Christine's walking & birds blog

Nothing much else happened until we were almost across the Minch, when Greger pointed out a dark, narrow-winged bird banking low over the water - and although I got onto it with the bins there was no time for a photo. Is it too early for sooty shearwater? Dunno. A bit later, a bunch of exuberant German women excitedly crowded up to the rail - and there, not very far off, was a whale. Minke, I think. It didn't break the surface again but the ladies were clearly overjoyed that they'd seen it.

The usual hoodie flew in as the ferry docked at Stornoway; and after a quick turnaround we were back on the boat and soaking up the sun on the lower deck (even on this hot day the wind had been obstructive up on the funnel rail and I'd ended up with very cold hands!) Scanning the harbour for birds I noticed the emergence now and then of a seemingly solitary dolphin, evidently finding something to feed on near the far shore.

On the homeward journey we saw a few common dolphins fairly to the ferry. Approaching Ullapool, I snapped this bird as it took off from the water. I think I would have been stumped if I'd only seen it like this.

Luckily, I'd got onto it with the bins just before it flew. It was a black-throated diver.