Christine's walking & birds blog

We drove north to Scourie, walking out to the point to watch for skuas. Low cloud lay along the top of Handa Island, and there was a cold wind blowing across our headland as we picnicked in the heather.


It was nice to be there again, although we recalled that on our one visit last year, we didn't manage to see any Arctic skuas.

Once again, the only skuas we could see were Bonxies; but eventually, an Arctic chasing a kittiwake came fairly close in before giving up and flying swiftly back towards the island.


Bonxies flew over our headland and sometimes landed on cairns. One, with an air of "Who you looking at?!" about it, stood its ground as we passed below - before taking off lazily as though its departure had nothing to do with us.

.....while in the tangle of undergrowth out the back were a male and a juvenile blackcap. Siskins have also made their first appearance here since winter, feeding on tiny cones in the cypress tree.