As I type this blog, the rain is falling hard and fast - our house sits on a slight incline, and the rain is running down the front path forming a small river, then turning into a mini waterfall at the front door step! It has rained everyday since last Tuesday - not just drizzle but heavy, persistent rain while a lot of the UK has been basking in sunshine and hot temperatures. To test the power of positive thought, please can our readers send some dry weather our way. Just relieved we dont have any chicks on nests.
As you can imagine, our birds have been hunkered down for most of the week. Heather came out and gave a spectacular flying display in between one of the showers - she has gained so much confidence in her flying - not so many wobbles as she glides and turns. Skye and Frisa are still staying close to her, keeping an eye on their youngster. Half Pint and his sister have being practising short flights too, with Mum and Dad not very far away.
Our young buzzards have been keeping us entertained at the hide this week - we have two families who have fledged and we are getting some great views of them practising hunting, diving and how to land in a tree.
As I returned from a short visit to Oban yesterday afternoon, I had some great views of diving gannets - they are really amazing to watch. As we were pulling into Craignure and I was pointing them out to my daughter, she said "never mind the gannets - what's that?" Two dark fins were protruding from the water "That my dear is a basking shark" I replied. We are very lucky to witness such wildlife on our shopping trips!
Gannet - Photo Debby Thorne
We will keep you updated on news but in the meantime, I am off to build an ark!
Debby Thorne
White Tailed Sea Eagle Information Officer, Isle of Mull
Thanks as always Debby and I'm sure you are nice and dry now...............
Hi Debbie and Dave and all the bloggers..
Well, I am finally in France now and have bought a house...The migration to here went well. It was a long and arduous journey from Scotland but we didn't get lost !!!!
Rothes the Osprey from LG has decided to sojourn just north of me which is nice and I am getting to know all the local birds...
It is quite exciting that the big migration of our summer birds in the UK come back here for the winter so we are looking forward to seeing lots of our old friends..
Also trying to catch a glimpse of the HOOPOO...Haven't succeeded yet but will keep trying..
So glad that Skye and Frisas new family has done so well and are now fledged..
It will be lovely to follow all your reports through the winter here and hear of all your and Daves stories to keep us birdnuts happy.
I will keep you up to date on the goings on over here and any good sightings I get of anything of interest.
Hope the weather calms down into a long lovely Autumn so that that the young birds can all get their schooling done in record time and they can grow into fine young adults..
Keep up the grand work you do...
Au Revoir..Barbara
Be Happy...Don't worry... :-)
Hmmm. Hope it stops raining soon. Planning to be on Mull from next tuesday!
www.quantumtiger.org
hope you've dried out a bit since the post Debbie, glad to hear Heather is making good progress and i love your photos! gannets and a basking shark...nope don't think I've ever seen anything like that on my trips to the shops!
You in Scotland will have seen this, but for the rest of us, see news.scotsman.com/.../Birds-of-prey-killings-.5587084.jp for the RSPB's horrible annual report on illegal killings. But also, at last a good bit of news about a gameeper, who saved a red kite on the Black Isle - news.scotsman.com/.../Unlikely-hero-saves-bird-of.5565759.jp