Five Days on Mull - Part Four

Welcome to the final instalment of our Mull holiday - it's been lovely to see that so many have enjoyed seeing the photos!

On our final full day on Mull we decided to go back to Loch Beg to see if we could get photos of the male hen harrier, something we hadn't seen the previous day.  As we followed the very scenic road southwards a beautiful little bird popped up on one of the posts by the roadside:

It was our National Bird, and he had a song for us!

Awwwwwwww ......... what a sweetie.

As we continued to Loch Beg we found ourselves driving along the coast of Loch na Keal.  We came across two birders in one of the big laybys so we stopped to check out what they were looking at.  It turned out that this couple were staying at the B&B in Salen run by the people who run the boat trips to see Mull's wildlife.  The couple were watching the boat further down the loch ............. but they were also watching what was following the boat:

I turned my head and saw this wing slowly flapping.  I was briefly reminded of a grey heron (!) before realising that this wing was much too massive ......... yup, a white-tailed eagle!  OH MY GOD!!!!!!!!!!

After our disappointment of having our own boat trip cancelled this was the perfect pick-me-up.  What a fantastic bird!

Wow.  What do you say when you see something like that for the first time?

After the boat (and the eagle) disappeared from sight we continued on our way to Loch Beg.  On our way we found another of those obliging buzzards on a post:

It didn't look overly happy to be disturbed mid-preen - that's some look it's giving me.

We reached Loch Beg and stayed there for some time.  To our disappointment the hen harriers mostly stayed out of sight - I can't blame them as it was cold, windy and frequently wet.  Eventually we called it a day and headed to Tobermory - to our relief it was turning out to be a nice evening.  I turned my attention to the harbour and saw that a fish lying on the shore was drawing attention from one or two interested birds:

Inevitably, a herring gull.

Getting splashy with it!

That's not how we'd batter a fish but it clearly works for the gull.

'Better than chips' thinks the gull.

There was bound to be another interested party sooner or later:

This hooded crow wasn't backwards in coming forwards.

It wasn't enough to deter the gull, though.

Eventually another gull got a look in:

One of last year's young herring gulls.  Good to see it thriving.

Nice of it to pose for me!

I was somewhat surprised that the next bird hadn't come after the fish but perhaps it was aware of how picturesque it was looking:

A very handsome great black-backed gull.

I loved the light on the water and the bird's reflection.

Yes, Godfather, you are looking (almost) beautiful.

We headed back to our B&B for our final night on the island.  The following day saw us packing up and making our (reluctant) way to Fishnish to catch the ferry back to the mainland.  Happily this took us past Salen, where we stopped for some last minute birding:

A lovely common gull looking good in the sunlight.

Four goosanders catching some Zs!

A beautifully lit grey heron lurking near the water's edge.

Finishing with a black-headed gull.

I hope you all enjoy this last instalment - and we'll definitely be going back next year!

(Part Three is here).