Sunday, November 02, 2014
I always say "Never go back." But after the three long-tailed drakes yesterday - I went back. It was worse weather today, with strong winds to begin with and eventually, rain. I couldn't see any drakes but here is a long-tailed duck (right) with a black guillemot (left). I think.
After my walk on the cliffs I drove to Badentarbat beach where I found my old friend the glaucous gull, patrolling the edge of the waves with other assorted gulls. At least ten ringed plovers were on the beach. This is when the drizzle started.
Driving home and approaching Ullapool, I glanced to my right to see a bird hovering in the wind and made a U-turn in a lay-by as soon as I could. I've seen buzzards here, but this looked bigger, and I thought there might be an outside chance it was a rough-legged buzzard. As I sat waiting to turn out of the lay-by a raven drifted over and looked down at me, making muted but protesting little mutterings that always sound as though the world's being put to rights. I drove back up the hill and had a look round; there was no buzzard in sight, but the ravens were flying round the tree-tops below me, being fairly vocal. Next minute I saw this, high above Loch Broom.
A white-tailed eagle was being escorted or chased along the loch by ravens.
I watched the group of birds as they veered away from the loch and disappeared eastwards over the Rhidorroch estate. White-tailed eagles in flight are funny, lumbering things; they make me think of a big unwieldy truck that, once in motion, chunters along quite steadily but is difficult to stop.
I turned around again in the recycling centre, driving a short distance along the road to see if there was anything about in the plantations. A coal tit was busy in a nearby pine. This was joined by a goldcrest - definite goldcrest with biscuit coloured underparts. Then there was a bird that seemed smaller, brighter and quicker than the goldcrest - I caught a glimpse of the face and for a split second I thought "Was that a firecrest?" I never got another look because the goldcrest chased off the second crest; but I did click off this useless shot. Is that a firecrest in the centre, reaching or flying up towards the top-left corner of the picture?
I don't know; but looking at the birdguides website, I see that a firecrest was reported today in Gairloch. That's not a million miles away - in fact Gairloch and Ullapool are on the same OS map.
// posted by Christine @ 10:07 AM 
