BirdForum is the net's largest birding community dedicated to wild birds and birding, and is absolutely FREE!

Register for an account to take part in lively discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="joannec" data-source="post: 1264453" data-attributes="member: 30076">Part III: A Few More TreatsThe fine weather gave way to rain; not cold just very very wet so birding got suspended for a bit and we had a trip to Loch Buie and the stone circle (a bit like a mini Stonehenge).  Husband D likes such things and it was an interesting, if an extremely wet break.....had to trample through a bog and I felt a bit like Frodo and Sam  in The Dead Marshes.:-O Glad I had my waterproof trousers that day but my so called waterproof boots wern't and I ended up with puddles inside them.3<img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" />Another wet day and we decided to go to Tobermoray, seeing a very fine ring-tailed hen harrier on the way.:t:  We stopped off several times looking for dippers, thought they wouldn't mind the rain.  No luck.|=(|  Tobermoray is a picturescue Scottish fishing town, a bit touristy and to get out of the rain I called into the Cetacean office....nice lady suggested where to go to see otters which led to us seeing one diving among the kelp near Salen on the way back.:t:  The weather cleared up after that and the midges came out big time!  We stopped  on the way back to Lochdon for some midge plagued birding. (silly picture below). Midge hats/nets essential and there is a shop in Tobermoray that sells them if anyone goes to Mull and forgets to bring one. :-O  We well and truely dipped on dippers.|8(|Next day again was fine and we go to Loch Spelve and Coggan searching for more otters, find a merlin on the way.  It flies by and perches for awhile giving an excellent close view, then flies off across the loch.  Nice. Wheatears, rock pipits and tree pipits we find on the way along with another group of eiderduck. On  reaching the entrance to the loch we find raptors galore, kestrels, a sparrowhawk , numerous buzzards,  one more hen harrier and the last of the sea eagles.  On the return trip (Loch Spelve is quite big) we find 'our own' otter.  :king:He's close to the shore and dives among the kelp.  It is another highlight of the trip. :t: We end the day at Lochdon watching whimbrel, bar-tailed godwit, ringed plover and dunlin.Next day it's time to leave; we've seen over 80 species on Mull, six lifers for me, but there is one more treat in store.  As the ferry leaves Craignuir, bins in hand, I see two distant golden eagles on the mainland side of the Sound of Mull soaring together over the mountains.  It's the final and very satisfying goodbye to Mull.:t:Joanne</blockquote>

Verification