much on chocolate and watched an Otter in Tobermory Harbour, Hen Harrier was blown past as we drove back to base but a day spent resting. Forecast is better for the rest of the week! Short blog post and a few pics of the Otter on the blog at the link!!

Rainy Day!

Back home in Sussex now😢, got some very hostile stares from our Sparrows, probably wondering why they ain't been fed for a week!! So after...

birdsandcake122.blogspot.com

 

[Original PaulE]

Continuing with the week's events, the weather was improving and sightings improved a lot last Thursday, starting with a Hen Harrier past the window as I was eating Breakfast, which is always a good start! Considering how windy it was, I was pleasantly surprised by the Hen Harrier action we had with a male hunting roadside and a Ringtail nearly knocking my head off as I was trying to winkle out a Brambling from a big Chaffinch flock !! WTE close encounter and a Dipper that nearly came in the car the other main highlights another cracking day on Mull. Loads more pics on the Blog at the link.

Harrier kind of Day!

After yesterday was pretty much rained off, we were hoping for a better kind of day, the weather was looking better and as I was having br...

birdsandcake122.blogspot.com

 

[Original PaulE]

Our last full day on Mull, over a week ago now😢 A day of Eagles and Otters, much improved weather brought the Eagles out, with 7 in the bins at once at one stop!!! Great encounter with Otters, with a mother and cub which was mostly aural, but got some great views in the end!! Add in plenty of Divers, nice views of a Black Guillemot, Whooper Swans and the fabulous scenery all in a another great day! Lot more pics on the blog at the link!

Last Day on Mull

Bit of a delay on this post due to having to go back to work 😢 and having to sort out loads of pics!! Our last full day on the Island, we ...

birdsandcake122.blogspot.com

 

[Original PaulE]

The journey home from Mull, 13 hours!! Decent ferry crossing with a Pod of what I think were Common Dolphins, couple of Black Guillemots and the scenery in nice light the highlights. Has been a very enjoyable trip, Eagles and Otters the highlights, but Hen Harriers and Divers, etc a good supporting cast! More pics on the blog!

The Journey Home

With an early ferry to catch we were up and out by 7.05 am, the drive was uneventful though a Woodcock flushed up from the side of the road...

birdsandcake122.blogspot.com

 

[ClarkWGriswold]

Certainly look like Commons to me Paul. A very enjoyable write up. 👍👍

 

[Original PaulE]

Certainly look like Commons to me Paul. A very enjoyable write up. 👍👍

Thanks for that, yes I think that two-tone look is Common Dolphin!

 

[wolfbirder]

Nearly 20 years since I've been to Mull. Must get back there!

Lovely photos make it very enticing!

 

[Original PaulE]

Nearly 20 years since I've been to Mull. Must get back there!

Lovely photos make it very enticing!

Yes hopefully we will be back, quicker than 20 Years. Probably will go during the spring next time!!! Though possibly not next year!!

 

[MikeInPA]

Yes hopefully we will be back, quicker than 20 Years. Probably will go during the spring next time!!! Though possibly not next year!!

I love Mull, I've visited many times over the years and visited again in 2019 and had a great time. One of the highlights was the Staffa Tours which visited Lunga in the Treshnish Islands and then Staffa and Fingals Cave. Great day out!

Staffa Tours

Treshnish Islands - Lunga

 

[Original PaulE]

I love Mull, I've visited many times over the years and visited again in 2019 and had a great time. One of the highlights was the Staffa Tours which visited Lunga in the Treshnish Islands and then Staffa and Fingals Cave. Great day out!

Staffa Tours

Treshnish Islands - Lunga

Yes unfortunately due to the time of year, not much was running but if we get there again will hope to do some of those trips!!

 

[MikeInPA]

Yes unfortunately due to the time of year, not much was running but if we get there again will hope to do some of those trips!!

Understand. In May you can stroke the Puffins they’re that close. I heard of another tour that‘s great for the White-tailed Eagle which I think sails around Loch na Keal where’s there’s a WT Eagles nest on the North Shore and a Golden Eagles nest opposite on the South Shore. 👍

 

[JTweedie]

I love Mull, I've visited many times over the years and visited again in 2019 and had a great time. One of the highlights was the Staffa Tours which visited Lunga in the Treshnish Islands and then Staffa and Fingals Cave. Great day out!

Staffa Tours

Treshnish Islands - Lunga

I spent a week in Mull with Discover the World many years ago. Had a full day land safari, a free day to ourselves and three full days out on a boat whale watching. The latter really made the trip, I loved it. Loads and loads of Common Dolphins, Minke Whales and Harbour Porpoises on each trip, and we got to visit the Treshnish Isles and the Cairns of Coll too. We used Sealife Surveys who I think still operate out of Tobermory. Highly recommended, but obviously more for the summer months.