Saturday, March 10, 2018
We looked in vain for wintering water birds on Loch Ewe - but did get our first guillemot of the year, which came very close to shore.
It paddled about snorkelling in the shallows for a while, and then headed back out of the bay. The whooper swan that was here looking rather lethargic on our last visit, had already been seen just outside Poolewe, on a small roadside pool which has water lilies in the summer, and rhododendrons on an island. Goodness knows how it landed there - or how it will take off again.
On the way back, a ringtail harrier was seen hunting over fields near Laide.
Another pic shows that the raptor had five distinct "fingers", confirming it as a hen harrier - although I'm not sure if it's likely to be anything else at this time of year. A cloudy day with temperatures reaching a heady 7°C, but offset by an icy wind that didn't invite you to explore the great outdoors except from the warmth and comfort of a car.
// posted by Christine @ 11:06 AM 
