Paul Longland
Well-known member
Saturday 12 May 2018 and the morning of our latest trip to Scotland and Northumberland for a whole week of birding finally arrived. My gear was packed, birding mate Mark collected and after a bit of shuffling the kit to fit in the boot we were on the road at 0730. The weather was set fair and spirits were high (along with those packed B .
Due to the fact that someone had decided to close the entire M1 between Jct 23a and 24 for the whole weekend in order to install a new bridge, a quick re-route soon saw us heading north up the A46 on the start of the 430+ mile 8 hour trip to our first destination on Mull.
Due to another cock up on the travelling arrangements, entirely my fault this time, all the Oban to Craignure ferries were booked solid so we were taking the long route round via Lochaline/Fishnish ferry. At least that gave us a chance to pop by Strontian and have a peek at the Black duck.
It was at this point that the title of the thread was born. OK its not all bad but lets get it out of the way right here and now. The list is long and distinguished and we must be the only birders to spend four days on Mull and dip one of our main target birds, Hen Harriers. but more of that later.
Arriving in Strontian we stopped by the post office and had a great view of a summer Greenshank. Apart from a couple of Mergansers the water, despite the tide being mostly in was completely devoid of ducks. Not to be deterred we continued up to the river. Willow warblers shouting at us from every tree, but not a duck in sight apart from one solitary drake Mallard.
With a ferry to catch we reluctantly had to move on, Strike 1!
On arrival on Mull it was only a short drive to the static caravan we had hired at Crannich, a stones throw from Loch Frisa beyond the hills. The Owner of the site told us that they regularly saw the White Tailed Eagles and that they sometimes could be seen perched on the hillsides.
View from caravan window attached
As we were unpacking we were told the Eagles were up. Expecting to see White tails, there were a couple of Buzzards circling around and a Golden Eagle Hovering above the nearest ridge. All thoughts of Black Ducks were erased........This is what we had come for after all. After watching it for a good ten minutes or so it finally drifted off and we finished unpacking the car, settled in and opened the aforementioned spirits to a dusk chorus of Willow Warblers, Swallows, Sand martins and assorted finches.
To be Continued...................................
Due to the fact that someone had decided to close the entire M1 between Jct 23a and 24 for the whole weekend in order to install a new bridge, a quick re-route soon saw us heading north up the A46 on the start of the 430+ mile 8 hour trip to our first destination on Mull.
Due to another cock up on the travelling arrangements, entirely my fault this time, all the Oban to Craignure ferries were booked solid so we were taking the long route round via Lochaline/Fishnish ferry. At least that gave us a chance to pop by Strontian and have a peek at the Black duck.
It was at this point that the title of the thread was born. OK its not all bad but lets get it out of the way right here and now. The list is long and distinguished and we must be the only birders to spend four days on Mull and dip one of our main target birds, Hen Harriers. but more of that later.
Arriving in Strontian we stopped by the post office and had a great view of a summer Greenshank. Apart from a couple of Mergansers the water, despite the tide being mostly in was completely devoid of ducks. Not to be deterred we continued up to the river. Willow warblers shouting at us from every tree, but not a duck in sight apart from one solitary drake Mallard.
With a ferry to catch we reluctantly had to move on, Strike 1!
On arrival on Mull it was only a short drive to the static caravan we had hired at Crannich, a stones throw from Loch Frisa beyond the hills. The Owner of the site told us that they regularly saw the White Tailed Eagles and that they sometimes could be seen perched on the hillsides.
View from caravan window attached
As we were unpacking we were told the Eagles were up. Expecting to see White tails, there were a couple of Buzzards circling around and a Golden Eagle Hovering above the nearest ridge. All thoughts of Black Ducks were erased........This is what we had come for after all. After watching it for a good ten minutes or so it finally drifted off and we finished unpacking the car, settled in and opened the aforementioned spirits to a dusk chorus of Willow Warblers, Swallows, Sand martins and assorted finches.
To be Continued...................................