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Griswold's Vacations 2019 (1 Viewer)

You’d love Ham Wall Paul. A stunner of a place. Yup Little Bitterns were there a couple of years back. Don’t think there’s been any there for a while though.

Rich
 
I might have accidentally booked us a week on Mull in August so that's the next trip. Hoping to go out on a boat trip with the boys to look for Basking Sharks at some stage :t:

Sea Life Surveys possibly your best bet for that out of Tobermory. I know Martin on Lady Jayne gets them as well sometimes.

Had a very enjoyable week over Easter this year.
 
Rich
Always enjoy your reports. Have to agree that Ham wall really is turning into a gem of a site.

beginning to think you have some sort of hot tub fetish LOL. All your recent holiday cottages seem to have them and I am not sure how much longer you can refer to a 4 stone pooch made entirely of solid muscle as a pup though.

You obviously had a cracking time with some nice birds thrown in for good measure. sounds like a perfect holiday to me.
Big up to the youngster too for the lovely shot of the grebe with the fish. He certainly seems to have an eye for a good shot.
 
Rich
Always enjoy your reports. Have to agree that Ham wall really is turning into a gem of a site.

beginning to think you have some sort of hot tub fetish LOL. All your recent holiday cottages seem to have them and I am not sure how much longer you can refer to a 4 stone pooch made entirely of solid muscle as a pup though.

You obviously had a cracking time with some nice birds thrown in for good measure. sounds like a perfect holiday to me.
Big up to the youngster too for the lovely shot of the grebe with the fish. He certainly seems to have an eye for a good shot.

Thanks Paul. I do like a hot tub:t:

Funnily enough a colleague yesterday said I should stop calling him a pup now - given he's the size of a small horse:-O

The only drawback with Mull is the time of the year. I need to stock up on Smidge :t:

Rich
 
Sounds like a great holiday - and a cracking-looking hound!
Cheers Mike. He’s got a lovely nature and is great with the children. I’ve been looking into the Sealife Survey boat trips that Rich mentioned. Think I’ll be booking it for me and the 2. boys:t:

Rich
 
last time I was on Mull we took the Turus Mara boat tour of Staffa and treshnish isles form Ulva. the puffins come within feet of you! Although I think in august you will be too late for them but will have aa decent chance of cetaceans and passing seabirds.
 
last time I was on Mull we took the Turus Mara boat tour of Staffa and treshnish isles form Ulva. the puffins come within feet of you! Although I think in august you will be too late for them but will have aa decent chance of cetaceans and passing seabirds.
Cheers Paul. If myself and the youngest weren’t heading to Skomer on Saturday we’d definitely be booking on to that trip. :t:

Rich
 
Sea Life Surveys possibly your best bet for that out of Tobermory. I know Martin on Lady Jayne gets them as well sometimes.

Had a very enjoyable week over Easter this year.

Cheers Rich. Just booked a 4 hour trip for the 2 boys, my parents , and myself for the Sunday morning that we are there. Can’t wait.

Rich
 
Cheers Rich. Just booked a 4 hour trip for the 2 boys, my parents , and myself for the Sunday morning that we are there. Can’t wait.

Rich

Enjoy :)

Check their FB page for regular reports on sightings. Minkes & different dolphin species are definitely the order of the day just now.
 
Enjoy :)

Check their FB page for regular reports on sightings. Minkes & different dolphin species are definitely the order of the day just now.

Thanks again Rich. I don’t do FB but the OH does so I’ll ask her to take a look. I’ve also booked Cafe Fish for the Saturday night so that’s something else to look forward to. Hope the weather improves though.

Rich
 
Mull

So we set off yesterday at just before 02:00 and only just made our check in for 15:25. Partly due to a slight diversion to Frankfield Loch; partly due to some extended stops to stretch the hounds legs but most annoyingly was the camper van driver we were stuck behind for the last 20-30 miles! Unbelievably ignorant @£&!!&.

First bird of the trip was a Tawny Owl hooting away behind the house. Next significant bird was the fairly longish staying Blue-winged Teal on Frankfield Loch, Glasgow. A lifer for all of us. :t:

From here we stopped at Asda in Dumbarton which was a great tip from Occasional on last years thread. Stocked up with plenty of everything. Next it was Oban. Having only been out of season before it was quite a shock to see how rammed it was.

Have been following a vegetarian diet for the last 6 weeks but decided to go pescatarian for the Scottish week. Some superb fish and chips were had whilst queuing for the ferry. The fact that I was starving made them even more delicious.

From the ferry itself we had the usual Gannets, Tystiesand Kittiwakes but 4 Manxies were a nice year tick.

Leaving the ferry itself we drove North to Dervaig. Common Seals were loafing by Salen and a Sparrowhawk flew in front of the car. Some Common Buzzards were around as well.
 
When we started unpacking, things got a lot more interesting thougho:D. 2 White-Tailed Eagles flew over the cottage with a Golden Eagle away to the West. I then decided to walk Bud to get him out of the way whilst things were put away and we had at least 3 Golden Eagles to the East. Happy daysB :)

Speaking of the hound, his behaviour was absolutely superb for the whole trip. Bodes well for future trips. I presumed the Goldies to be a family and taking advantage of a break in the weather. Sitting outside the cottage, drinking a bottle of Dark Island, it appears we also have a couple of noisy young Common Buzzards in the conifers to the West. It was time for an early night.
 
So yesterday I had a lie in and until 06:00. Nice to be woken by the sound of Curlews and Redshanks. Went down to Croig with Max with his fishing rod. Nobody was more surprised than me when we actually caught 2 Pollock with a small spinner :eek!: Both were returned unharmed.

Almost managed a great view of an Otter ( down to less than 20 feet) and a distant White-Tailed Eagle. Max also spotted the first Red Deer of the trip on the way down to Croig. Time to head back for breakfast.
 

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Back at the cottage 6 Red Breasted Mergansers we’re outside on the Loch. Myself and my parents then headed up the hill out of Dervaig and enjoyed watching some Ravens displaying, a Male Hen Harrier by Loch Torr, and some Common Buzzards. Time to head back to the cottage for the rugby. Much as I enjoy beating the old enemy I couldn’t help feeling the best result for both teams was coming away with no injuries. Nice to be world number 1 for a short time though. :t:

Received some bad news in the afternoon in that due to weather conditions, the Basking Shark trip had to be cancelled- gutted!

Headed over to Cafe Fish In Tobermory for some consolation. Nice view of a female Hen Harrier by Loch Frisa on the way over.
 
Here was the main reason for going pescatarian for the week. Delicious, Scottish seafood. I’d thoroughly recommend a visit here if you’re in the area. I settled for a half dozen oysters to start followed by the platter. :t:
 

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That's one hell of a fishy feast! Looks amazing! Sounds like a fun trip, although too bad about the shark trip. Next time.

Really enjoying James. Forgot to add Greenshank in front of the cottage when the tide was out yesterday. Below is the view from the cottage with the tide in.
 

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Walked around the headland from Croig yesterday morning. Lovely walk but not too much in the way of birds. Wheatear being about the best. Also a couple of Common Seals on the way back.

I think Fridays drive then caught up with me and the pup as we crashed out on the sofa for 2 hours in the afternoon. 8-P
 

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