Christine's walking & birds blog

Three whooper swans were on the far side of Loch Lurgainn; and near them was a black-throated diver, coming into summer plumage (our first on the west coast this year).

Several male stonechats were seen; Greger snapped this one from the car.


A very strong wind meant a very short walk, over the cliffs to the beach. A week ago, the place had been buzzing with skylarks; but today we saw just two and heard only one singing. A great northern diver was in the bay.


Across the headland, gulls had taken over the sandy beach, and the greenshank was foraging a little way off among seaweed and rocks.


A brown bird powered low across the water parallel with the beach - a female merlin. But she didn't take her coat off, she wasn't stopping.

We scanned for an eagle - though not for long; it was a relief to get out of the biting wind and back into the warm car.