There are Mull days that are made for eagles and there are Mull days that are not. Today was not the day to be an eagle. The low cloud didn't clear all day and the endless drizzle was, well, endless. On days like this one of the few productive things to be achieved is to catch up on essential admin tasks, the long lists of e-mails, 'phone messages and the various end of season reports. But all the time, you're looking out of the window, hoping for a break in the clouds which will signal an excuse to head for the hills. Today that break never came.
With my door open (to let my resident office robin in for a few biscuit crumbs) I usually have a good view across Salen bay to the distant hills and even on some days as far as Ben Hiant on Ardnamurchan. But not today - I could scarcely even make out the bay. Usually the seals are hauled out on the rocks but they were all obscured in the mist. I also can listen to the alarm calls of chaffinches signalling the presence of a sparrowhawk in the neighbourhood or the calls of the herring gulls which change in intensity when a sea eagle flies overhead. Nothing much was on the move today. But my robin fed well!
In between e-mails and 'phone calls, I thought of what had happened to Breagha yesterday. Was she ok? Had she made it to a safe roost last night? Sadly there was no satellite tagging data received either today so the fact is I just don't know. I can only hope that her severe telling off by Frisa was simply a lesson learned and nothing worse. But that image of her, head down, wings drooped, alone on the hill was not a comforting one.
The forecast isn't much better for tomorrow but you can never really tell what it's going to be like until dawn. I'll take stock in the morning and if there's any visibility to the hills, I'll be there searching. I'm sure if we all think positively, I'll be able to report better news tomorrow.
Dave Sexton RSPB Scotland Mull Officer
2200hrs
Thank you David for update although no good news - except for a well fed Robin . I am sure you will let us know about Breagha as soon as you find out , you must be really worried and all you want to do is head to the hills to find her , it must be frustrating that you cannot . Hope today is better and you can find the family all together and all well .