Wow! What a day it has been. The weather has changed, again! Warm and sunny with just enough breeze to keep any midges away. As I arrived at the Hide this morning, I was greeted by Skye and Frisa have a fly around together, enjoying each other's company with just a bit less stress now that Heather is doing so well by herself. They still keep an eye on her but she is getting ever more adventurous, flying higher and just a bit further.
I was halfway through the talk this morning, when we spotted something flying - two golden eagles - we stood for about 10 minutes just watching them soaring when we spotted another - this time a juvenile goldie. They gave a great display when Heather, our chick was seen flying over the Loch towards the Ridge - lots of oos and aaahs - she really is stunning. I wish I could capture a close up shot of her for you but take it from me, really dark chocolate brown and huge! Like most birds of preys, the female is larger than the male, so she is bigger than her dad!!
We then had a great view of Skye and Frisa again, keeping a close eye on their youngster when a young lad who was visiting, and was keen as mustard, spotted another eagle - this time another juvenile white tailed sea eagle, not quite the full white tail but a lighter coloured head - too high up though for us to see any wing tags to try and identify it. Certainly a fantastic morning's viewings.
This afternoon, I decided to have another go at checking out Half Pint and his sibling. Dave's scope is still drying out in the airing cupboard (hope it recovers by the weekend when he returns!) but with the weather still warm and sunny, thought I would have a better chance at seeing and indeed hearing our chicks. I hadnt gone five minutes from the van, when I spotted one of the adults flying in carrying a seabird. What a great start. The adults will bring food to the young if they are on the ground or on lower branches so makes it easier for us trying to locate the chicks.
As I moved into position, my ears were filled with what is so recognisable as sea eagle chicks calling - they were going mad - and the reason, the other adult appeared carrying a fish. The chicks spot the parents coming in and call with excitement - this also allows the parents to spot the chicks as they move around either on the ground or in the trees After about 20 minutes, I decided to leave our little family. Everything had gone quiet. Mum and Dad were sat close together in a tree, like an old married couple - both chicks had been fed and were quiet. All is well with the World! A great end to the day.
As I type this, I am looking out the window across the Mainland at the Morvern Hills - our latest satellite tracking of Mara and Breagha show Mara just over the water from Mull in Morvern - he feels like he is in touching distance. Breagha is up north on the west coast, a fair way from home! Keep safe.
Debby Thorne - White Tailed Eagle Information Officer, Isle of Mull
Thank you for your comments Debby/Gary/Mike.
Is Dave back at work now and did he go anywhere nice on holliday or did he stay on the Costa Mull?
Withdrawel symptons from Mull so watched Gordons Eagel Island DVD twice yeaterday when ironing and was able to spot many places I recognised now. Lovely views of Loch Frisa and Frisa and Skye. If you havn't got this DVD it is well worth it (Bought throught Amazon), the scenery, wildlife, lighting and music are fantastic.
I spent 3 days on Mull and we explored all the A and B roads on the island which mainly were one track with passing places, in a motorhome it was a bit of a squash and several times on cliff edges, I shut my eyes, good job I wasnt the one driving. Reminded me of the Swiss roads but half the width.
If you havn't been I would definatly recommend it, Tobormoray was sweet and I had to buy some Ballormoray sweets from the shop and have my photo taken with the coloured houses so I can show my playgroup children that I have been to Ballormoray.
I also visted Iona and comming back along the coast had fantastic (Sunny and warm) views of many islands including Staffa (Fingles cave) which I had been interested in since I was 15 when we studied the overture that Mendlessohn had written when he visited the island many many years ago, unformtunatly I was not brave enough to go out in a small boat to vist it as the sea is so unpredictable and can change at any minute.
In Gordons DVD he see otters/seals/sharks/a whale. unfortunatly I didn't see any of those and was sure of seeing an otter in the sea weed or just off shore on one of the many sea lochs but no I had to see two otters at Obans sea Life Sanctuary and even they were hiding inside under a heat lamp lying on their backs so only had a quick view. Also saw 2 seals there, fortunatly 20 years ago I did see a colonay on a small island near Fort William.
When travelling on the Ross of Mull along the edge of a Loch towards Iona I spotted a brown, large bird which had a white mark at each end of its wing, I have looked in my bird book at home and wonder if it is a bird I have never heard of called a great skua? I noted that Debby also saw one last weekend so it might be possible.
On the same stretch of road but across the loch I also saw I think 2 eagels, one flying above the mountain and the other flying low above the loch fishing. Unfortunatly due to the very few parking/stopping spaces on Mull and the fact that in the small space we could have stopped quickly there was a mini-bus with people looking through scopes on a wildlife tour, I was not able to have a better look or get my binoculars out, very dissapointing.
I did see many beautiful heron standing fishing at the edge of Lochs or flying low across them.
More on my thoughts on other islands I visited at another time.
I bet Debby and Dave are pleased they work with the non-migrating eagels as at Loch Garten number 1 osprey chick started her migration early and unusually before mum had left, we are now in for a nail-biting time as we track her and the other 4 leave, all very sad for us and the team as we don't know what will happen to them all.
I know the team at Mull will wish them a successful migtration and hope that mum and the same dad return safely next March/April.
JILLIAN, sorry if Ive bored anyone.
Thank you Jillian. Your post brings back happy memories of a similar trip two years ago when the nest and hide were in a different location, as I understand it, further up the Loch, as the approach was from the Tobermory end. Do you think those 'fancy scope' people brought theirs because they knew Debby's was in the airing cupboard!!. Sorry Debby!!.
Thanks jillian, great report. Glad you had a great time
Thanks for the "mini" update as well Debby. That Heather is a clever girl:)
Hi Jillian - glad you made it home safely - and glad you enjoyed your time on Mull - and thanks for the sweeties!!
DEBBY AND DAVE-Good morning from a hot Bournemouth. Just back from our 2 weeks touring Scotland which of course was very hot when travelling up and back in our motorhome but changeable whilst there, typical.
Firstly I would like to tell everyone about my time on Mull. We spent 3 days near the end of our holiday there camping at Craignure which was a wonderful site looking back to Oban and the Ben Nevis range of mountains and infront down and across the Sound of Mull which was breathtaking. I originally didn't book to visit the hide as I was put off by the information about getting there by car and worried about our van on the forest track. I contacted Debby who kindly replied to say that it is possible to get a larger vehicle up the track (don't be put off when you read the info on the How to get there page). I booked whilst away and arrived at the meeting place on/at last a sunny/warm/cloudy/dry morning as the weather was picking up and was met by Debby and an assistant which we followed to the hide. The hide was nearer to the bottom end of Loch Frisa than I imagined and had great views of the area. No wonder Frisa and Skye had chosen this central area of Mull to have as their domaine, its was more secluded and beautiful. It was lovely to meet Debby at last, I was dissapointed that Dave was still away as I had travelled along way to meet him but left them some sweets to share when he got back. The trip was only £4.00 per adult which was very reasonable. Debby started with a talk about our family of eagels and was very knowledgable, some of the group obviously had booked when they had read a leaflet about the project whilst on the island, others with fancy scopes had come with a purpose like myself to see an eagel. When Debby was talking I felt priveliged to know alot of what she was saying through reading comments and followwing this site over the last 1 1/2 years and because of this felt that it was a very rewarding experience. With nature it is hit and miss whether you see anything, however half-way through my time at the hide Frisa first appeared flying high above the trees where her nest had been, she stayed long enough to be able to see her distinctive head colour and shape, Skye then joined her nearby then they left across the loch. Unfortunatly no sign of Heather but I knew all was well with her. My phone/internet only worked sometimes on holiday so have been catching up with comments and blogs yesterday and saw that on the following day from my visit the hide was visited by many eagels, just my luck, however it was fantastic to see Mr/Mrs eagel who I am sure will remain in that area for many years to come.
Debby and Dave and their helpers from other agencies connected to the project do a fantastic job and if you havn't had chance to visit Mull this year, try to next as it is only 40 mins by ferry from Oban and such as beautiful place, we didn't want to leave. It was lovely to see the village where Dave and Debby live and the area they work in, any comment made by them will mean even more now and after visiting the whole island will put everything in context. Daves chickens escape last winter kept comming up in my mind.
Sorry so long but hope others enjoy reading this as I enjoy reading other peoples comments when they have visited.
JILLIAN.
More about my holiday in scotland and the wildlife I saw at another time.
THANK YOU