Christine's walking & birds blog

A walk along Inverewe's forest trail brought a large family/flock of long-tailed tits and several singing willow warblers. On the drive back, Aultbea was a bit more productive with common terns fishing and a pair of red-throated divers preening in the bay. As we approached the Mungasdale lay-by a ring-tail hen harrier came flying low over the roadside verge - and one of Greger's many Tesla cameras just caught it as it disappeared behind us.

This is the third hen harrier sighting we've had along this stretch of coastline and it reminded me in these days of the breeding doldrums that there is still enthralling land-based birding to be done. The harrier's hunting ground was the strip of bracken, heather, grasses, and foxgloves just above the beach.

Otherwise, a glimpse of the ferry earlier as it headed for Stornoway and the far horizon now reminded me that I longed to be out there.....