Two weeks ago today (and therefore one week earlier than they managed last year), our favourite shag family saw the first of this year's eggs hatch. Visitors have been treated to a privileged insight into this new family's daily routines; the chicks have grown before our very eyes, courtesy of our cliff cam. The tiny little wobbly necked creatures that emerged from the eggs have burgeoned into plump, healthy youngsters that scarcely fit under their parents' wings now.
Andy Hay RSPB Images
It has been difficult to tear ourselves away from the shag's nest, but it's just as well Rob did scan around the other parts of the Foghorn cliffs as he spotted a newly laid razorbill egg. Proof that finally, and later than is usual for the Mull, the nesting season has begun for our auks. There are certainly fewer seabirds than in previous years, possibly due to the ferocious storms last winter and/or the shortage of sand eels which is the food of preference for many of our seabirds. We hope that the remaining birds have a successful season - we will be monitoring the situation.
The Mull of Galloway reserve is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest for its vascular plant assemblage; well over 300 flowering plant species have been recorded here. Just now a large number of those plants are in flower and the heathland is aglow with the blues and mauves of spring squill, bluebells, purple milk vetch and violets. Here and there are little clumps of the lousewort which is much prettier than its name suggests and of course sea pinks and sea campion are everywhere.
Purple milk vetch
The heathland birds are busy nesting and therefore popping up all over the place to issue alarm calls - meadow pipits and stonechats in particular. There are two male stonechats on the reserve, one of which is certainly paired off and nesting, the other is still singing in earnest so possibly hasn't yet found himself a mate. Whitethroats and pipits are both performing song flight displays which involve launching themselves into the air and then descending, a bit like little musical feathered fireworks.
Puffins, just a few, have been spotted further out to sea by some sharp-eyed visitors using 'scopes. However, folk staying in the lighthouse holiday cottages are convinced that they have heard puffins calling (that odd mooing or haw-hawing sound that reminds me in some strange way of Frankie Howerd). Let us know if you have any other evidence of puffins close to the Mull.
Exciting reports from the Isle of Man: basking shark sightings within the last few days which means that we should keep our eyes open here. Earlier this month there were reports of large numbers of basking sharks off the Cornish coast, so it could be a bumper year.
Come and join us on our guided walk around the reserve tomorrow afternoon - you never know what we might see! 1pm at the visitor centre.