π΄σ §σ ’σ ³σ £σ ΄σ Ώ Friday 10th May 2024 π€ 18C ~ Wind SW @ 15MPH ~ After yesterday's abysmal weather today was a gorgeous spring day, if not a little breezy. We began with a walk along the shingle at 'Rubha Aird A' Mhuile a coastal headland with beaches to the north and south plus a loch to investigate.
 |
| Wheatears are literally everywhere! |
There were
Red-breasted Mergansers on the lock, along with a few
Greylag Geese and overhead passing
Common Terns,
Arctic Terns and
Sandwich Terns.
Meadow Pipits are abundant on Uist and so too
Wheatears, it seems you can't go 5 minutes without seeing one.
 |
| Corncrake ~ Probably the most elusive species I've managed to photograph. |
 |
| Corncrake |
As we drove back past the church at Bornish we again heard
Corncrake and spent a good hour investigating and this time we got lucky! Dazza spotted him first with the head showing just above the vegetation and we enjoyed several good views before we left him in peace.
 |
| An Otter on route to Locheynort. |
While driving towards Locheynort for a walk in the mixed woodland, we stopped multiple times to look for Otters around the numerous islets. We observed a particular
Otter devouring a fish, which was likely a Trout or Salmon before it disappeared below the seaweed. The woodland area provided a pleasant walk, and we were able to record sightings of
Chiffchaff,
Willow Warbler,
Blackcap,
Robin, and
Chaffinch, the latter two are uncommon in other areas.
 |
| White-tailed Sea Eagle ~ A little distant compared to yesterday. |
After yesterday's rainy visit, we headed back to Loch Druidibeg and enjoyed a 3-mile moorland trail across the very wet blanket bog.
White-tailed Sea Eagle and
Golden Eagle were the best along with
Linnet,
Twite,
Meadow Pipits,
Hooded Crow,
Wheatear and
Cuckoo.
 |
| Whimbrel |
A stop on Benbecula at the appropriately called Stinky Bay, due to the large amounts of seaweed that often accumulates provided an opportunity to search through 1000s of waders.
Turnstone,
Sanderling,
Oystercatcher,
Redshank,
Ringed Plover and
Dunlin were seen in large numbers along with
Whimbrel a single
Bar-tailed Godwit, several
Knot and a
Little Stint.
 |
| Handheld iPhone image across the flat calm loch |
In the evening we had the unprecedented 'Red Alert' Aurora and for Dazza and I what a surreal experience! While photographing the Aurora from the garden a
Corncrake was 'crexing' nonstop just yards away, a
Cuckoo was calling nearby and a
Grasshopper Warbler was reeling in the reedbed below!
 |
| Handheld iPhone |
