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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Original PaulE" data-source="post: 3078987" data-attributes="member: 20992">Bonxie day!Friday September 19th Day 7Woke up to clearer skies so decided to head north to Tosta Head, eventually found the car park and walked up to the cliff, very boggy and even though we stayed on the path we were flushing Mipits, Skylarks and Snipe with every other step. we could see ahead a group of large dark birds flying around the head a quick scan with the bins confirmed them as Bonxies must have been 40 + as we got closer they decided to check us out swooping around us, a fabulous if somewhat intimidating experience they are big buggers up close! They soon decided we weren’t food and drifted off to do battle with the flock of 10 or so Ravens a duel that kept us entertained the whole time we were up there nice to see the Ravens getting a taste of their own medicine.The highlight of the seawatch was a couple of views of a Minkie Whale another load of Dolphins, a Single Manx Shearwater, the usual Gannets,seemed a lot more young birds on this side of the island,Fulmars, kittiwakes,4 Eider on the sea even Margie getting the hang of it she saw the Whale and at one point said Shag on the rock, I said no thanks its cold and I’m trying to seawatch<img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /> that Joke never gets old!! Leaving Tosta we stopped at the community shop and bought some Vanilla sponge squares completely forgetting I’d already bought some Pain Au Raisons in Tesco looks like another heavy cake day. We then headed further up the road to the Bridge to Nowhere on the way spotting our 3rd Ringtail Harrier of the trip. From the bridge we drove down to a lovely beach the name of which I can’t remember it had large number of Juvenile Kittiwakes loafing on it hopefully a sign of a good breeding year somewhere, on the Sea very close in were three Great Northern Divers who spent the next half hour avoiding me taking pictures of them,they’re not called Divers for nothing GRR. Four Buzzards drifted by much to the annoyance of the local Hoodies. We decided to call it a day and head to Tiumpan head.One thing I’ve noticed about Lewis &Harris is all the town signs are in Gaelic, fair enough, but how come the English translations are just as unpronounceable is it a wind up? Anyway as we crossed the narrow strip separating Stornoway from the Airport I spotted a flock of birds on the water close to the road,stopping to investigate I discover they were Black-throated Divers at least 12 birds in various stages of moult, fantastic. Onwards to the head  more Dolphins, Gannets feeding, Bonxies chasing them etc Back to Laxay to the localish pub for some very nice Monkfish and had the cheeseboard must be all caked out! The end of our last full day on the Island just the ferry back tomorrow to look forward to then the long drive home<img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite3" alt=":(" title="Frown    :(" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":(" />.pics here, warning it's a bit of a Bonxiefest though there are some Divers at the end<a href="https://onedrive.live.com/?cid=6356FB2BA7828F28&id=6356FB2BA7828F28%211213" target="_blank">https://onedrive.live.com/?cid=6356FB2BA7828F28&id=6356FB2BA7828F28!1213</a></blockquote>

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