Galana's sixth. Building on what was started.

[Galana]

This morning was also an early start as I wanted to see if the Otter we saw yesterday was a creature of habit.

He was. I drive the few miles to the place we saw him yesterday. The tide was of course an hour later than yesterday but there was his rocky islet the same but a litle bit higher and the 2nd islet of yesterday was actually joined. I checked out a tell tale 'bump' in the rocks profile and it would not have attected me yesterday but today I knew better. One could have marked the spot wth a dab of paint and he would be lying right on it. He appeared asleep but whilst the tide was an hour later, the sun was actually a bit earler as it comes north at one degree every four days (I think), and he was awake and thinking of breakfast..

First of all however we watched him do what all men do upon waking. A good scratch, a rub of the face and then a trip to the latrine. All on video.

Here are a couple of 'stills'.

Stretch those legs..

 

Job done. Now for a fish or two.

We again enjoyed watching him getting his breakfast for over an hour but unlike yesterday he did not return to the rock to eat them. Perhaps the climb out was less easy?

We will be back tomorrow to see if we can make it three in a row. There are two females in the area both with cubs but they are much shyer with the cubs hidden in the hills and only 'mum' comes down to fish.

The video will have to await my return home for editing.

And this is Big Year for birds.

 

[Galana]

Todays new entrants , well one was yesterday as I wrongly ID it as a Rock Dove and I hope I will get better one later.

So here it is....

 

251. Stock Dove. Gruline Cottage. IOMull

 

252. White-fronted Dipper. Ba river, Knock. IOMull. A happy find of this common bird that is darned hard to get. Only my 2nd for Scotland.

 

253. Coal Tit. Grulin Farm cottage. IoMull. OK it's on a feeder in next doors garden and I can probably get a better one at home but it is a tick and it counts.

 

 

[shazdwn]

Love the otters, watching them fish sounds like a great walk to spend the morning 

[Soukous]

11 hours ago, Galana said:

White-fronted Dipper. Ba river, Knock

 

Good to see they are back.

I went there 3 times and met birding groups each time, all of us looking for Dippers. I was told by one of the guides that the nest had been washed away.

[TonyQ]

I think getting up that early deserves a great Otter sighting or two!

I think you are competing with @xelasand @michael-ibkto see who gets up the earliest 

[Galana]

2 hours ago, TonyQ said:

I think you are competing with @xelasand @michael-ibkto see who gets up the earliest 

I don't know about that but in these latitudes it hardly gets dark in June and by 04.00 it is light again with the sun not far behind so it is easy to revert to my 'African' habit of rising and setting with the sun (except it sets too bloody late up here for my old body.) I can lay abed with a totally clear conscience if it rains.

[Dave Williams]

3 hours ago, TonyQ said:

I think getting up that early deserves a great Otter sighting or two!

I think you are competing with @xelasand @michael-ibkto see who gets up the earliest 

I think I win on that score! Bulgaria is two hours ahead of the UK so my 3.30am was 1.30am in the UK !!!

[michael-ibk]

Price goes to you Dave. OTOH, 3:30 am for me too in Portugal to get on an all-day pelagics (to then see seven birds). And I´ll reverse the polarity of your logic, that is 06:30 in Bulgaria, so I win!

 

Beautiful sightings Fred, the Diver (or Loon) is just wonderful. Not to mention the Eagles and Otters.

 

As you all know I never see Stock Doves and know nothing about them - but doesn´t yours have an awefully yellow eye for one?

[Galana]

1 hour ago, michael-ibk said:

but doesn´t yours have an awefully yellow eye for one?

Probably the whisky does that to them?

as to the hour of rising surely the Sun is the controlling factor. It's what your bloddy watch says when you peer all bleary eyed at the dial that matters.

@michael-ibkI don't subscribe to the Yanqui name of Loon (reserving it to be applied to some citizens of that strange place. They even think the Robin is a Thrush. Loons indeed.

[michael-ibk]

I don´t know, I do have a soft spot for loonies. Why else would I be here?

[Galana]

And after another early rise we set off on our final day on Mull. Sadly the Otter of the last two mornins was not at home so he definitely has a Tide Table available.

At first it was going to be a day of 'product improvement' starting with a Goldie at a site that is not yet common knowledge.

But at least it is perched and not flying. We think two chicks but not yet certain.

A long reach but clearly a Golden Eagle.

 

Then as I found a male RB Merganser yesterday it was obvios another would come along shortly afterwards.

 

Not to be outdone the resident White-tails wanted in on the act.

Almost too easy now.

 

Earlier as I was straining my eyes at the Goldie and got distracted by a Willow Warbler family in a neaby bush a new tick, long overdue made an appearance..

254. Wren. Loch na Keale. IOMull. I will spare you the Willie Warbler.

 

And on the drive home for 'breakfast' I also spotted one of the Hebridean specialities of a Wader not wading.

 

255. Common Snipe on a rock. Loch na Keale. Isle of Mull. Even if it refused to sow the bill it had one eye open.

 

That is it for Mull. The island delivered as always. Tomorrow is probably a non birding day as it is the early Ferry to Lochaline followed by another at Corran narrows as we head north to our next cottage overlooking Little Loch Broom with little idea as to what that area holds in store for us. Will I get to deploy my trails cameras at last? If so what will they find?

Read on.

 

[Galana]

18 minutes ago, michael-ibk said:

Why else would I be here?

Indeed. Why are any of us doing this?

[michael-ibk]

1 minute ago, Galana said:

Why are any of us doing this?

 

Don´t go there.

[Soukous]

15 hours ago, Galana said:

That is it for Mull. The island delivered as always. Tomorrow is probably a non birding day as it is the early Ferry to Lochaline followed by another at Corran narrows as we head north to our next cottage overlooking Little Loch Broom with little idea as to what that area holds in store for us.

 

You jammy bugger. It looks as though you have the best weather in the UK at the moment. 

[Galana]

11 hours ago, Soukous said:

You jammy bugger. It looks as though you have the best weather in the UK at the moment. 

Well you know the old saying......

No bird photos today even having risen very early to get the place on the non bookable Ferry at 07.25.

Then after a fast drive from Lochaline to another Ferry over Corran Narrows, where we were about to not get on until waved forward when the car in front could not fit in the final space, (Now THAT is Jammy) we drove in good weather north to our next location.

Here is the map....

 

And this is the new view ....

Let us see what tomorrow brings.

Edited June 4, 2022 by Galana
map

[xelas]

There is a reasonably good fish&chips joint in Ulapool .

Edited June 5, 2022 by xelas

[PeterHG]

 Beautiful sightings of Otters, Eagles and more!

[Galana]

4 hours ago, xelas said:

There is a reasonably good fish&chips joint in Ulapool 

I am sure that there is more than one but who needs them? No need! Buy fresh and we bring our own kitchen staff includiing a skilled Chef and Sommelier. Man cannot live by Fish and chips alone. Scotland has wonderful food and is famous formore than Whisky, Haggis and deepfried Mars bars.

Thanks @PeterHGThe success of sightings is pure luck and a bit of local knowledge.

 

See next post for when the luck runs out.

Edited June 5, 2022 by Galana

[Galana]

I need help.

 

I have found birds that don't fit the pattern.

I got sightngs of Cuckoo, Redstart, Tits etc., which I can handle

BUT two lbjs tax and test my brain as they don't comply with 'the book'.

This should be a Willow Warbler but did not sing like one and I have never seen one so plain in colours. No green, no yellow. Just a plain little brown warbler.

It sang like a Wood Warbler and was in a locality where they occur but there is NO yellow or other colours.

 

Now to another odd one.

 

I have never seen a Sparrow with a daffodil yellow bill. Petronia yes, but this is Scotland.

Help wanted. Please.

 

[TonyQ]

@Galanaif I zoom in on the “Wood Warbler “ I can see bits of yellow - not as much as you might expect, but there is some there.

If it sings like a Wood Warbler, that is a very distinctive song - even I recognise it!

Could your Sparrow be an immature one?

[michael-ibk]

I agree with juv Sparrow - our voracious young monsters on the balcony all have the yellow bill when they are very new.

 

I really don´t think that could be a Wood Warbler, normally they look obviously different from Willow/Chiff. Looks like Willow to me - some of our local breeders are very drab like this one.

 

Maybe you have a Greenish Warbler there if you say the song absolutely did not fit? I assume also not for Chiff? Not that I´ve ever seen one, but there are quite a few records from Scotland.

[Galana]

Thanks to both of you @TonyQand @michael-ibk. I think I am stuck with the soft options of House Sparrow. Maybe the sunshine is enhancing that lovely bright yellow bill.

As for Greenish Warbler, I would risk being banned from every  know to society from the Brownies to the Masons if I even dared to hint at Greenish Warbler in Scotland. It has to be a Willie Warbler.

[PeterHG]

It could still be a Wood Warbler, I suppose. The song obviously would be the decisive factor and you stated it sang like one. Some Wood Warblers lack the yellow pigmentation it seems and,in fact,  if I darken the highlights in your photos there is definitely some yellow visible. Also the white underparts perhaps remind me more of a Wood Warbler than a Willow Warbler. I am probably just muddling things up, but that’s what I usually do…..;)

[Galana]

@PeterHG

Muddle away Peter. Mighty oaks from little acorns grow.

[Dave Williams]

Never mind the birds, the weather there looks fabulous. We have endured cold and wet for the majority of last week. Even resorted to having the central heating on!!