Mull of Oa

After a much needed lie-in (for one of us) an afternoon around the Mull of Oa. Didn't go far with all the big lenses. Still extremely hazy.
Finished off the day down on the beach at Kilnaughton Bay.

Wheatear

A pair of Cuckoo were being hassled by some small birds (Meadow Pipits I think). They kept trying to get down to what we assume were the nest but the Pipits were too vigilant. In the end the Cuckoos flew off.

Cuckoo

Willow Warbler

Carraig Fhada in the haze

Rock Pipit

Pied Wagtail

Oystercatcher

Young Great Northern Diver

Young Great Northern Diver

Sunset by Laphroaig

The cottage came complete with a new security feature, Cat-In-A-Pot, a local feline that sits in the plant pot right outside the kitchen window and stares at you while doing the dishes.

Cat-In-A-Pot

Stonechat

Miserable Calf

Reed Bunting

Some shady fella

Kilnaughton Bay

Sky above Kilnaughton Bay

Pennington Flash

A trip to Pennington Flash to see what birds are about.
Very overcast (as it usually is when we come here). A Snipe was lurking in the woods. Blackcaps were in the trees by the first hide.

Great Crested Grebe

 Stopping for lunch at the central hide we saw a Cormorant on a little island. Apparently it had been there for weeks, some of the local birders thought it was dead. We had seen it moving, dragging itself around, and a close-up shows a damaged beak. But, later, it hauled itself into the water and swam off, presumably this is how it's managed to survive so long.

Injured Cormorant

At the final hide we had the usual flocks of Bullfinches and other small birds. Joined this time by some Stock Doves and Jays. We made the most of the close birds, although the almost complete lack of light didn't help.

Jay

Male Bullfinch

Stock Dove

Magpie

Stock Dove

Male Chaffinch

Female Bullfinch

Female Bullfinch

Male Reed Bunting

Female Mallard

Jay

The squirrels were scoffing up bird seed as well.

Fat Grey Squirrel

Male Bullfinch

Male Bullfinch

Female Bullfinch

A female Mallard popped in with a clutch of ducklings, making the most of the dropped seed.

Mallard Duckling

Martin Mere

A cold, frosty and misty day at Martin Mere.

Male Ruff

Black-tailed Godwit

Ruff

Whooper Swan

Black-tailed Godwit

Wren

Female Reed Bunting

Male Reed Bunting

Male Reed Bunting

Moorhen

Ruff

Moorhen

Pennington Flash

A cold and drafty wander round Pennington Flash. Loads of action at the feeders, including a lost-looking Teal waddling through. A Brambling would occasionally pop in every half hour or so, but we couldn't get a nice shot.

Black-headed Gull

Female Chaffinch

Male Chaffinch

Male Bullfinch

Long-tailed Tit

Reed Bunting

Dunnock

Blue Tit

Long-tailed Tit

Male Blackbird

Grey Squirrel

Male Bullfinch

Female Bullfinch

Great Tit

Long-tailed Tit

Long-tailed Tit

Female Bullfinch

Grey Squirrel

Willow Tit

Male Bullfinch

Brambling with cousin Chaffinch

Reed Bunting