They Really Do

 Monday May 8

Maybe we'd get lucky again. After a quick look at Loch Sanderay and then a call for the papers at Bayhead Stores (no papers, the plane didn't land because  of fog), we parked at the road junction where we'd seen a Corncrake a couple of days ago. It wasn't long before a bird called, echoed by another two from much further away. The first bird was very close indeed, he was in the narrow strip of taller grass around the fenceline. Pam soon saw it, it was out of sight for me as it was below the driver's window. Then, it appeared in the open, strolling along, I could see it through the windscreen.

Pam let out a cry, 'it's coming out onto the road'. And it did. It walked slowly to the middle of the road and stood there looking around. The stories are true. Pam got out and took photos in the open, I couldn't resist taking a few through the windscreen. I've been reading some short stories by Pete Dunne, the American birder/writer, one of them was a tongue in cheek wishlist for stuff they should sell for birders. One of them was a filter to fit on the camera which would make shots taken through the windscreen sharp and clear. I wish I had one.

 

We needed to go to the Co-op at Sollas, the Bayhead shop is very limited. We took the coast road, parking overlooking a couple of lochs, one of which has a ruined building on its island. There, we ate a late lunch before moving on to Sollas. No chance of any eagles to-day, thick mist and low cloud obscured the mountains and hillsides. A field containing four Whimbrel was the next stop. A little distant but too tempting.

Pam bought us an icecream each, which we ate in a small car park overlooking one of Uist's beautiful sandy beaches with their rocky islands and surrounding dunes and cliffs. The turning is the first on the left after passing the Co-op driving north. We found it last year. 

Not much point in driving CR in this weather - and it started raining. Pam saw a Short-eared Owl from her side window.

A Blackbird is singing loudly again. It only stopped last night when we closed  the curtains, shutting the light in. We've already seen well grown young being fed.