Limpy and I enjoyed a lovely week on the isle of Mull last month. We left on Tuesday June 27th - not to go straight home but to detour to Loch Garten, where he last did a residential volunteering stint in 2019. As he wanted to catch up with some people there (and we both wanted to see the birds) I was more than happy to drive him there. The weather on Mull that morning was terrible - chucking it down with rain and blowing an absolute hoolie! Thankfully both of our ferries were running (though the Corran one closed again the following day, PHEW). Our route took us past Fort William and Spean Bridge and I suspect in good weather it would have been a stunning drive. Just past Spean Bridge we saw something en route which more or less forced a stop:
This is the Laggan Dam. I now know it was built in 1934 and is a listed structure.
There were a few gulls about, including this lovely common gull.
We made it to Loch Garten in the early afternoon and it was still raining. We booked in at the welcome tent, where this female mallard was lurking. I'm not sure what I expected to see there but I hadn't expected a mallard! I love their markings and their attitude.
There were a good number of siskins on the feeders.
This lovely red squirrel appeared in front of the Visitor Centre.
Another siskin ......
...... and another. It was great to be able to see them so close. They winter in our part of the world but they tend to be up in the trees where I can only hear them.
As I stood in the Visitor Centre Asha started calling, persistently. I watched out for Brodie and, sure enough, he was incoming with a fish!
Wish that stick hadn't been in the way.
It's good to see these two doing well and I hope the weather will be kind to them in the coming couple of months. I don't see the youngsters migrating before September.
It was interesting to see what they'd done with the place I liked seeing my favourite Loch Garten pair featured, along with Lindybird's lovely poem!
A great spotted woodpecker ........
........ and one of the purveyors of Radio Chaffinch. I will always wonder whether EJ enjoyed hearing their cheerful song as she incubated her eggs.
This siskin is less than happy that the sunflower hearts were inaccessible.
Limpy spotted another red squirrel as we headed back to the car park.
Finishing with a shot of the loch ....... and yes, it was still raining!
Our herring gulls are red listed birds. Think about that the next time you hear some flaming idiot calling for a cull of them.
What truly wonderful photographs Clare, thank you for sharing. I didn't realize Odin was chasing away intruders so was glad to know that even though the reading of it gave me ''mental pause''. . I have bagged some for my LG folder but have said they are courtesy of your self. Hope that's ok.
That's fine, Cirrus. Glad you enjoyed them! It was my first visit for 6 years and I think we both wish the weather had been better. Fergus was kind enough to show us the forward hide and Julie was still there in the shop and the changes in the centre have been good for her.
Birdie's DU Summaries 2018 https://www.imagicat.com/
Oh, yeah ....... after our Loch Garten visit we headed to Stirling to spend the night, before finishing our journey home the following day. However there was one more thing we wanted to see, as we were so close to Falkirk:
Yup, the Kelpies. Aren't they stunning?
Phew! That finally concludes my photos of our Scottish holiday. Hope you like these, even though they aren't wildlife.
Thank you for your LG photos. It was lovely that you had a visit there. Seeing the boards brought back happy and sad memories of our beloved EJ an Odin, so loved and sadly missed by all. Shame it was raining as it is such a lovely and beautiful place (having had the joy of being there twice). I never saw odin live, so to speak but did EJ on my 3rd visit the first year. We stayed only a few miles away and I had 3 visits to the centre and saw her on the last one. We must visit again one year to see the new centre and of course, the Osprey's. Thanks for all your lovely holiday photos from Bonnie Scotland.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Wow !!!!!!
What a lovely read and lovely photos - thanks so much, Clare, and all the best to you and Limpy.
IMAGICAT