Well, September is certainly proving to be a saviour in terms of weather. We are enjoying lots of warm sunshine and blue skies - you could almost be fooled into thinking it was May or June. Tee shirts have come out of winter storage and its lovely to feel the warmth of the sun on your face. Our family at Loch Frisa have been enjoying the warm weather too. Skye and Frisa are spending long periods, perched on the larch trees in front of the hide, looking so relaxed now the majority of this year's parental duties are done. They will still be feeding Heather but the majority of their work is done. They seem to be enjoying some "me" time before the whole process starts again.
The golden eagles have been enjoying this weather too and our visitors have been getting great views as they fly across the hide, trying to steal the limelight from Skye and Frisa. The buzzards are still a joy to watch - the youngsters now hunting on their own but occasionally taking 5 minutes out to play tag with a sibling! We still have butterflies and dragonflies around and just occasionally, we glimpse the odd swallow - so we can still pretend its summer.
Calgary Bay this week - white sand, blue sea and blue skies - Photo Debby Thorne
After tomorrow, we start a new phase at the Hide. Previously, we would now be planning to put the hide into mothballs until next Spring but from next week we are going to keep the hide open through autumn and winter, running our trips at 10.00 am and 1.00 pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Bookings can be made through our friends at the Tourist Office in Craignure (Tel: 01680 812556). We are fortunate that our eagles do not migrate and are here all year round so if you are planning a trip to Mull come and see us! Details of our Eagle Watch project can be found here http://www.rspb.org.uk/datewithnature/sites/mull/index.asp. The leaves on the trees are starting to turn, the heather is in bloom and the bracken starting to die off - autumn on Mull is stunning - the colours breathtaking and as for the wildlife, well ........ you will just have to come and see if for yourself!
This Sunday also sees our "Fledge" party at Loch Frisa - a chance to raise a glass to all our chicks and to say thank you to everyone involved with these magnificent birds. We are meeting at the hide at 1.00pm and the gates at both ends of the Loch will be open - if you are around, do come and join us.
Debby Thorne, White Tailed Eagle Information Officer,
Isle of Mull
Hi Debby,Dave fellow bloggers,just back from two weeks on Mull,ten pm friday night 540 miles today will put longer blog on when more time but we saw Skye and Frisa 12 of the days and the other 2 days just saw one of them.We think we may have seen Heather but will have to see when sweep puts photos on computer to know one way or other.Icing on the cake was sooty and sweep meeting both Dave and Debby WOW.Hope you have a great Fledge party,cheers.
Hi all-well I can't beleive it's Friday again and I have been back at work for two and a half weeks of the term. The weather in southern Britain has been fantastic, warm enough for no cardigan's/jumpers after 10.am and the leaves have started turning now and the acrons falling. Lovely picture of the beach which had the tide in when I was there looking at it. Interesting to see that Mara and Bregha have settled on new areas for the moment and that our present family are all well.
Does Dave know how many of the chicks from the 10 on Mull were male or female?
It's also good to see that Rothes and Mallachie and Roy Dennis ospreys are doing well although poor Roy has had a few scary moments over the notorious Bay of Biscay.
I wish you all well at the hide during the Autumn season and hope you continue to have good views of Frisa and Skye. Hope you have heating in the hide!
JILLIAN
Lovely blog Debby it just sounds idyllic up there and so glad you have had some good weather, you certainly deserve it. Glad Frisa, Skye and having "me" time and they are still keeping an eye on the weather. Have a good fledge party all of you.
Margobird
That all sounds wonderful - thanks Debby - so glad that you're getting some sunshine at last.
I'll be there in spirit on Sunday - may even raise a glass :)
I am on my way.............see you soon.