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
I see that the year-old sea eagle who left Ireland and is on his holidays in Scotland has been at the Kyle of Durness for a few weeks now, after leaving Orkney and Caithness. I wonder if he was trying to go home to Norway? (He was re-introduced to Eire from near Trondheim in 2008).
Any date on the Blue Peter show when they were at the hide?
Saw the eagles on coast the other day, very grand !
My brother and his G friend have just come back from a very wet Mull, their tent flooded :-S But all the same had a lovely time. Saw a fantastic Adult eagle at Calgary, and a couple of Adults at Loch Na Keal, Very jealous of them.
It is good that the eagles are up and about now though.
I am coming up in about 6 weeks, so your blogs get me excited :-)
And wow Debby, not a bad day shopping - if you get to see a Basking Shark. I think yours and Daves children are so lucky to grow up where they are.
Thanks for Blogging Heather(the human, not sea eagle)
Debby - thanks for update. Pleased to hear such good news of Heather, and other chicks. Like Jillian I wish I could send you our hot humid weather, we are desperate for some rain here in the south-east. I often look at the Glen Forsa webcam to see how your weather is! Our garden birds making use of the bird bath, and feeders, we have had regular visits from (what appears to be a family of) goldfinches this year.
Jillian - so sorry to hear about Snowy. It is always really sad when a loved pet dies. Thinking of you.
Hello Debby and fellow bloggers-I keep trying to send the hot/muggy weather to Scotland for you as I don't like it hot.
Mixed few days for me as I had a fantastic time at Bournemouths 4 day airshow and went on saturday, the Red arrows were their normal fantastic selves, had a lovely paddle in the sea before returning up to cliff tops to hide in some shade to watch the days events.
Very sad tonight as one of my 4 guinea pigs Snowy (one of triplets) had had a badder stone removed last week after being ill for 6 weeks and many trips to the vets before being dianosed, he came through the operation well but was not picking up well over last few days and I had to rush him to the vets as he developed respitory problems today, unfortunatly he died half and hour after the vet kept him to give him antibiotics. It has been very upsetting as he had got so thin and lost all his hair undreneath. We still have his brother (hope he will not pine alone now in hos cage) Coco and his mum and dad. Unfortunatly his sister died last year of kidney problems. The vet said he had developed breathing problems from the stresss of the operation and there was nothing we could do, although it is not a comfort at the moment.
Thanks for blog Debby, is half-pint definatly a boy and does Dave know how many male/female chicks there are this year on Mull?
JILLIAN