Thursday, February 24, 2022
A walk across the dam at Loch Glascarnoch was just that - a walk across the dam! Turning onto the track at the far end we felt the icy wind blasting into our faces and turned back. Four ravens had been flying around in a sociable manner when we left the car, until two peeled off and headed south while the other two flew back to a possible nest in the usual place on the wall. It was Greger who spotted the eagle quartering the hillside downstream of the dam. I thought at first that it was our first golden of the year - a large female, maybe; but as it flew steadily towards us it showed the proportions and plumage details of an immature white-tailed sea eagle.
At the other end of the loch a dipper was still present, swimming and diving below the lay-by; and although there had again been no snow buntings, the dipper, the eagle, and the ravens' flying display had made the trip worthwhile.
After returning home, I went out again to look for white-wingers and snapped an Iceland gull in the harbour.
An extremely fierce hailstorm sent me back to my car and it went on for so long that I gave up and drove home.
Yesterday: Between hailstorms, I walked along West Shore Street and spotted a black guillemot on the choppy water - more or less in breeding plumage.
The ferry, meanwhile, was in dock; I don't think it went anywhere today.
// posted by Christine @ 11:47 AM 
