Port Wemyss and Portnahaven

A visit to Port Wemyss to see the seals again. We got good views last time we were on Islay so we knew where to go. Some seals but far more Shags, flying past like planes from an airport. Then later wandering around the Portnahaven and Claddach area.

Port Wemyss and Portnahaven

A good chance to really test the new 7Dmark2+100-400mark2 with all the flight shots. It doesn't have the magnification of the big lens but it's a lot easier to track with. Definite improvement over the old 100-400mm in speed and accuracy of focus. Still not easy with rapidly flying birds just above water, though.

Grey Heron in sea near Bowmore

Red Deer

Red Deer demonstrating the futility of fences

Red Deer

Shag

Shag

Shag

Shag

Oystercatcher

Common Seal

Common Seal

Shag

Shag

Lamb by the beach

Common Dolphins near Claddach

Roe Deer

Sandpiper

Common Tern

Male Eider

Shag

Gannet

Common Tern

Common Seal

Waiting by the shore opposite Orsay

Shag

Shag

Fishing boat

Greylag Goose

Some interesting birds in the fields at Claddach, not that we could get very close.

Blacktailed Godwit and pair of Whimbrel

Lapwing

Orsay panorama

Information about the lighthouse

Broken egg found on Rubha na Faing

Ardbeg

Hottest, sunniest day so far so we admitted defeat and stayed in where it was cool and relaxed. Apart from a lunch time visit to the Ardbeg distillery. As the pictures show, not a single cloud anywhere.

Old still by the entrance

Old pagoda roof

Ardbeg sign by the sea

Waiting for lunch enjoying the pictures

Fancy haggis

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