Are the Stars out tonight?

Well they certainly are at Loch Frisa.  What am I talking about?  Well, we have just been awarded 4 Stars "Excellent"  Wildlife Attraction category by VisitScotland!  

As you can imagine, we are over the moon.  It is great to receive the recognition that the whole experience of paying a visit to the Eagle Hide is truly "Excellent".  Of course, we knew that but to be told officially, receive a certificate and have the plaque over the door is the icing on the cake.

I was away on the Black Isle getting some osprey and dolphin therapy week before last when Mull experienced its first real rainfall since February - we were lucky in the Highlands and on the east coast to be have relatively dry, albeit very windy weather.  I came back hoping summer had returned but sadly the rain kept going, and going, and going!  I think our drought is now officially over.  We returned at the weekend and during a break in the rain, drove up to Frisa to check on our eagles - incredible how much you miss them when away.  As I arrived at the Hide, the sun had come out, and there, sitting on the larches, side by side, Skye and Frisa - basking in the warmth of the sunshine.  I couldn't have asked for a better welcome home!  Incredibly this week, despite the rain, we have had some amazing views of them - they are spending a fair bit of time in the larches, giving our visitors wonderful views directly from the hide.  Frisa is going through a moult at the moment and missing some of her wing feathers but it was great to see them both flying side by side in between the showers.   We have also had some great views of golden eagles too - a great bonus on visiting the hide to see both types of eagle.

Our buzzard chick has finally fledged - he/she occasionally returns to the nest with a frog or vole and looks incredibly healthy and grown up!  We wish it well as it ventures out.  Of course we still have our siskins, and we were delighted to see our male and female redpoll joined by a youngster at the feeder.  The sand martins are incredibly busy - many have now fledged and I counted over 60 birds lined up on the fence down at the lochside.  Our red throated divers have been showing off in front of the hide too - sadly looks like no chicks for them this year but one of the red breasted merganser pair have a large brood of chicks that are really doing well.

Before I went away, the staff and pupils from Lochdonhead Primary school based on Mull, spent the day at the hide.  They are a wonderful group of children who are enthusiastic, knowledgeable and so polite.  A real credit to the school and their parents!  Their knowledge of birds and wildlife was amazing - naming all the birds on the feeders, wild flowers and spotting a pair of golden eagles flying over head!  Many of you will be aware that half the proceeds from the trips and donations received at the Hide go into the Mull Eagle fund, and the other half go back in to running the project.  The Mull Eagle fund is available for local groups and organisations on Mull and Iona to apply for money for projects based on the Islands.  Lochdonhead applied for funds to buy a nest camera box which has now been installed for some time.  The children (and staff!) have been lucky enough to have a family of blue tits, followed by a family of house sparrows take up residence.  The children can learn so much from experiences such as visits to the hide and watching wildlife as it happens - I wish it had been like that in my day.

  Staff and Pupils from Lochdonhead Primary School in front of the hide - photo Debby Thorne

and finally, a photo of Frisa taken this week as she sat preening - Skye was a couple of trees away - just couldnt manage to get them both in the same photo!

Dont forget if you are visiting Mull, do come and see us at Loch Frisa - full details Mull Eagle Watch

Debby Thorne

White Tailed Eagle Information Officer, Mull