Ballygrant and Bunnahabhain

A long day visiting woods at Ballygrant in the morning, up to Loch Finlaggan for lunch then an afternoon wandering along the coast at Bunnahabhain. Near cloudless skies, murky haze and blazing sun all day long again.

Ballygrant and Bunnahabhain

Stonechat

It doesn't look much but we were very pleased to spot a Grasshopper Warbler. If it didn't have such a distinctive song we would never have known it was lurking in the long grasses on the back roads. Quite a few were singing near the high road (B8016) and turn for Cluanach.

Grasshopper Warbler

Bluebells in Ballygrant Woods

Thick moss on tree trunks

Treecreeper

Gill

Meadow Pipit

We went up to Loch Finlaggan but didn't stop for long, it's mostly of interest for its history. We carried on up the road a little and had lunch looking over the fields below where a male Hen Harrier glided past briefly. Still no good photos but we keep seeing them so fingers crossed.

Male Hen Harrier

Up to Bunnahabhain for a scramble round some of the rocks and a walk along the stony shore. Lots of Oystercatchers making a racket as usual. There was a lot of haze (as there has been all week) making the Paps a bit washed out.

Paps of Jura

Paps of Jura

Paps of Jura

A Ringed Plover tried leading me away from what I assume was its nest, always keeping me at a fixed distance.

Ringed Plover

I got a garbled message on my walkie-talkie from Gill. Eventually I realised she was telling me an Otter was behind me!

Otter

Seaweed on the rocks

Common Seals and Shag

A juvenile Great Northern Diver was fishing just off the beach as we were heading back. Managed to get a lot closer than usual. It ate at least two crabs.

Great Northern Diver

Great Northern Diver

Great Northern Diver eating a crab (it went down in one)

Gill on the beach

Brown Hare

Bluebells

Male Wheatear

Man as big as Mountain

Herring Gull

Oystercatchers

Not asleep, photographing Seals, honest

Great Northern Diver

Pheasant

Paps of Jura from the bridge near Bunnahabhain distillery

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

Loch Na Keal

A long trip around Loch Na Keal to look for Otters and Eagles. We saw one Otter briefly heading up Loch Beg. No eagles but lots of other things along the way.

Pied Wagtail

Male Wheatear

Female Wheatear

Female Wheatear

Common Sandpiper

Male Wheatear

Meadow Pipit

Meadow Pipit

Female Red-breasted Merganser

Male Red-breasted Merganser

Contemplative Sheep

Oystercatcher

Oystercatcher

Buzzard

Stone sheep pens by the Loch

Gill on bridge by Loch Na Keal

John propping up road signs

 

Lone Tree by Loch Na Keal

Loch Na Keal

Loch Na Keal