31/12/2004
It was a good day to see 2004 out with around four otters, a sea eagle gliding along a hillside, two golden eagles, a male hen harrier and two female harriers. Divers are here in numbers now and despite the weather the winter beauty of the island stole the show again I suppose. Have a great and very wild New Year.
17/12/2004
A wild winters day today with frequent hail showers. However we still saw sea eagle, two golden eagles behind at least 200 feeding barnacle geese. A male hen harrier and 4 female harriers together.The islands are very quiet now but there is a closeness to nature and the elements that cannot be bettered. Except of course our dazzling white beaches and warm sand under your feet in summer!!
06/12/2004
I can see rain clearing from Iona across the sea and we had a short break in the weather a couple of hours ago when I was hiking up to the road end with our wheely bin. As usual when I bother to look at the sky there is something to see here and above me were two white tailed sea eagles touching talons and calling. Scoring a goal for your team is a great feeling but seeing truly wild and rare creatures in equally wild places beats it!
01/12/2004
No wildlife trips at the moment of course because of you softies down there but goodness me and goodness me again, you are all missing some incredible sunsets from here. We had a black sky yesterday evening that finished about 500 feet above Iona. The entire horizon was then red and gold. Right now there is a similar dark cloud over Iona with a ball of golden light descending on the island and then reflecting all the way across the sea to here.
28/11/2004
No trip today but we have a beautiful sunset out to sea and over the islands. Our lounge window is like an everchanging piece of art as it frames the different moods of the Island and the sea surrounding it. I don't see how certain days in our Hebridean winter could be bettered anywhere in the world.
26/11/2004
Excellent weather today for two lads that wanted to see a golden eagle. We kicked off with two sea eagles high above us and then an otter not far from our house. Then two high golden eagles which I had seen earlier from across the loch. Eventually though exciting views of three golden eagles displaying and covering a large amount of sky. Also male hen harrier with them.
22/11/2004
Not so wet today and we duly saw a sea eagle and a golden eagle in flight and then really excellent views of three golden eagles with one alighting on a tree. Good shot in the scope. No otters but I saw one on the way out for the trip walking on the shore. Black throated diver and then another good view of a sitting sea eagle. Lots of deer and seals as always of course. Also bar tailed godwit with curlews.
21/11/2004
Very wet day today and we were lucky to see two sea eagles sitting on a tree pretty close to us. Highlight today were three seperate otters though we also saw a distant golden eagle which was an achievement on such a wet day.
17/11/2004
A grey cold showery day today but great sightings. Usual sea and golden eagles, otter, divers, harriers. But having just stopped to feed the ravens we saw three whooper swans on a mountain loch and surprise surprise a short eared owl hunting and sitting really close to us but why so high in the mountains in winter!!!!
15/11/2004
Fiddling on the computer today I looked out of the conservatory and there was a male hen harrier going by. The weather cleared and down the coast I had two sea eagles upsetting gulls and an otter on his way to a small islet with a fish. Off to a meeting in the evening and I saw three barns owls on three seperate territories. One sat close on a fence post about 12ft from the landrover.
11/11/2004
Not really sure why it goes quiet here at this time of year but it does. I drove down the coast to post some mail this morning, its misty and a little drizzly but what a stirring sight it was to see the two adult sea eagles from that area standing on shingle spits 50 yards apart at the end of the loch, like a couple of tourists. One gave me a look as if to say, well its great to have the Island to ourselves eh David?
08/11/2004
The sea is far richer in the winter, for as I went on a trip today the sea was flat calm and there seemed to be birds and seals on every few metres of water. We had all the usual big sightings today but the best for me was my first male velvet scoter on Mull. With his sooty black plumage orange and black bill, white eye patch and prominent white stripes down the side of his body. He seeemd to be fancying a female merganser actually.
07/11/2004
No trips in the last few days and the weather has been a bit poor with little sun but we still have moody views from the new house out to Iona and the mountains of Mull. All around the house the landscape is reddy brown and I look forward to better weather and a trip tomorrow. If you are up here at new year my wildlife trips are still operating and of course we have the winter wildlife package which I hope some have looked at.
02/11/2004
Visitors have tailed away now and so I just had two pretty keen people today and winter is best for the big three, definitely!!! Within 10 minutes we had an otter feeding, another 5 minutes and we had two sea eagles rising from a headland and landing on tiny Islets offshore, behind us we had two golden eagles soaring against a crag. The day unfolded with more eagles and top otter view. Cancel Benidorm you lot!!!
30/10/2004
We have had the usual excellent sightings of our wildlife and top views yesterday of flying and sitting golden eagles for instance but stealing the show in the last week has been the remarkable skies, sunsets, red hillsides, mirror calm seas and truly wonderful elements and atmosphere. It's genuinely 'magical' here on the right days, out of season.
25/10/2004
Mirror calm today with a steel blue sea reflecting below Gribbun Cliffs. Also from the house is a completely white sea looking to Iona. I could not resist checking this for porpoise or dolphins but immediately saw a Minke Whale! First whale from the new house.
23/10/2004
I have said it before but winter is best I think. Yes we get the long species list in summer but today the island was pretty magical with calm seas and fabulous colours everywhere. Excellent views of both eagle species today, a couple of otters and all three members of the diver family, which is very good going. Hen harriers and a handsome goosander. Great sunset.
20/10/2004
Everyone was pretty green today but we got off to a good start with peregrine, hen harrier, kestrel and buzzard interracting with each other. Within ten minutes we had a sea eagle flying in and landing on a tree. Excellent golden eagles circling terraced cliffs which sat and also flew and displayed to each other a few times. Snow on Ben More and great light all over the island today.
19/10/2004
I had a couple out with me today who wanted to see a Golden Eagle as a priority! Well we duly saw a family of three and the youngster was even calling to Mum and Dad. Good day and spectacular goldies.
17/10/2004
No trip today but we took our grandson over to Calgary beach and saw bottle nosed dolphins and two seperate barn owls that evening.
12/10/2004
Its a great spell of weather here. Today we went to the very South of Mull and Fidden which I think is a really good spot for off season birding. In fact we were looking for a Ross's gull seen there. Instead we had really close views of a female merlin sitting and we got another one chasing and catching a starling. I put a peregrine off a rock and had golden and grey plovers, bar tailed godwits, otter, dunlin, twite and it's lovely there anyway!!
10/10/2004
Absolutely stunning light from the house right now with black islands out to sea and a golden sky above them, with a silver sea around the base of all of the islands. A golden eagle took offence to a sea eagle eating his dead sheep yesterday and chased him off before the pair locked talons with each other. We also had another interesting silhouted view of two golden eagles sitting more or less on the top of Ben More!!
08/10/2004
Though I am not on a trip until tomorrow I think its worth an email about the weather! Well its clear blue sky and flat calm seas from the house today. Great sunset certain tonight!!! Guests have just arrived to stay with us and within 10 minutes have seen a golden eagle and red deer from the house. I believe the weekend is to continue with the same sunny weather.
04/10/2004
No trip today so Joy and I had a run to the south of Mull to enjoy its white sandy beaches. As usual there are different sightings to be had in that sort of habitat and we saw a dark phase arctic skua very close, mountain hare, bar tailed godwits, a grey plover and an otter. On the way home we followed a sea eagle for about 10 minutes above our vehicle.
29/09/2004
We are enjoying the most amazing light in the last few days and our wildlife has I think been taking a back seat to this. The elements are very much part of everyday life here and every single day that I drive down our coast to begin an Expedition I am awed by what I see. I was certain that the mother ship was about to descend the other day beacause the light was magical. Then I could see that the little men on the shore were two sea eagles, who still looked alien.
24/09/2004
Smashing warm summer day today and we spent a lot of it on foot at Loch Buie. We kicked off with two high but handsome golden eagles chasing each other. Then two red throated divers and a peregrine carrying prey to the shore and super duper views of it on rocks by the shore eating its prey.Top notch views of an otter and a family of three black throated divers drifted past us at the same time. Finally a golden eagle displaying over its territory. Loch Buie was beautiful today!!
22/09/2004
A great day with an early otter on a small island. At least 8 Sea Eagles today, harriers and another otter grooming itself on another small islet. Highlight of the day for me was on the way home along my own coast when I had a very close summer plumaged black throated diver, which is of course Britains most handsome bird.
19/09/2004
A stirring day yesterday with wild winds and showers and lots of gasps as the golden eagle swept after a raven and then landed to give great views on a crag. The otter was very close indeed, again in windy conditions. Two sea eagles sitting on top of a small and bowing conifer branch were a highlight and again close. Also male and female harriers gave good views.
14/09/2004
Mull is in a wild state at the moment with big winds and heavy showers BUT!! we also had a very wild sighting of a sea eagle today in one of our highest places as it struggled to go forward against the wind. Pity we got the male hen harrier at exactly the same time!Also a really good sighting of an otter as the weather cleared a little and he decided to have a nap on a little seaweed point.
09/09/2004
I woke to a long eared owl patrolling outside our house this morning as well as a clear blue sky of course!! Great golden eagle sightings lately on the trips and as we move into September the tourists seem to be getting normal again! Minke whales a couple of days ago but most interesting to me was pretty certain confirmation of my fleeting leatherback turtle sighting close inshore.
02/09/2004
I had a first today!! Early summer may be best for sheer variety of species but off season is definitely best for spectacle I think particularly with the big three. We were looking to the most spectacular seascape on the island as two buzzards and kestrels wheeled overhead, when two adult golden eagles swept at a buzzard taking it in flight and carrying it around. It then seemed to release it and the buzzard then pursued the eagle. A fabulous moment in a fabulous locality.
02/09/2004
Still plenty of sightings of sea and golden eagles, hen harriers, porpoise and the odd otter, but a more unusual sighting yesterday was of a family of dark phase arctic skuas as they wheeled overhead at Grasspoint and chased after common terns which duly discorged their sand eels and as the adult skuas caught the prey they in turn released it in mid air to their youngster. Dramatic and close.
31/08/2004
Really excellent day today with early sighting of two sea eagles, a number of porpoise, hen harriers, sparrowhawks, red throated divers AND!! at least 11 seperate basking sharks stretching from Calliach point to Treshnish headland and of course fabulous sea views in that area from Skye to Tiree.
28/08/2004
We are in a spell of wild weather at the moment with strong winds and big blustery showers but if you catch these days right they can be spectacular. The direction of the wind felt right for a possible sighting of the two golden eagles above Carsaig and we duly waited there for a few minutes when we caught sight of about three distant eagles. Up came the two adults much closer to give real 'eagly' views!!
24/08/2004
Gorgeous golden sea from the house tonight. Three seperate otters today, goosanders,lots of porpoise, hen harriers are regular now and even in front of the house. Lots of twite, 2 adults and a young sea eagle today. We have had huge numbers of seabirds and terns off the coast of Mull this summer and every whale trip is getting sightings of minke whales and even a humback north of here. Our calm seas are offering great potential for sightings.
17/08/2004
A very good day today with excellentlong term views of two golden eagles sitting and diving at each other or generally interracting. But the highlight was an osprey at Lochdon which had been fighting with a sea eagle earlier. We had really close views of it as it repeatedly dived into the water after fish.
14/08/2004
I had another really enthusiastic youngster on the trip today and I was pleased to get him a good list of species, but the highlight of the day was a group of about twenty ravens rising from a mountain slope with a sea eagle. When we climbed a small hill to get a better look across the glen we could see two adult sea eagles on the ground feeding on a dead sheep along with the ravens. An immature eagle was flying above them which was possibly their new youngster.
12/08/2004
A really pleasurable day for me today with three lots of children who were more keen and knowledgeable than their parents. As a result we had 'excited' sightings of otter, sea eagle, a number of golden eagles, hen harrier and short eared owl, as well as the usual things. Message to all kids.... leave mum and dad at home!!
10/08/2004
I think Mull could have been at its most atmospheric ever today!! It made Lord of The Rings look very very ordinary. However chasing the weather was difficult and we all got very wet as I had a flat tyre on the highest road on Mull, but we did eventually get a good view of the otter!
09/08/2004
A misty moody today with very good sightings of an adult golden eagle sitting near its two young, two seperate otters and two sea eagles balancing on the rather flimsy branches of a conifer.
06/08/2004
Today was a first! However there is something about my August clientelle that was likely to bring this one. We arrived at Craignure to collect our last two people and two of them came trotting toward the vehicle. They got on board and off we went. 10 minutes later my phone rang to say that my two people were still at the ferry point? In short we had 'kidnapped' two tourists who were on another trip!!!!
04/08/2004
It feels as if we are under some magical and mystical spell here at the new house, with the most amazing cloud effects around Ben More and evening mirror calm seas all the way to Iona. Really spectacular encounters with otters in the last two days in a small river going into the sea. A Golden Eagle astride a mountain peak today and both eagle species have their young up and about now. Porpoise are everywhere.
30/07/2004
I seem to be missing lots of dolphins lately and my son phoned up with a sighting late afternoon as a group of bottle nosed dolphins were going toward Tobermory. A tough day chasing the weather but very good peregrine sightings with birds calling and interracting and flying out to sea.
28/07/2004
Slow start to the day but eventually got really good views of peregrines passing prey to their young. Super golden eagle and then a sea eagle sitting in a distant tree but eventually flying toward us. Then a long search for an otter but finally spotted one coming from shore and catching a fish to bring onto a small island.
27/07/2004
Good day with porpoise to start, adult sea eagle with newly fledged young. Thousands of seabirds offshore plus an otter, good views of golden eagle and a hen harrier.
23/07/2004
Tough to be in the right place at the right time today, with a rather drizzly and variable day weather wise. The golden eagle was just going away when we spotted it. The second was pretty high. The sea eagle sitting in a tree was just on the edge of the mist, no otters, the hen harrier was also going away but summer plumage great northern diver was superb as was my view of a very close peregrine sitting on rocks as I drove home.
19/07/2004
Today is what makes nature so interesting! After yesterdays heady encounters I felt it was tough today. We had a fleeting otter sliding off the rocks below us. No golden eagles!! A summer plumaged great northern diver,fleeting sea eagle though we did have good views of porpoise on the way home. The weather was also devilish today.
18/07/2004
An exceptional day today with summer plumaged great northern and red throated divers. Two sea eagles carrying prey and one carried it right over us. Two golden eagles behaving like buzzards and hanging for long periods with wings held back and at one time about 100 meters away from us. Finally a great walk in a wild place and an otter catching spider crabs while his friend the gull ate what it left.
16/07/2004
We continue with rather good weather here. Sea eagles and golden eagles are putting themselves about about a bit, harriers are having a good year and we are getting otters virtually every day. My best sighting recently was fleeting but interesting of a minke whale off Grasspoint.Terns are numerous, porpoise steady but best of all it is great to see peoples pleasure when they see these exciting things.
07/07/2004
Despite the bad forecasts for down south, here in the Hebrides we are in our best spell of weather for the year I think, with beautiful sunsets and blue sky. Orchids are still plentiful, spotted flycatchers have arrived late and like whinchats are thin on the ground this year. Young sea eagles are showing well now and my 'wildest' sited otters are excitng to see.
05/07/2004
I simply love the new house and its situation. Ben More is currently drizzly to the east of my office window and yet already Iona [which has European sunshine records] is bathed in sunshine as I look south. More terrific encounters with sea eagles yesterday, very close with their young iniitally and then descending legs outstretched onto an island with gulls all around them. Harriers, short eared owls and otters also.
02/07/2004
Some really wild sightings of otters and sea eagles lately with sea eagles particularly in some unusual places. Todays otter sighting was also in a remote amd wild setting where we saw no one else. On the way we had kestrel, sparrowhawk and two golden eagles in the same place. Smaller birds are already heading back to Africa but they should stay because it's good weather here.
27/06/2004
Some very mixed weather lately and I am ducking and diving trying to chase the breaks but we are still getting short eared owls, excellent harrier sightings a very close view of a sea eagle sitting in an unusual place. Otters keep giving good views, a probable goshawk today but golden eagle was difficult, but on the way home I had a young goldie and a sea eagle 50m above the landrover. Whinchats are late but now showing well too.
20/06/2004
We are in a spell of lovely weather this week. Lots of sightings of hen harriers, short eared owls, both eagle species and otters. We have a lovely scene from the house tonight with red sea cliffs across Loch na Keal and Ben More is also red with a cotton wool crown of pink.
15/06/2004
Sunny again here!with lots of sightings including a sea eagle sitting on a rocky islet. Sea eagles and golden eagle interracting in the mountains, short eared owl, hen harriers passing prey to each other. Also more golden eagles sitting and flying, otter asleep with his face toward us, great in the scope, then swirling around in the seaweed catching fish. Lots more of course.
13/06/2004
Slightly drizzly murky weather here at the moment but this will change with the northerly winds later this week. Hen harriers passing prey to each other, short eared owls, Sea eagles, porpoise, arctic skuas, great Skua, black guillemots, red throated divers, terns, twite, redpolls, wood warbler etc etc
08/06/2004
Usual sightings of sea eagles today but then two very good moments. First was a short eared owl sitting and then flying very close to us while two others attacked a buzzard overhead. Second was as we were about to give up on seeing a golden eagle, when one swept through a group of hooded crows scattering them to then swing up and pose in the wind above us before gliding off.
04/06/2004
Nothing particularly unusual to report of late but of course my main task is to find Golden Eagles, Sea Eagles and Otters for everyone. We continue to have the most terrific views of all of these species. Lots of orchids now also. My wife has asked me to give a plug for her accommodation in July!!
30/05/2004
A really good day today when all of my wild friends did what they should do at exactly the right time!! Eagles flew when I suggested they would, as did hen harriers, a dog otter marked a dozens little islets and gave great views, it is also back to terrific weather.
26/05/2004
Big views of otters and golden eagles today but best of all was a great spot by me when I picked up what looked like a very hyperactive sheep on a mountainside.It turned out to be the pale head and shoulders of an adult white tailed sea eagle feeding on a possible ptarmigan. It then flew majestically off the crag and away.
25/05/2004
What I would call a romantic sight of two golden eagles today. We saw the first being mobbed by two ravens and then alighting on the third terrace of about about six ridges. As I set my scope up I could then see its mate sitting by its side, their feathered and golden heads blowing in the wind. It was a great sight in a great place.
24/05/2004
I am in typical summer mode now with top views of sea eagles, golden eagle carrying nest material, male and female hen harriers together cuckoos, great northern divers and otters sleeping, eating and generally being otters!
17/05/2004
Lots of exciting sightings but as usual it was our big three that delivered.We waited for some time today in a golden eagle territory. The male suddenly swept off the top of the mountain behind us as if to say watch this for eco tourism David!! He raced above us drawing in ravens, hooded crows and kestrels.Then he swept very low along the opposite mountainside to rise very slowly, gathering wind to race back over us and over the mountain again.Wow!!
14/05/2004
In the last few days..a purple sandpiper which is rarer than a white tailed sea eagle around here. Hundreds of terns and a really spectacular sighting of a great skua [bonxie] in a small shingly bay in the south. He was sending all the birds demented and then decided to pick on a couple of mallards which were chased offshore. One kept going but the skua landed on the weaker one and drowned it and then ate it. Gruesome but its nature and we humans do things that are far more gruesome!
10/05/2004
Nothing too major to report of late except that it has been very dry and sunny and getting warm also. Golden Eagles, Sea Eagles, Porpoise, Whinchats, Stonechats, Warblers, Woodpeckers, Red Throated and Great Northern Divers in summer plumage, Whimbrel, Tree Pipits, Twite, Linnets, Yellowhammers and Rock Doves. Increasing activity with Eagles as their young advance.
06/05/2004
I have been too busy to do postings lately but sightings of late include a close woodcock, iceland gull, whimbrel, male and female harriers passing prey to each other. Also top sea eagle sightings as they put up lots of sitting gulls on our national scenic area on the west coast. Porpoise, plenty of divers in summer plumage, curlew sandpiper, short eared owl and displaying golden eagles.
01/05/2004
Usual sightings of both species of eagle and otters of course but my wife Joy has asked me to give a plug for her very nice food and accommodation in July!! She is full for May. Fabulous weather here by the way at the moment, but my wild flower seeds need some rain.
28/04/2004
It's good to have an enthusiastic group on the trip and three of them were mad keen to see 'eagles' today. We duly had a number of sightings of both species doing all the things that eagles do, as well as seeing harriers, otters and divers. Super weather here.
26/04/2004
More good eagle sightings lately. Today we had an adult female sea eagle carrying a large stick while the male looked on from on high. Very 'eagly' views of an adult male golden eagle interracting with ravens in front of large cliffs and eventually landing to collect vegetation probably for its eyrie. Dozens of linnets and twite are right now eating most of my wild flower and grass seed mix!!!
20/04/2004
Everybody was very keen today and the scopes were handy, with an otter at range and an otter very close and eventually falling alseep in front of us. However we had fabulous views of a sea eagle coming from a mile out to glide past us with a glance and then with its legs extended it went into the sea and took a Guillemot! Further big sightings of at least seven adult sea eagles together and a young one close, together with a juvenile golden eagle.
18/04/2004
Just had three people staying with us at the new house and the lady was particularly keen to see otters. It was great therefore to find two otters within 10 minutes. Top views of them swimming along and fishing and then coming ashore to preen and clean. Another more remote otter in a big bay and again top views from above the otter in foaming waters. A further otter on a small island offhsore. Otters galore day!!
11/04/2004
More top sightings which included a large school of Bottle Nosed Dolphins in front of our house and on a mirror calm sea loch and 7 sea eagles with a golden eagle. Numerous golden eagle sightings and a family of 4 otters. harriers, peregrines, divers and seals.
10/04/2004
We have had a couple of big sightings on the trips in the last few days. First was a group of 18 Slavonian Grebes in summer plumage displaying to each other. Yesterday we had a very big sighting as two Golden Eagles repeatedly chased red deer down a craggy mountainside. The birds appeared to almost ride on the back of the deer at times.
05/04/2004
We are in a wild spell of sunshine and strong showers but we have had some big sightings lately. Probably the most dramatic was group of two young sea eagles and two young golden eagles as they carried some large prey along a ridge and interracted by chasing each other and repeatedly rising high and dashing through the sky in what looked like sheer enjoyment. Good peregrine sightings also lately.
01/04/2004
An excellent eagle day today with a big sighting of an adult bird from the highest road on Mull and as it hit the wind it came right over us. Another immature sea eagle above a small bay as an adult golden eagle chased a young goldie underneath it. The adult goldie then swooped up and down displaying in front of the sea eagle. We had the same sea eagle later whilst we watched an otter cross a small loch to catch fish in front of us.
27/03/2004
Missed a few postings lately, but here we go. Nine sea eagles together and eight great northern divers doing the same plus another 5 close by. We missed a red knecked grebe in summer plumage. Curses. Family of three otters, common and black guillemots, razorbills, 2 golden eagles mating, male and female harriers and short eared owl. Slavonian grebe in summer plumage.
21/03/2004
A drier and less windy day today gave us an otter, golden eagle and dashing merlin in the space of 5mins. On to great northern and red throated divers, slavonian grebe, Iceland gull,two sea eagles,female hen harrier,another 3 golden eagles and the usual golden plovers, eiders, seals, red deer etc,. plus another harrier in front of the house!
18/03/2004
A very wet day today with two people mad to see a golden eagle. Well it was a magic moment as the weather finally cleared late afternoon. Ravens and a hen harrier were suddenly up and then gliding through them was the golden eagle. We lost him for a moment but suddenly he swept up and landed on a peak to fluff himself up and dry his wings. Great shot!!
15/03/2004
A young sea eagle on the way out today. two male hen harriers, greenshank, redshank, no otters but a very high golden eagle. Sight of the day was two adult sea eagles sitting on a headland and having their tails pecked at by two hooded crows. Also possible white billed diver!
14/03/2004
Just a couple of people on the trip today but we got a pink footed goose, golden eagles, sea eagles at a nest, greenshank, redshank, otter asleep with his paws under his chin. goosanders and on the way home a young sea eagle right over my vehicle.
11/03/2004
A very cold and windy day today but I had a full landrover. We had an early sighting of a young golden eagle, very close. It's great when it's someones first golden eagle. I remember mine. A couple of harriers then a wait in wild conditions to spot a pile of something on a shingle spit. I was just coaching everyone to look for such a pile when I realised that it was two otters asleep. They went for a swim and hauled up onto a rocky islet.
05/03/2004
A good crowd today with one girl who had eyesight almost as good as mine!! And she had rubbish binoculars!! So we had three otters, one fast asleep on little islet. A close sitting and sitting sea eagle and one chasing a golden eagle, who was chasing the sea eagle moments before. Hen Harrier, a few divers, but what made the day was the warm sun, snow and being in paradise of course.
29/02/2004
I am not on a trip today but I had to put a posting because the views from the house are like poetry today. There's no wind and a light covering of snow on the mountains and the islands. Little flecks of cloud are wandering around the top of Iona and the whole scene is golden and tropical looking.
28/02/2004
Wow!! From our huge new windows the whole of Mull and its Islands are covered in snow and as usual after snow we have a clear blue sky. How on earth can any sain person not live in the Hebrides!! We had snow buntings, harriers and sea eagles over head yesterday and golden eagles of course!! Otters were elusive though but what the heck Carsaig was stunning.
25/02/2004
It continues to be very sunny but cold here, and it is allowing all our eagles to fly unusually high. We had a really interesting encounter today when we heard a very loud and consistent call, which sounded like a car alarm in the mountains and it was some time before we realised that it was two sea eagles displaying over our heads. It was a rare moment.
19/02/2004
No otters today but fabulous weather yet again. Eagles were all quite distant for some reason but its all about the right place at the right time. We still got them all though and slavonian grebes, goosander and peregrine. The weather is the thing though just lately and round every corner appears a more spectacular scene that the one before. When it's windless here its amazing.
17/02/2004
Fabulous day today. It started with a great sunrise and from the off we got at least 12 bottle nosed dolphins very close and being big and noisy! Very romantic views of two sea eagles sitting on an islet between Mull and the smaller Inch Kenneth from where they pounced on an otter. Two top views of peregrines and four golden eagles. Great sunset.
17/02/2004
Todays dolphin day was definitely inspiring and the whole group showed that emotion. One lady said that 'That was the best thirty poundsworth I have ever had'!!! Can I remind everyone that I like em keen!! So please don't phone me in midsummer and tell me that you are clutching your scope and are keen to join a trip, because I will be full. Please book well ahead because bookings are very good.
12/02/2004
An good trip today with a golden eagle close and just 2 minutes from the house, in 3 minutes two otters, 20 minutes we had a peregrine on a cliff and two sea eagles circling over islets calling. Another peregrine falcon with ravens, slavonian grebes and divers. We also found two people searching keenly for a golden eagle and spotted them one circling against a mountain. On the way back we had a further two sea eagles and a golden eagle chasing them.
05/02/2004
Its great to have keen people and today was no exception but it was so frustrating with sea eagles! Yes we just about got two distant ones and we did get a number of golden eagle sightings but the next day I was chatting about a picnic bench as you do, and a sea eagle flew straight over us. It's how it goes with wildlife. Better get booking by the way, there's stacks of interest in Mull this year.
26/01/2004
No trip at the moment but we continue with glorious weather here. Snow capped peaks from the new house and clear blue skies, though we had a little flurry of snow today. Our new postman is a Sheffield Wednesday fan unfortunately, but I am pretty impressed that he is collecting all his early morning barn owl sightings for me. Wednesday'ites can't be that bad after all!
21/01/2004
Terrific trip today. A young sea eagle seen only twice in 4 years flew in front of the house. Later we found it on an islet with another sea eagle,6 otters,iceland gull,another sea eagle on Inch Kenneth,peregrine on cliff top,slavonian grebe and great northern diver,red throated divers, greenshanks, top views of two golden eagles, red deer, seals of course, porpoise, another goldie, sparrowhawk, two harriers and lots more. Off season is best!!!
18/01/2004
No wildlife trip today but we did have a drive to the shops which is of course a trip in itself here. We caught sight of two otters in the surf and then an Iceland Gull went loping past us. I think keen birders could find the Hebrides pretty interesting in winter. I mean is there a Ross's Gull or a Gyrfalcon on some headland today?
17/01/2004
Another spectacular and sunny day today. Ben More is capped with snow but we can see the white sand beaches of Iona shining across the sea. About 200 barnacle geese have just flown over going to Staffa I think. However this posting is to let regular and prospective customers know that the trips get a short airing on The Natural World on BB2, on Feb 1st at 6.15 I beleive. I know those that were on the trip that day will want this info!! The programme is I think entitled The Eagle Has Landed.
08/01/2004
I think today showed that winter could be best! It was a wild day and we initially saw an Otter under a waterfall before he galloped off to the sea. After searching mountains and woodland for a pair of sea eagles we had a terrific view of them very close and standing on the shore like a couple of fishermen. An Otter was 20ft away. Finally a glden eagle saw the better weather coming from Iona and flew on top of a craggy peak.
04/01/2004
Very up and down day for weather today but we saw a red necked grebe, great northern divers, terrific sea eagle on a small islet and three golden eagles, two otters and a barn owl on the way home plus all the usual Hebridean creatures, mountain hare, red deer, woodcock etc.
02/01/2004
Good trip today with keen people who had been with me before. We had a golden eagle gliding over us and two displaying to each other in the mountains. No otters but two sea eagles building a nest, a female hen harrier, barn owl yesterday and numerous other birds of course including divers. Terrific scenery and colours all over Mull.
04/02/1931
Nice day again. Watch for BBC 2 tomorrow 6.45 I think? The Natural World and the programme title is I think? The Eagle Has Landed. Me and my customers have a very small part!!
Sightings from previous years
2008
2004
David Woodhouse
Isle of Mull Wildlife Expeditions
Ulva Ferry, Isle of Mull
Argyll, Scotland
Tel/Fax: 01688 500121
Mull Eco-Charter
