Memories of Mull: White tailed eagles.

 Since these birds started to breed on Mull in the 1980s, white tailed eagles have brought a lot of visitors to the island. It is estimated that the island economy benefits by about £7,000,000 a year thanks to the eagles. The economy must be feeling the pinch this year, I have missed my planned visit in May.

An excellent way to see the birds is from a boat.

The skipper throws a few fish into the water and this attracts the gulls, which in turn attracts the eagles.

Taking photos is not easy as there are other people on the boat and the eagles are often on the other side of the boat,

Memories of Mull:Iona

 Iona was one of the places that we always visited every time we went to Mull. Having said that there were a couple of years when the weather was so bad in May that the ferry to Iona did not sail.

It is not the biggest ferry in the world and can be very busy. You cannot take your car onto the island and there are always plenty of foot passengers. Although Fionnphort is only about 60 miles from Tobermory by road, it can take 2 hours on the single track road.

Thousands of visitors go to the island to visit the Abbey

a lot visit the grave of John Smith

The main reason for my visits have been to see the corncrakes

Near the fire station and around the Abbey can be good places to see the birds.

other birds I often see on the island are cuckoos

twite

Memories of Mull: Tobermory

 Tobermory is probably better known to millions of people as Balamory.

When I first visited Mull I stayed with friends in Dervaig. From 1996 onwards we stayed at this cottage.

superb view down the Sound of Mull

from the garden I would sit and watch gannets fishing in the sound, white tailed eagles over the hills, peregrines stooping down into the bay. Great spotted woodpeckers would visit the bird feeders

About a mile away was the lighthouse.

a good place to watch common terns fishing in the sound and watch auks etc, flying past.

This is the Mishnish Lochs where I used to go on an evening bird watching. I used to watch buzzards over the hill tops, red throated divers preening in the loch. Little grebes would be fishing, common sandpipers were walking around the edge of the locks. 

This is Tobermory harbour, Good for glaucous gulls and carrion crows.

This is the view from a hill above the Mishnish Lochs.

It is over 1000 feet above sea level and is a difficult walk of nearly 6 miles, but the view is worth it.

North Duffield Carrs

 Not very pleasant weather today so decided to go for a "sit" rather than a walk. North Duffield is only about half an hour away.

The water level has dropped since my last visit, just before the latest lockdown started. The birds were a lot further away and visibility was poor.

This stonechat was perched on a post.

its partner was a bit further away.

27 whooper swans were in the distance.

A bit closer to the hide a few teal were feeding, then a couple of wigeon joined them and then a male pintail.

A marsh harrier landed behind the whoopers

it was then mobbed by a lot of carrion crows.

Strensall Common

 A walk in West Bank Park with my sons dog this morning,

This afternoon I decided to go to Strensall Common. The weather was good, hence the car park was full, but luckily I did not meet many people on my walk.

Lots of blue tits and long tailed tits near the car park

Stonechats were perched on a gorse bush.

As I was taking the picture I noticed a bird flying in the distance. It was a male hen harrier.

Not a brilliant picture as the bird was a long way off and was flying low over the vegetation.

I think that this path leads to "Worlds End".

The light was starting to fade so I will have to leave this for another day.