Click here now to see how the sea eagles are doing:
Live sea eagle webcam
There will now be a permanent link on this blog page to the fantastic live webcam from our friends in Estonia showing a pair of white-tailed eagles at their nest. This pair and their two chicks are at a very similar stage to Frisa and Skye and their two youngsters. Just click on the white-tailed eagle camera link. They have other great cameras too. The timings for the two pairs, thousands of kilometres apart, are almost identical. So with a bit of imagination, you can log on to this link above and see what is also probably going on here! We are unable to get a camera onto Frisa and Skye this year as we cannot run any risk of disturbing them. As they move around alot from year to year, we can't get a camera in before they settle down as they often seem to leave their decisions to the last minute. By then it's too risky to install anything. Ospreys are easy by comparison! Anyway, with the quality of the Estonian project giving us very similar information, we will be leaving Frisa and Skye in peace.
It's been a very busy week for us here on Mull and Iona. Our 7th Wildlife Week has been blessed with fine weather for the many guided walks, talks, film shows and events from mountain top to sea level. A quick look at the programme on the Wild Isles website shows just what an amazing array of things were happening, what a stunning environment we have here and what brilliant people we have running things on these islands! Debby, Jenny and I did our bit too kicking off with a corncrake walk on Iona for 25 people. We heard several calling corncrakes and a handful of lucky people even managed to glimpse one in the gardens of the Columba Hotel - alas Debby wasn't one of them! Next day we ran a guided walk with the Mull & Iona Ranger Service along the coast from Fishnish to Garmony; on Thursday Debby was out on a boat trip all day on a Seabird Searcher finding minke whale, porpoise and a whole host of seabirds. That evening we ran a film show for 40 people at the Isle of Mull Hotel showing clips from the brilliant RSPB film "Eagle Odyssey" and a video diary I'd made when Springwatch came to Mull. We ended the week on another evening boat cruise with Sea Life Surveys. The on-board curry for everyone seemed like a nice touch when we set off but by the time we rounded Ardmore Point into the teeth of a gale, the novelty and appetites were wearing off fast. Despite the rough end to the week, we still managed to see sea eagles, golden eagle, porpoise and seals. Quite glad to get back to Tobermory though and onto dry land! While all this was going on, of course, the Eagle Hide was open every day for trips at 10am and 1pm and all is well with our famous family. As you can see from the webcam, the chicks at this age are growing fast with the first feathers coming through, leaving tufty down on their heads. So a full-on week and we could do with a rest but that won't be happening anytime soon. Mara and Breagha, meanwhile, are fine and still on Mull although Mara did recently have a day return to Loch Sunart and the Morvern mainland opposite Mull. They don't like to over exert themselves do they? Just so long as they're safe, that's fine with us. Debby is back at the hide today. I wonder what she's seen? Find out tomorrow. Meanwhile, enjoy the webcam!
Dave Sexton RSPB Scotland Mull Officer
Dave Sexton, RSPB Scotland Mull Officer