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david sexton

A warm welcome to any new visitors to this Blog who have just dipped their toe in after watching 'Autumnwatch' this week. Tonight's your first night without Bill, Kate, Simon and Gordon! How will you cope? Well hopefully you'll enjoy catching up with our wonderful white-tailed sea eagles here on the Isle of Mull and perhaps have a glance back through some of the archive Blogs from the last few months to get an idea of what goes on here.

But first things first - an update on last night's report on the possible accident involving a sea eagle on the main road into Tobermory (see 'A worrying time' from yesterday). Whilst I can't yet give any absolute definitive news as no new satellite data has been received, I do feel more confident that what happened yesterday was a 'near miss' with an adult sea eagle and not with one of our two chicks from Loch Frisa, Mara and Breagha. The police have spoken to both drivers who reported the bird near the road and they are sure it had a white tail and a yellow beak. In other words, a full adult. That then would match the description of the sea eagles I saw shortly afterwards perched on the shoreline nearby. When one of them, a female, flew towards me yesterday I could see grey wing tags on both wings. The male had no visble tags. That description exactly matches the identity of the Territory 20 pair which have a glen in the centre of Mull as their core home range. Whilst the area I found them in yesterday seems to be way outside their normal territory, I can only assume that it is all part of their 'out of season' range where they wander at will. One of them maybe spotted the dead deer remains, the ravens and buzzards and came in for a closer look. It had a very near miss with a lorry and will hopefully never do it again. It's a bizarre, almost freak episode and one I never want to repeat. Today I spoke to Roy Dennis of the 'Highland Foundation for Wildlife' who helped us fit the satellite tags and he promises to send through the latest data for Mara and Breagha as soon as he receives it. And I'll pass it on to you. But tonight, I am more hopeful that they are both well and tonight have hopefully found a good, safe roost somewhere out there in these increasingly windy conditions on the west coast.

Later, as the low November sun appeared briefly through the rain showers and rainbows, I also confirmed that Frisa and Skye are fine. They were perched side by side, almost touching, in the larch trees - both wet through. Every few minutes, Skye threw his head back and called, immediately followed by Frisa's deeper answer. Just like the other pair who lost their chick this summer, Frisa and Skye are also already starting some early autumnnal courtship and reaffirming their special bond. Who knows, fairly soon, I may even see the first signs of their nest site selection - exciting times ahead!

If you want to watch any of the three 'Autumnwatch' Mull Eagle video diaries, you can at www.bbc.co.uk/autumnwatch/meettheanimals and click on 'Sea eagle'. If you want to see more of them in the future, why not make a comment on the 'Autumnwatch' Messageboard? Meanwhile as the crew leave Brownsea Island and Gordon's team head home from the Farnes, we're still here! Come rain or shine, 24/7, throughout the winter, I'm watching out for the sea eagles and keeping you posted on their adventures, past and present. I hope you'll join me here. Have a good weekend and I'll update you with any satellite news if we get it.

Dave Sexton RSPB Scotland Mull Officer

Dave Sexton, RSPB Scotland Mull Officer

  • Thanks Dave - fingers crossed everything is OK - will keep an eye out! off on a geology trip to Ardmore in the morning - will be difficult to know whether to look up or look down! Congrats on Autumnwatch - the films were fantastic and showed the beauty of these fantastic birds that are slowly taking over my daily life!
  • hi Dave Hopefully you are right and there was no serious injury to an eagle, it is always going to be a problem if deer are killed on the road as its a good feed for any raptor.The best thing on Autumnwatch was the sea eagles,we do enjoy keeping up with all the news hope all goes well over the weekend.I am sure lots of us will join you on your blog.We have become addicted to it and see it as essential to keep upto date with the sea eagles on Mull.It gives more information than the tracking on its own.
  • Thanks so much Dave, what a relief. If you can, is there any way you can get/post a picture of the Eagles roosting/sitting side by side? I have never seen it and have a lovely image in my mind but would love to see it for real.

  • Dave - a lovely update as normal , sounds as if you are more sure that it was not Mara or Breagha so lets hope you get an update soon from Roy to confirm that they are both okay - you will be like an expectant father until you get that report pacing up and down . I would love to see more of the sea eagles and also not enough was shown of the seals yet great expense must have been made to send Gordon and crew over to The Farnes and yet air time was really nothing . I did not put anything on the Autumnwatch message board because messages just seem to get 'lost' on there and the people that reply are so rude and seem sometimes not to be interested in what is actually being written , I would so love to be able to do something constructive but feel perhaps a message in a different direction would benefit you and the eagles more so any ideas welcome . Certainly missed Autumnwatch tonight but knew you would not let us down with an update , I am also hoping that the Farne site will be updated as I want to know how my seal 'Archie' is doing along with Nemo . So all in all I am happy Dave - updates and stories from you - but please no cliffhangers before bed as it leads to nightmares !! Long live your sea eagles and data update eagerly awaited . Take care all .

    Valerie