Thursday, October 09, 2014
I took the single-track road out to Achnahaird at midday, and for some time got no further than the beach car park thanks to a beguiling flock of twite.
Having finally set off across the cliffs, I was stopped in my tracks by these three long-tailed ducks.
But the interest wasn't mutual.
There were gulls messing about on the water's edge, but the glaucous wasn't among them. A Slavonian grebe made up for that.
A flock of about twenty-five golden plover was flying around with a similar number of small waders, seemingly all dunlins. I tracked them down to a pool where they mixed with starlings; but I couldn't get too close. I love the machair - but there's just nowhere to hide. However, this dead thistle seemed to do the trick.
There were still plenty of stonechats around, and I snapped this one from the car window.
Also seen - curlews and great northern divers; and eider drakes are now appearing in breeding plumage. When Greger and I walked to the shops this morning we saw a Brent goose on the water just off the golf-course spit.
// posted by Christine @ 11:55 AM 
