Isle of Mull - Final Day

The Final Day on the Island, and with all the birds seen on the holiday already, what an earth should we go looking for. We all had a vote of the bird we wanted to see, and the answer was the Dipper. Researching the best places to see them was a bit of a struggle, but the River Aros, and Loch Ba seemed to be the places that stuck out the most. Looking at the map, it seemed that these places were in the north-ish part of the Island, and we were based in the south, so we had to allow about an hour and a half's journey to get there. So we got cracking straight away. 

With today being like all the other days (sunny), Wheatears, Pipits, Hoodys, Ravens, Buzzards, Eiders and the Hen Harriers were all visible, along with the Shorties from Pennyghael. 

We arrived along the River Aros, but with only passing places in sight. We couldn't see a Car Park, so we parked in one of the passing places - naughty naughty. We walked down the river about 50 yards, and with a pair of Grey Wagtails hopping about on the rocks, but no Dippers yet. We got to the point where we thought we should move the car, so Dad went back to move the car while Mum and I stayed to look out for the Dippers. 2 minutes later, I said with excitement "Dipper!" Mum soon found it after I described it and we got great views.

Newly fledged Dipper on Rivers edge

Obviously wants to get good shots of itself!

Loch Ba didn't produce very much at all, only a Red-breasted Merganser, Willow Warblers and Siskins, with a Cuckoo too, but a Toad was an interesting find, clumsily moving about in the damp leaves...

A brief sighting on the way back was 3 Otters running across the road right in front of the car, incredible. This sighting was actually on Day 5, I just forgot to put it on there.

Some of you may have noticed the Nightjar picture on the left hand side of this blog under Rarity Pictures, and that will be my next post, including a rare garden visitor, and also, another patch visit, with some good sightings. Speak to you soon.  

Isle of Mull - Day 5

Like Bryans tour trip, we also go to a little Island in the south west of Mull called Iona. Some of you keen birders like me may of heard about the Glaucous Gull hanging about on the Island, so this is where we came. We hadn't really looked at where the Gull was on the Island, so we were just hoping for some Twitchers looking at this bird with Telescopes and Binoculars when we got there.

On the way to Fionnanphort - where you get the ferry - all the regular species were showing well, like Curlew, Hoodies, Wheatear, Stonechat and Willow Warbler. Also, going past both Eagle viewpoints meant that Golden and White-tailed Eagles were present. A really nice site though was outside where we were staying, which was a Ringed Plover. More explained further on......

Ringed Plover outside where we were staying - Pennyghael

Eider Duck at Bunessan

Great-Northern Diver also at Pennyghael

Arriving on the Ferry across to Iona, plenty of  Kittiwake, Shag, and Oystercatchers were flying from place to place if it was along the Ross, or on the land. 

On the Island, unfortunately no Twitchers were about, so no chance of finding, it, but what we came here for, was the Corncrake! The Fire Station was the first stopping point for us, then further along the road with some advice given before hand. No singing birds at the fire station, but the chipper song of Snipe alert me of a present one nearby. Moving towards the bird - which I couldn't see - I flushed it up out of some short grass, which I should have seen before hand. About an hour later still no luck. After being along the road, only a distant bird was singing, but none nearby, until we got back to the Fire Station. About 4 singing birds were in the Iris beds singing away, but not showing. 5 minutes later, my Dad spotted one flying briefly over the Iris beds close-ish, but it was good enough to confirm one. The bird we came for was complete, and now I don't have to worry about seeing one an more!