Day 27

 Tuesday May 21

Another shirt sleeve day. Last year, and the previous ones, we were fully fleece, scarf and gloved. I actually got tired of driving around and parking in the sun, being car bound I couldn't seem to get away from it. 

We began with a visit to Baleshire, to check on the Lapwing chicks's progress. This is the causeway to the island Mags.


 Pam also found that we had a distant view of our apartment from an aspect we hadn't seen before. It shows the land behind the croft. Fiona's pod(brown) is visible on the top left of the photo and the roof of Bonnie View is to the right of that.

 


No sign of any Lapwings, let alone chicks.  It was Committee Road next. As  we drove towards the turning to Lochmaddy, a raptor, accompanied by a couple of hassling corvids, flew towards us, flying directly over the car. An Osprey, our first for the islands. 

Reaching the Raptor Watchpoint, Pam got out to photograph a large patch of Cotton Grass in bloom - and discovered that it likes to grow in wet boggy areas. One male Hen Harrier later, we drove  back down Committee Road to the petrol station at Bayhead. We needed to shop so took the coast road to Sollas which included a small diversion past Loch an Faithean, Shortly before we got there, Pam saw four Whooper Swans on the grass beside a loch on the north side of the road. Returning so that I could get a photo - they'd all spread out onto the water and out of distance.

 On to Sollas Co-op where they did not have what was wanted for tea tonight. Creagarry Co-op was mooted. Not that far in miles but on mostly single track roads where cyclists rarely give way, it takes a while. After that we checked Loch Mor and then Stinky Bay (where else). The usual waders were feeding in the seaweed, Dunlin, Sanderling, Turnstone and Ringed Plover, Eider loafing offshore in the silver sea of evening light. It's not really dark until 10 p.m.- and dawn is around 4 a.m. More than time to drive home.

Until a hurried stop, luckily on a part of the road which has two lanes. Pam had seen a Snipe standing on a pile of tyres - why can't birds ever choose something more salubrious on which to perch. It actually stayed whilst I took some photos, quietly chirping.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Until a passing car hooted, when it slowly sank down as though disappearing into cover. 

 

Sue and Ian leave tomorrow, we'd been hoping to say goodbye but time ran out. We've enjoyed their company during the two weeks they were here.


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