Corncrakes and Caves

Wednesday May 4

What a superb day.

We were on the first ferry to Iona this morning (the 8.45) , accompanied by the workers and three men and one woman wearing rucksacks. By 9.05 we were behind the fire station, where we also found the team of four. The latter turned out to be a group of Masters students from Manchester who were doing research on Corncrakes. One of them vaulted the fence, placed a recording device in the field and sprinted back. As soon as a male called, they waited 5.5 minutes and triggered their own recording. This was the pattern. Pam was the first and I the second to spot a Corncrake, we then continued to see him as he worked his way stealthily around, ending up next to the recorder at one time. Eventually we had to point him out to them ! We actually saw a whole bird in the relative open. The other views were the usual head and shoulders and one Graucho Marx type crouching run. Brilliant, the best ever.

The team went on to other territories and we walked to the Abbey, had a coffee in the Columba Hotel posh lounge, along with passengers from the cruise ship anchored in the Sound and returned on the mid-day ferry.

The cruise had started in Falmouth, called at Tresco, Anglesey and Rathlin Island and were off to St Kilda this afternoon. Next stops Shetland and Orkney ending in Leith next Sunday. Two old ladies told us!

Six Common Terns in the Sound on the return journey.

A quick lunch before taking the 2.00 boat to Staffa, the Iolante - it was packed having started on Iona. Davy and the crew were fantastic, helpful very knowledgeable and so pleasant. According to John, Davy was a fisherman of lobsters who couldn't get his head round the trend towards crabs - which he used to throw away - and is harder. He took over the Iolante and is a legend in the area.

The ride out was pretty reasonable, a bit of a swell building up. We ticked Gannet, a Razorbill, six Guillemots and 3 Puffins. We were on the correct side of the boat to get terrific views of Staffa and Fingals Cave, unlike last time.

Everyone, apart from us, got off to walk to the cave and  to the tops to look for Puffins. Two people quickly got back on and the crew told us that we had to move away as there was another boat coming in. Off we set and.......drove right into the opening to Fingals Cave! I had my long lens on so could only picture a part of the modern art looking roof.

We then spent the next half an hour travelling the entire circumference of Staffa, seeing hundreds of Puffins, two Bonxies , a pair of Ravens and six Tysties. Waving to the rest of our group as we went - they were toiling up the rock. Absolutely brilliant.

Shags

We travelled back in a big swell, into the wind, passengers on the other side of the boat got drenched.

A memorable day.