Anne's Journal

Wednesday May 10  Maybe this was the right day to do some exploring. Uncertain weather, a morning spent relaxing hoping my swollen legs would go down - and no new birds to aim for. Find our own has been the motto for this trip, we've done well so far. We pass the sign to Peter's Port every time we drive through Benbecula.  The west coast is sandy beaches and rocks. The east coast is a kaleidoscope of rocky islets and inlets, the access roads a challenge in engineering.  I loved the drive out to Peter's Port. A very narrow switchback of a road, meandering its way past lochs via narrow bridges, the surrounding moorland a patchwork of bracken, heather, luminous gorse and yet more water.   At the end of the track, we found a concrete area full of lobster pots, buoys, coiled ropes, old drums - all the detritus of a shell-fishing industry. Another car was already in the best position, we parked as best we could for a view of the sea. Another car drew up near us, it was Ian...

 Tuesday May 9 Yesterday evening, a heavily limping man walked up the front drive, clutching a lamb under his right arm. This morning, he drove up to the house, opened his boot and took out three lambs. Apparently, a ewe of his had quads which she couldn't feed, two is usually the maximum, the others are bottle fed or attached to another ewe. The mother died overnight, so he brought the other three to Heather, She now has 17 orphan lambs to look after. I hope she's got one of those multi feeding stations. Loch Eynort is a favourite destination. At the end of the road west well down into South Uist, there is a small parking area and a small wood. The wood has Cuckoo, Chaffinch, Robin and Willow Warbler, the path through it takes one out onto the mountainside where eagles and other raptors can be seen. The loch itself can hold all sorts of different sea birds. Today, the car park already held two well spaced minibuses, taking up a lot of the room. We squeezed in but could only se...

 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 th...

 Sunday May 7 After a reasonably warm day, we'd expected more moths in the overnight trap. There were eight,Three Twin-spot Carpets, two Red Chestnuts, one Clouded Drab, Silver Y, and a female Emperor. The latter was very active so we released her before she could lay  any eggs. Pam didn't want to raise another lot after last year's experience.   On a lovely, warm, sunny afternoon, we decided to explore a couple of roads to the west, off the 'main road' south. Both were dead ends, but it was interesting to see more of the rugged rocks, rough grassland and water scenery which is typical North Uist. We love it - but on a sunless day, we do wonder why.   Then, it was an eastern road to Kalinn. It's a small fishing harbour  with a flourishing shellfish exporting business and seafood restaurant. We enjoy the drive in as it's a loop road - there and back a different way with typical Uist scenery.   The northern track passes an extensive Bog Bean bed. It has ...

  Saturday May 6 Being in an age bracket well within that which remembers the previous coronation, seventy years ago, I was looking forward to that of King Charles 111. I am not a monarchist, but I love all the fantastic pomp and spectacular showmanship of our British ceremony. Especially the marching guardsmen, their bands, and the fairytale coaches. Maybe most of all the horses. We started watching at 10.a.m., finishing at 2.45, after the disappointingly truncated fly-past. The rain and low cloud put a kibosh on that. The morning was punctuated by Heather and daughter Fiona, appearing at our door armed with a three tier cake stand containing two different sorts of sandwiches, sausage rolls, chicken nuggets and cakes. Heather was carrying a bottle of Prosecco. We were overwhelmed by their kindness. How lovely of them. On a warm and sunny afternoon, we drove to Balranald where the campsite had many more occupants than the last time we drove past. We took the track out to Ard an Run...

 Friday May 5 We both love the small island of Berneray, the  causeway linking it to North Uist was officially  opened in 1998, only twenty five years ago. A sunny morning showed the scenery at its best, distant mountains, white sand and Caribbean blue sea.   The obligatory stop to view the seals hauled out on the dark, backlit rocks, was the only one on the way to the clifftop looking across to Harris and Lewis.    The tide was lower than we've ever seen it. The scurrying waders mere pinpricks on the sand.  Not much wind, enough to ruffle the porcupine like tufts of marram doing their best to hold the shifting sands together. We lunched enjoying the view.   Another favourite road takes us to a dead end where the house being built last year is still unfinished. It's a superb setting and looks like a very desirable dwelling - if it's ever finished. From another nearby lane to a house, there is a view of some rocks where Arctic Terns gather to bree...

 Thursday May 4 Stinky Bay was this afternoon.  Careful scanning showed that the apparently empty beach held a fair number of small waders, feeding amongst the seaweed. Predominantly Dunlin, with a few Sanderling, Turnstones and Ringed Plovers. In a small bay amongst a rocky outcrop, twenty plus Eiders splashed and displayed, their head throwing yowls carrying along the beach. Just watching the busy-ness was very enjoyable.  We moved on, travelling south from Benbecula , crossing the long causeway to South Uist before taking the road west to The Range. Our first Arctic Tern of the year flew across the road in front of us, betraying its identity by its graceful bounding flight and long tail streamers.  Oh no. The red flag was flying at the entrance to the Range. For the first time ever. The signs were quite clear too, I thought that the area was out of commission to the forces. There's a big sandy bay nearby, with plenty of space to park at the grassy shore looking do...