Thursday, June 02, 2022

Yesterday: After all the wind and rain that plagued the month of May, the first day of June was a huge boost for the spirits! Under blue skies and in warm sunshine, we walked down to the harbour early to buy tickets for the ferry and set off with high hopes on our latest pelagic.

The ferry was packed. We both failed to hear an announcement that was made, and a woman standing next to me at the rail said there was to be a training session with a helicopter. Then the red-and-white Coastguard helicopter was seen in the distance. It flew across our wake and hovered above the end of one of the Summer Isles; I think it was Priest Island. Two white-tailed eagles rose from the island - I've just caught them on the right-hand side of the picture.


They flew around rather than away - which made me wonder if they're breeding on the island. Wouldn't the Coastguard know? Maybe not.

Anyway, this was soon forgotten as the big Sikorsky completed that manoeuvre and started to fly after us. Closer and closer it came, like a huge bee in the clear blue sky. The man next to Greger proudly told him that his mate was flying it - they'd been together in Northern Ireland apparently, army pilots flying Lynx helicopters. The decks were now full of people, and countless arms were raised, holding aloft smartphones. When the helicopter had hovered for some time, at one point coming even closer, a man was winched down onto the ferry behind the car deck and then winched back up.


As the helicopter drew away he waved from the open door - and the crowd waved back, like the kids we all are at heart! I've seen these helicopters on training sessions in the hills, but always at a distance. This was the closest I've been - and I have to say it was quite an exciting experience. Just as well, given that the birdwatching was rubbish! A birder wandered over and complained that he'd just got onto a tern when the helicopter arrived and put it to flight; and we told him we'd just seen a dead gannet, which seemed to sum it all up. Still, I was a bit concerned about the gannet. Stormy weather might have been to blame for its demise - or was it bird flu?

Stornoway at least had common terns to offer; they swooped and plunged in the ferry's wake, much too nippy for my photographic skills. The trip back was little better. A few fulmars, a few kittiwakes, a few gannets, two razorbills, and just one puffin - with guillemots the only bird in double numbers. Back among the Summer Isles, there was some Bonxie/great black-backed gull action above a distant ridge.


But we didn't see the eagles again - and, both outward and return, there wasn't a single cetacean.
P.S. Yes, there was a single one - Greger's just reminded me that on the way out, I spotted a seal "logging" and then, just behind it, the dorsal fin of a porpoise showing now and then before we drew too far off to see them.

// posted by Christine @ 1:06 AM
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