Ferry to Mainland

Up at 5am we were caught by surprise by a sunrise. So more scrabbling around with cameras trying to catch it.

Sunrise over Loch Indaal

Sunrise over Loch Indaal

Sunrise over Loch Indaal

Sunrise over the Paps of Jura

Then quickly round to Port Askaig to catch the ferry back to the mainland. Extreme winds but were were well prepared this time. We started with bright skies but it soon clouded over and was quite dull most of the time.

Port Askaig

Finlaggan heading back to Islay

Ferry flag flying

Gannet

Gannet

Snow on the mountains

Port Charlotte

A day of patchy rain that wouldn't make up its mind in the morning. In the afternoon we wandered down the shore a little from the house to see what we could find. What we found was a little cove with waders. With some patience we had close encounters (but no Otters, which are to be found near there according to a holidaymaker we bumped into later).

But first, wildlife photography comes with its hazards. What I thought was a little scab was actually this little bloodsucker which had been on my arm for most of the week. He came off OK, probably because he was full!

Tick

Common Gull

Turnstone

Dunlin

Dunlin

Dunlin

Dunlin

Dunlin

Rock Pipit

Dunlin

Dunlin

Turnstone

Ringed Plover

Ringed Plover

Turnstone

Pied Wagtail

Dunlin

Turnstones and Dunlin

Meadow Pipit

Shelduck

Common Gull

When on holiday on Islay I heartily recommend spending hours rolling around in cold, rotting seaweed!

The things I do on holiday

Later, after we'd put all the camera stuff away ready for heading home the next day (and after predicting that we wouldn't have to worry about catching a sunset due to the weather) a fantastic, burning sunset descended over Islay. We quickly scurried off with a few cameras but a bit more preparation time would have produced much better shots.

Port Charlotte

Port Charlotte

Port Charlotte

Port Charlotte Hotel

Port Charlotte

Paps of Jura

Loch Gorm and Machir Bay

Off to see Loch Gorm. Not much on the Loch other than fishermen but lots of noisy warblers on the path.

View over the Rhinns

Sedge Warbler

Whitethroat

Bumble Bee

Willow Warbler

After exhausting the limited birds on Loch Gorm we moved on to Machir Bay. Not much by the sea but we did find a Corncrake inland. It was doing a lot of calling but skulking in long grass it was almost impossible to see. Got him in the end, though!

Machir Bay

Meadow Pipit

Corncrake

Then further round to Saligo Bay. More Corncrakes heard but not seen.

Barn Swallow

Barn Swallow

Barn Swallow

Lamb