Original PaulE
Well-known member
The true story of My and my better half Margie's adventure in the Outer Hebrides a daring adventure of Eagles, Harriers and Wind , the weather was quite blustery too and the next time I suggest driving all the way in one go shoot me!!! Over 2000 miles driven and some amazing birds and scenery seen, will put up the first two days tonight then add the rest over the next couple of days or so. The pictures we took can be seen by clicking the link at the bottom, then click on the individual pic to see full size, be better to view on a laptop rather than a phone.
Day 1.5 Friday the 26th of April through to Saturday 27th of April
Due to the timing of our ferry crossing from Skye to North Uist, we had to leave West Sussex at 6.30pm driving through the night to arrive at Uig ferry Terminal for 13.45 on the Saturday, this left us 5 hrs for unexpected stops and to have plenty of breaks, So with nothing but a Kia Rio, a couple of suitcases and two new sunhats we were on our way, This is A fib we actually took practically everything we own!! all went well, with several Red Kites up the M40, until some knob decided to shut the M6 for the night in two places!! The first of which involved driving around half of Stafford, still we got through it and the rest of the drive was fairly uneventful though we had several Red Grouse along the A82 once passed Loch Lomond and loads of Red Deer were seen.
Arriving on Skye we had a couple of Bacon rolls from a café which also had a Hooded Crow conveniently in a tree opposite so decided to set up the camera and start birding, with time in hand we decided to take the scenic root up the east coast of Skye, as we proceed marvelling at the scenery I spotted a couple of interesting dots on the water ,which on closer inspection turned out to be a couple of Great Northern Divers looking fine on a dead calm sea. As we drove across the top of Skye we were hoping for Eagles, we stopped regularly to scan but no luck, several Wheatears and Mippits were seen and at a likely looking spot we managed a Dipper although unfortunately it spotted me first, so no picture!!
We arrived at the Ferry Terminal and after a cup of tea and a very nice fruit scone we had a wander about, the harbour was fairly quiet with 3 Eider and a very distant Black Guillemot, a couple of Hoodies showed well ,several Pied Wags were knocking about and a Reed Bunting made a brief appearance. There were some nice purple flowers in one of the fields possibly Orchids if anyone can offer an ID.
Once on the Ferry we were quickly outside hoping for some quality seabirds ,it was a little quiet although we had 8 Bonxsies through ( groups of 5 & 3) several Gannets, as we left the port there were several Black Guillemots, and Great Northerns were regular through the crossing, got me first Shag of the trip (Hurrah) but the highlight were the Puffins, loads, mostly in pairs ,but some small groups as well. There were also a few rafts of Auks the majority of those close enough to ID were Guillemots.
Arriving at Lochmaddy we made the short drive to our cottage at Claddach, well-appointed but the bonus was the view from the bedroom window, with open fields leading to the mountains beyond, got to be Shorties I’m thinking!! As we were being shown around I kept being distracted by the sounds of Curlew, Oystercatcher, Redshank, Lapwing, Meadow Pipit, Skylark all calling and displaying in the garden and fields beyond, a Wheatear appeared on a fence post and a Stonechat on the balcony out the front, a group of Common Gulls could be seen in the middle distance. After dinner, pretty zonked with only about 2 hrs sleep since Friday morning ,I decided to have a scan from the bedroom window before an early night, a pair of Ravens cruised past and then I picked up the predicted Short-eared owl, pics, aren’t great as it didn’t come very close, as I was following it’s distant meanderings I noticed a lump on a distant ridge, I hummed and hahed but curiosity got the better of me and I set up the Scope ,Golden Eagle!!!! Couldn’t believe it sitting there bold as you like on the ridge, awesome end to the day, and from now on when Margie suggests a little “bedroom action” I will grab me bins!!!! The only downside was no Wi-Fi as it has gone down and not getting fixed til after we have gone home!!
Due to the amount and the phaffing about resizing for this site I've put the photos on my Onedrive
Click the Link for Hoodie Heaven and much more (there are not that many really)
https://onedrive.live.com/?id=6356FB2BA7828F28!22628&cid=6356FB2BA7828F28
Cheers
Day 1.5 Friday the 26th of April through to Saturday 27th of April
Due to the timing of our ferry crossing from Skye to North Uist, we had to leave West Sussex at 6.30pm driving through the night to arrive at Uig ferry Terminal for 13.45 on the Saturday, this left us 5 hrs for unexpected stops and to have plenty of breaks, So with nothing but a Kia Rio, a couple of suitcases and two new sunhats we were on our way, This is A fib we actually took practically everything we own!! all went well, with several Red Kites up the M40, until some knob decided to shut the M6 for the night in two places!! The first of which involved driving around half of Stafford, still we got through it and the rest of the drive was fairly uneventful though we had several Red Grouse along the A82 once passed Loch Lomond and loads of Red Deer were seen.
Arriving on Skye we had a couple of Bacon rolls from a café which also had a Hooded Crow conveniently in a tree opposite so decided to set up the camera and start birding, with time in hand we decided to take the scenic root up the east coast of Skye, as we proceed marvelling at the scenery I spotted a couple of interesting dots on the water ,which on closer inspection turned out to be a couple of Great Northern Divers looking fine on a dead calm sea. As we drove across the top of Skye we were hoping for Eagles, we stopped regularly to scan but no luck, several Wheatears and Mippits were seen and at a likely looking spot we managed a Dipper although unfortunately it spotted me first, so no picture!!
We arrived at the Ferry Terminal and after a cup of tea and a very nice fruit scone we had a wander about, the harbour was fairly quiet with 3 Eider and a very distant Black Guillemot, a couple of Hoodies showed well ,several Pied Wags were knocking about and a Reed Bunting made a brief appearance. There were some nice purple flowers in one of the fields possibly Orchids if anyone can offer an ID.
Once on the Ferry we were quickly outside hoping for some quality seabirds ,it was a little quiet although we had 8 Bonxsies through ( groups of 5 & 3) several Gannets, as we left the port there were several Black Guillemots, and Great Northerns were regular through the crossing, got me first Shag of the trip (Hurrah) but the highlight were the Puffins, loads, mostly in pairs ,but some small groups as well. There were also a few rafts of Auks the majority of those close enough to ID were Guillemots.
Arriving at Lochmaddy we made the short drive to our cottage at Claddach, well-appointed but the bonus was the view from the bedroom window, with open fields leading to the mountains beyond, got to be Shorties I’m thinking!! As we were being shown around I kept being distracted by the sounds of Curlew, Oystercatcher, Redshank, Lapwing, Meadow Pipit, Skylark all calling and displaying in the garden and fields beyond, a Wheatear appeared on a fence post and a Stonechat on the balcony out the front, a group of Common Gulls could be seen in the middle distance. After dinner, pretty zonked with only about 2 hrs sleep since Friday morning ,I decided to have a scan from the bedroom window before an early night, a pair of Ravens cruised past and then I picked up the predicted Short-eared owl, pics, aren’t great as it didn’t come very close, as I was following it’s distant meanderings I noticed a lump on a distant ridge, I hummed and hahed but curiosity got the better of me and I set up the Scope ,Golden Eagle!!!! Couldn’t believe it sitting there bold as you like on the ridge, awesome end to the day, and from now on when Margie suggests a little “bedroom action” I will grab me bins!!!! The only downside was no Wi-Fi as it has gone down and not getting fixed til after we have gone home!!
Due to the amount and the phaffing about resizing for this site I've put the photos on my Onedrive
Click the Link for Hoodie Heaven and much more (there are not that many really)
https://onedrive.live.com/?id=6356FB2BA7828F28!22628&cid=6356FB2BA7828F28
Cheers