So we've made it through this horrible week. Enough of the weather. Apart from reporting that the rain has now stopped. The winds have now dropped and Frisa, Skye and the two chicks are alive and well. It wasn't an easy day at the hide for Debby with constant heavy squalls rattling through every time they ventured outside. But by the afternoon the eagles were out and about, they brought in prey and there were some happy visitors. The week ahead looks fine and settled. It's 'Wildlife Week' here on Mull & Iona, our 7th and biggest and best yet. There are loads of talks, walks and events. The RSPB mini-team (Debby, me and Jenny from the Glasgow office) will be running a corncrake walk on Iona on Tuesday, a coastal wander on Wednesday, a film show on Thursday and at some point yet to be decided, perhaps an evening eagle cruise out of Tobermory and maybe an all day seabird/whale watch. So quite alot going on but most importantly, I will be trying to fit in a complete check on all our nesting sea eagles to see how they've fared during this last horrendous week. There are some worrying reports to follow up on: both adults out and flying at one site where one adult should be brooding small young; another where hatching should have happened during the worst of the storms and another where the nest looked unattended when it should have had an adult nearby. The next week should reveal all. There will have been casualties but for the most part I'm hoping nests and chicks will have been well protected by experienced parents. Thank you for everyone's supportive comments this week. It helps to keep us going. Until next time...
Dave Sexton RSPB Scotland Mull Officer
Dave Sexton, RSPB Scotland Mull Officer
Sounds like a frantically busy week but a rewarding one hopefully. So much bad weather and so worrying thinking about chicks suffering cold and wet and parent birds potentially losing broods. If chicks do succumb to something, do the parents mate and lay again or is that it for the season?
Reply: sadly it's too late in the seaon now so that is that for another year if the worst happens
Everybody rides on the karma train.