Saturday, October 29, 2022
A lovely day full of autumn colours called us out for a walk by Loch Glascarnoch. The first thing we saw was three adult whooper swans sailing majestically along the shoreline towards the dam, pausing now and then to dip their heads and feed.
After that, the birds were a bit thin; but one particular patch of young conifers and birches held a couple of meadow pipits, a pair of stonechats, five or six winter thrushes (possibly redwings, but they promptly disappeared!), and two reed buntings - which also vanished, as seems usual with reed buntings in this location.
For a while I thought we might have a "special" bunting, mostly because of what appears to be a white spot on the russety cheek; but, among other features, the bird in profile shows the convex culmen (top ridge of the bill) of a reed bunting. In another picture, the malar stripe appears black.
We drove to the windfarm road for coffee and cake, and a female stonechat landed in a nearby bush, examined the ground below intently for a while, and then flew away across the moorland. There were no black grouse visible in the conifers and birches, and no birds crossing that peaceful sky. Surely, I thought desperately, there must be something? I had a last scan with the bins - and there it was, a golden eagle!
It was very high and far away. Against the blue and on the edge of the cloud. Half-way to heaven.
Sunday, October 23, 2022
A hunt for crossbills east of Ledmore proved fruitless, but we enjoyed a walk near Loch Craggie in warm sunshine.
We saw bullfinches, siskins, a raven, a buzzard, and our first redwing and fieldfares of the autumn. On the drive back we put up a flock of small birds from the roadside, consisting of goldfinches, redpolls, a pair of stonechats, and a reed bunting - only my second this year.
The redpolls in particular seemed interested in something between the stones of the road surface (as the crossbills had been, back in January). It can't be salt at this time of the year!
This was our first real outing after two weeks of flu and although our walk was short it was a tonic just to be in the great outdoors again, with a wide sweep of country and sky around us and no other walkers.
Monday, October 17, 2022
Seabirds were still dip-feeding at Ardmair or landing momentarily on the water then flying up with tiny silver fish glinting in their bills. Others were resting on Isle Martin or the campsite spit as the tide dropped. Present were: kittiwakes, herring, black-headed, common, and great-black-backed gulls - and a white winger. I spotted it belatedly as it flew strongly up Loch Kanaird; it seemed to have a pink bill with black tip - so not the usual viking.
On the water were guillemots, razorbills, shags, a couple of mergansers, and a large mixed flock of Eider. Throw in a pied wagtail or two, a seal, and an oystercatcher, and this was the busiest I've seen Ardmair for some time. Not with people though - I had the beach almost to myself for a nice wander, first in a shower of rain and then in sunshine. And no wind!
Sunday, October 16, 2022
Day 10 of the flu, and I'm feeling restless. A walk on the beach at Ardmair was just the job, although yesterday's feeding frenzy had quietened down a bit; there were, for instance, no gannets to be seen today. A number of black-headed gulls were among the larger gulls on the spit, and one or two kittiwakes had also landed there.
Yesterday: Greger felt well enough to drive me to Tesco in style in the Tesla - with a spin up to Ardmair first. There was snow on An Teallach (my first of the year) and enough white-bird activity on the sea to bring me out again after we'd taken the shopping home.
There must have been shoals of fish out in the bay, and gulls and auks had gathered in two places while gannets, both adult and juvenile, flew and dived between them. While we've been ill I've glanced out at the garden now and then, with goldcrest and blackcap being the only noteworthy sightings; so today's goings-on at Ardmair were a feast for the eyes. We'll probably get ourselves well just in time to walk across to the medical centre on November 1st and get our Covid boosters - and annual flu jabs!
Thursday, October 06, 2022
Wednesday October 5th
🎵"I'm going where the sun keeps shining, Through the pouring rain...." (Nilsson)
At Stornoway, the usual hoodie flew in to hoover up any scraps of food on the open deck.
I had hoped for sooty shearwater as we saw several on October 15th last year; and finally, I spotted what might have been a couple of sooties - although the second bird could just as easily be a Manxie. Dunno.
One funny thing happened as we pulled into Stornoway. I was eating my sandwiches on the open deck and an American woman approached me with her smartphone and asked if I would do her a favour. She explained that she was making up an album with the theme of "old lady on boats" - and for a second I thought she was going to say "So can I take your photo?" I was just about to bop her one while yelling "Who are you calling old?" when she followed up with "So would you take my photo standing over there?" Oh, that's all right then. Mind you, I am old - it's just that I don't like other people pointing it out! I'm 71 and my poor old rusting car is 17. Which of us will give up the ghost first?
