Moving On

Monday May 2
Last breakfast with Cathy before setting off on a glorious spring morning - temperature more akin to summer.
A last look at the reedbed and two Sedge Warblers singing at last, saying thank goodness the wind had dropped I reckon. Not a lot on the river so, quickly on to Salen and the turn off for Loch Na Kiel. As soon as we pulled up, a White-tailed Eagle was visible, spiralling above the conifer belt. I took some rather distant photos.

Petrol (exorbitant at £148.9) and a Spa shop before stopping in the off road raised layby we used yesterday to see the perched Golden Eagle.No sign of him but we saw a Tree Pipit, two Redpoll collecting nesting material and a Willow Warbler constructing the first vague cup of its nest.

Lesser Redpoll

We discovered a good parking area near the Fishnish Ferry terminal in a previous visit. A wooded and grassy area with picnic tables and parking spots overlooking the sound between Mull and Ardnamurchan Peninsula. A ferry went out, 

a Tystie flew by and, biggest surprise, The Waverley, the world's only remaining sea going paddle steamer, chuffed by.

Grass Point to scope another Sea Eagle perched in a distant tree near its nest and to take a decent photo of a Willow Warbler at last.

We lunched in an area where we had previously see Hen Harrier after a distant Golden Eagle view. Nothing much around to-day so we drove on towards Fionnphort (pronounced Finfert). Brian was parked outside Pen-y -Ghael P.O and shop with his tour group, bemoaning the lack of birds - weather too good ! He greeted us nicely, as did his wife, we're good ice-cream customers. We then took the unmarked  turning to Loch Assapol. It's lovely up there but again nothing on the water apart from the perennial Greylags, no goslings yet. We spent our time admiring the dear little black-faced and kneed lambs and the tireless display flights of a male Wheatear.
As soon as we parked outside Seaview, Jane rushed out to see us, soon joined by John. After a catch-up, John took our clematis round the back to look after with his and they both showed us our newly revamped bedroom. It looks excellent and there's a splendid new shower instead of the bath with shower over it.  New beds too. Great.
After unpacking - a bit anyway - we drove the two miles to Fidden to eat supper overlooking a silver sea rimmed with seaweed strewn sand. A Mountain Hare fed happily along the verge, most uncharacteristically un-alarmed. 

Twelve Dunlin and twelve Tundra sub.sp. Ringed Plover scurried along, made sudden flights, returning to a different area. A pair of Twite fed on the weed and a White Wagtail pranced past. It was all lovely.

As is obvious, I've managed to sort Google and my Blog at last by downloading Chrome. I'll add a few pics now, but the rest will have to wait.