April 28-30

 

Friday April 28

Having a relatively short journey planned for today, we could take a relaxed approach to packing the car and leaving the cottage. Stripping the beds and sorting out the kitchen food items etc always takes more time than one thinks. We left around noon,

Responding to a message about the presence of a Ring-necked Duck on Milton Loch, just outside Boat of Garten, that was our first call. Sue had alerted us to the bird and had then told us exactly where Milton Loch is. Thank you. The loch was a very pleasing roadside stretch of water, with many areas of a grass-like growth forming islands where the bird could easily hide. A courting pair of Mute Swans, performing the heart-shaped mirroring of necks beloved of photographers, four Tufted Ducks and a Moorhen completed the bird sightings.

We did not take the fastest route to Lochalsh, that took us through Inverness and other populated places. We took the southern route, which was very rural with easy  driving through attractive scenery.

Although the B and B I’d booked for tonight was listed under Lochalsh, its address was Glenelg. We took the road to Glenelg, about nine miles before Lochalsh. The road was single carriageway with passing places, the first section climbing very high into the mountains before dropping down again to the coast. Although not easy to find, the accommodation was delightful. An old stone house with a garden dropping down to the shore of the Sound of Sleat. The latter separates the peninsula of Sleat on Skye from Knoydart and Glenelg on the mainland. In the grounds were two suites – nicely built extensions. Ours was named Spindrift. A large room, very tastefully furnished and equipped with a fridge, both Nespresso and Lavazza coffee makers, an electric kettle. Coffee table and two easy chairs, bed and shower room. Ideal for us. The promised continental breakfast was already in the fridge.

WiFi at last. I caught up with emails, WhatsApp messages (648 from Cley Birds) and posted two days of Blog. Less than two hours to Uig in the morning.

 

Saturday April 29

This the view from our room this morning, not the sunshine we’d hoped for  to lighten the mountains on Skye.

 

Crossing the Sound of Sleat on the aged ferry – I used this in the early 1970s, with a group of school children on a camping trip – was very tempting. The first boat was not until ten o’clock so we drove back to the main road via the mountain route.

The now free of toll bridge could be said to lose Skye its island status. We joined the motorhomes, many of them European, making our way north to the port of Uig. They are still working on the jetty, and it still looks as much of an organised mess as last year, but the extension is obvious. That’s where the CalMac ferry tied up.

The crossing was very calm, Gannets and auks the only sightings. Pam saw Puffins, I didn’t.

It was good to arrive at Bonnieview apartment. Heather and Ian appeared as we drove in, then helped Pam carry all our stuff into the flat. Heather is incapacitated by a knee needing surgery, still waiting for an appointment with a surgeon. 

The winter has been so wet and cold that the grass hasn’t grown, necessitating the feeding of cattle and sheep on hay.

Time to settle in for the next three weeks

 

Sunday April 30

I stayed in bed until late morning, hoping that it would reduce the swelling in my legs and feet. I read to help the time pass, I don’t enjoy sitting up in bed. Pam did some laundry before asking Heather for help with the new hobtop. I then made a direct transfer of the flat’s rent to her account . She only asked for £450 a week – the rate quoted online is £550, still very reasonable for the time of year. I made it £500 a week. Still a bargain.

Dull and overcast all morning, the watery sun appeared as we drove north to Committee Road. All very quiet at this time of day – until a male Hen Harrier sped by. Two Ravens were a year tick for me.

We decided to drive to Balranald along the coast road, via Sollen. The sun disappeared and the thick mist rolled in. Bother. With such poor visibility it was probably foolish to plough on to Aird an Runair, which is what we did.

Interrupted by a roadside field containing a sizeable flock of Golden Plover and Starlings. 

 

In the short time that we were there – single track road – they took to the air three times, spooked by the unknown.

 

The camp site at Balranald was very sparsely inhabited. Two caravans and about eight Motorhomes. Heather had told us that bookings on the islands ware well down owing to the uncertainty of the ferries. People were worried about being unable to get home in time for work if the ferry didn’t run. A not infrequent occurrence in the last couple of years.

The mist cleared a bit at Ard an Runair, we were able to see the Dunlin, Sanderling, Turnstone and Ringed Plovers on the tideline. Sparse compared with other years. A few Eider completed the list. Looking inland, a call from Pam alerted me to an Arctic Skua flying through. Lovely looking birds.

An inland pool yielded Shoveller, Tufted Duck, Swallows and Sand Martins. On the way back, we both heard Corncrake rasping. Pam scanned all the iris beds but didn’t find a sighting.

Postscript

Whilst finishing off my evening meal, a male Hen Harrier flew past our front garden. Waw.