31/12/2007
New Years Eve and the most magical day on a Hebridean Island with wall to wall sunshine and a flat sea on our spectacular west coast. The low sun created those beautiful images of shells resting in the golden sand. Climbing Ben More
tomorrow with my boys so if you want to celebrate a birthday or just new years day fly up and join us.
30/12/2007
Six people today, so looking up for time of year. It began wonderfully both weatherwise and wildlife wise with a classic otter sighting, two
sea eagles with one building a nest.One or two golden eagles sitting and flying, harriers and divers and eventually mist and rain.
27/12/2007
Out with two keen people from Holland in iffy weather which can be good! So, two sea eagles rising across a bay with crows. Another sea eagle coming over us to land under a solitary tree. Golden eagle over us in the mountains, hen
harrier along the shore and landing there, two seperate otters today with really good photographs for the dutch people as she came ashore repeatedly to roll around in the seaweed. Not the dutch person, the otter!!!
24/12/2007
Well here we are Christmas Eve and I would like to thank everyone for their support and interest and wish you all a very Happy Christmas.
More wonderful weather again today with hen harriers regularly going past the house. It's clearly going to be a very good 2008 for birds of prey that feed on our voles because they have had a remarkable breeding year.
21/12/2007
Such terrific weather again here with a golden light all over the islands. We are in for an amazing sunset again this evening. Anyone who has taken a holiday here this week must feel
that they have come to an enchanted place. Hang on, think I just spotted a unicorn eating my bog myrtle! With glass all around the house we genuinely get a feeling of living in the tropics when the sun is out.
19/12/2007
No trips right now. What a pity that people have these strange ideas about Scotland in winter. A ball of red sun is just disappearing over the Island of Iona out across the sea.
Every colour that a calm evening sea can be, from purple to yellow to blue to red, follows the sun to the horizon. Its abosolutely serene and beautiful.
19/12/2007
Well back from the big city! What a terrific drive though the Highlands to home with no cars, clear sky and peachy coloured calm lochs and mountains. Here two hen harriers have just gone
past the house very close amid more fabulous weather.Its good to be back but great to be able to buy things in Sheffield so cheaply! How can any of you complain about the government when you are sloshing around in big daft cars and give away shops.
06/12/2007
Off to townie habitat for a week today where more people will walk past me in ten minutes than live on the entire islands of Mull and Iona.
Shops and prices are good but otherwise its disturbing and surely impossible to be an individual in that sort of environment. Here you have to be an individual to survive but you're inspired by a Hebridean wind beneath your wings.
05/12/2007
Atrocious weather to start had people wondering whether to cancel !! But as always it was a great day with really good otters, sea eagles over us and sitting, golden eagles and top was a
December whimbrel who obviously thinks he is in the Cape Verde Islands!! Had us all scrambling for the sunblock in fact. All of the above amid the spectacular winter atmosphere of the Hebrides.
03/12/2007
Well I did not win the Spirit of Scotland award but who cares it was great to be recognised and put forward by others and it was a very posh do
at Kelvin Grove art gallery and museum with towering flower arrangements on each table, as much wine and whisky one could drink. I said hello to Kirsty Wark but wanted Alex Salmond to hear my speech about National Park status for here!!
02/12/2007
WOW what a wonderful and hypnotic day again here, with the most beautiful sunset possible right now. Best time of year for wildlife by far if you get the weather and we had golden eagle sitting on top of a tree during a forest walk to find kingfishers.
All on planet earth should be here today to see wild creatures in the most wonderful environment of sea,islands,sun and snow capped peaks.
24/11/2007
'Heavenly' today and I am not religious but it looks like Angels are gathering in numbers across the sea above Ben More as bright balls of light pulsate through cloudy peaks onto red and gold hills.
I am baffled as to why anyone normal would want to live anywhere else, than somewhere as beautiful as this, which is so close to nature and other wild creatures that live with us on this planet. I should also get on and write my childrens adventure story.
23/11/2007
Another lovely but cold day today. The new house has so much glass that on sunny days in midwinter we are so in among the Hebridean landscape that it can feel like the seychelles.
However its more varied here and less populated. What many do not realise is that these are some of the least populated islands in the world. Even the Cook islands are more populated in fact. Tobermory makes Raratonga look like Watford.
21/11/2007
It is lovely weather but cold here. A trip to Iona was very beautiful. Among the cloisters of the abbey it was serene and thought provoking and a walk across the island to the sandy bays was so quiet with just the sound of turnstones
and the ocean lapping on the shore. The outer Hebridean feel that the south of the island has is just so intoxicating.
19/11/2007
Along with many other people I am deeply upset about the resuming of whaling by the Japanese Government and am personally not buying any Japanese products until they stop murdering humpback whales. Can I suggest that all caring
and civilised people do the same and email the Japanese embassy info@jpembassy.org.uk telling them of your actions and disgust.
18/11/2007
Today is beginning with a wonderful sky over Ben More and dappled cloud and sun out across the sea and over the islands. Did Turner do any other paintings here than Stafffa and Fingals cave because life here is
permanently like a Turner painting. Maybe I have said that before, perhaps lots of times !!!
17/11/2007
Driving wind and rain initially today and surprised to see an adult sea eagle leaning into it all on a small islet. Otter was very close still in some rain but it cleared to give up golden eagle and two sea eagles drying off.
Female hen harrier drifted across the road and wonderful cloud and light effects late on as we headed home.
15/11/2007
Another hypnotic day with regard the look and atmosphere of the islands. Absolutely mirror calm seas meant that we could track mum and a cub otter via millions of their bubbles. Sea eagles
were good, golden eagle distant but dramatic and top views of male and female hen harrier interracting. Yes wonderful and romantic looking island today.Poeple often ask me the best time to come here. Well it was today.
14/11/2007
Just returned through wonderful scenery from a trip to see my son in Cambridge. It was very posh and equally beautiful from a punt on the river!It maybe the best day of the year today with mirror seas, warm and windless. Seen harriers,
sea eagles, otters, porpoise and not even on a wildlife trip. A golden sea has feathery mist just above sea level wandering around the foot of the mountains. Big black majestic peaks then rise up into the sky. I need to take up poetry as a sideline.
01/11/2007
Could I ask my supporters and friends to have a look at my diary posting on the 05/10/07 please.
31/10/2007
We all hate leaving the things we love and its now the end of my season in many ways and though I am off to see Sheffield United !! and the big city, I know I will miss my wilder and more
inspiring friends, along with my beloved Island. But there you go I have things of beauty to see again soon.
30/10/2007
Pretty well a full house today and really sensational close views of a sea eagle landing to be joined by its mate and then off into the hills. Otters of course, porpoise on the way out
and I was gifted for moment in finding my favourite golden eagle in very poor weather. Did she know I was leaving her for a short time and wanted to say goodbye? Maybe not when I am a mere human.
29/10/2007
Just 4 people today but good sightings of golden eagles and otters, great northern diver and harrier. Highlight was an unexpected one with red deer stealing the show as a stag forded a small river in the mountains with his harem of females.
28/10/2007
No trip today but sea eagles over the house right now. I find that when you actually bother to look up at the sky its amazing just what you see. Because our ancestors were preoccupied by the sky and all of natures elements they must have
spent a considerable portion of their life looking to the heavens. Did they have a skull that tilted backward I wonder? Maybe their deep forehead gave them more protection from the sun. Yes I am cracking up !!!
26/10/2007
Only four people today and obviously wildlife virgins again as they did not seem to understand the need for binoculars when viewing wildlife. They were also dubious about the weather which was driving wind and rain but were they from
Watford perhaps !! Anyway the sun came out as did slavonian grebes, divers, otter eating big red fish and mum and cub and sea eagles close. Fallow deer, red deer and close young golden eagle in wonderful orange and grey landscape of our mountains.
25/10/2007
Top sightings today with mum and her otter cub and two young golden eagles being chased of by the resident sea eagle. A number of hen harriers but all in all very good sightings of our big three plus summer plumage great northern diver.
Also wonderful, mystical atmosphere around the island which has to be seen to be understood.
24/10/2007
Good trip yesterday with visitors who somehow managed to stow away on the ferry because they did not have binoculars!! Time we were stricter about this! What's the point of coming without binoculars and may as well be naked? BUT Sea and
golden eagles, very good harriers and otters of course.The most beautiful glowing and mysterious light and shade wandering around the islands at the moment. No wonder the people of the past were so poetic and bewitched by it all.
23/10/2007
Nice crowd today included a couple of wildlife virgins who were quickly converted after a sighting of two sea eagles and hen harrier hunting and sitting well. My spotting of the
otter on the way down impressed them but our trip to Croggan gave us a super walk and sighting of two close golden eagles. Best place in Britain to see goldies on a southerly wind !!
22/10/2007
Really behind on postings lately but I have had my usual 'days at the office' with plenty of sea and golden eagles and otters of course. Harriers are suddenly everywhere having had a poor
breeding season. Could be the excellent vole supply after the good summer here. Sea and golden eagles were up scrapping and we then had one of the seas sitting and looking contented !!
15/10/2007
Just two people today but its that time of year when everyone down south thinks we are deep in snow. Terrific day anyway with two otters straight off and much sighing from my customers,
two adult sea eagles sitting in a tree on our west coast. Two further sea eagles sitting and another flying. An hour with another otter doing otter things and finally two golden eagles soaring behind us. Wet start sun later.
13/10/2007
The island seems all about autumn light and intense colours lately with a low sun at this time of year making the island look even more magical than usual. Still with good trips
also.Two sea eagles flying by today and landing on conifers also all three divers. The island as a living breathing beautiful entity is stealing the show and our wildlife seems happy to stand back and admire too.
11/10/2007
It's not a priority to see wildlife on miraculous days like today with the mountains across Loch na Keal shrouded in white mist and big black peaks occasionally poking above this heavenly scene to then disappear again until
some equally magical scene unviels itself.I think the West of Scotland and its islands are truly alien at times with bursts of sunshine beaming through as if the mothership is about to lift you up, and you would go willingly.
09/10/2007
No eagles today can you believe it !!! But a wonderful atmospheric day with soft light wandering mist, moody glens and roaring stags. The otters were really good, porpoise offshore
and lots of other sightings with everyone saying they had a good trip. But I lost a tenner somewhere!
08/10/2007
Mystical day here and a sea eagle sitting across the bay with one flying across the same bay pestered by buzzards. A few porpoise offshore, hen harrier, cuddly views of female otter with small cub which tumbled backwards with its legs
in the air. Another otter, young golden eagle sitting and flying and magical drive home past golden seas and misty islands and mountain peaks.
07/10/2007
Lovely weather and sea eagle sitting, mum and small otter cub quite close, two or three golden eagles sitting on high and a youngster flying. Highlight was two great northern divers as I
drove back home with guests. They were obviously just down from Iceland for the winter and still in full summer plumage and feeding madly.
07/10/2007
A beautiful day for the trip today but where are all these ecotourists for this top time of year?
It's the best time for the big three and last night barn owls were screeching outside the house and this morning stags are roaring.
05/10/2007
I am very flattered to be nominated by others for this years Spirit of Scotland awards in their environment category. It looks like a very big and posh do !! but it might mean just a
statuette but I suppose it could mean a holiday to see snow leopards in Mongolia!! Please have a look at the website www.Glenfiddich.com/spirit
04/10/2007
Nice crowd today but as usual its tough getting them trained up to actually look. Once on a roll though we had sea eagle flying, hen harrier chasing starlings, otter swimming and trotting
up over a rocky beach and golden eagles flying and one sitting. 3 people on the ferry had seen dolphins coming over for the trip.
01/10/2007
Everyone should be lucky enough to live in the Hebrides for ever on a day like today. Clear blue sky, no wind, warm and a sea like glass. No trip today but a school of six large bottle nosed dolphins were below Duart Castle and
interacting with a group of divers. The sandy beach at Lochbuie was deserted as usual and wonderful to be there on a day like this.
29/09/2007
In Oban today getting my hair cut [been advised that I do not have any and was thus robbed] but coming back on the ferry I saw porpoise and some dolphins escorted the ferry into Craignure and then disappeared. Calm weather again today for
time of year. Spaces on the trip for this coming week if anyone is on the West Coast of Scotland and wants the best eco day out.
29/09/2007
A couple of days of glorious weather which produce wonderful clarity of light and top sunsets. Golden eagle close yesterday pursued by a female hen harrier, sea eagle sitting and distant flying, one or two otters, black
throated and red throated divers and lots of more obvious birds such as twite,goldfinch,ravens,curlews etc.
27/09/2007
There was talk in the vehicle the other day about suggesting that the BBC do a small slot on the best legs in wildlife!! Top candidates are the sea eagle with massive feet rather than legs, goosander and of course the probable winner the redshank.
One or two males have also put their own suggestion forward i.e. Kate Humble and I have a personal favourite which is not printable!
25/09/2007
Cannot record every day of course but today was cold with blustery showers and sun.Very good view of female hen
harrier,twite,knot,otter,whooper swan,skein of geese,adult sea eagle sitting and later young sea eagle coming over us. Distant golden eagles and very good view of another otter rolling around on his back and then bringing a fish ashore.
24/09/2007
Can you believe it today, no otters !!!! Anyway it was still a good day for everything else including golden eagles, red deer fighting, sea
eagles sitting and flying and fleeting views of hen harriers. Not a bad crowd today but they got my usual flack about coming to Scotland without binoculars !!
22/09/2007
Highlight for me today was the early sighting of a merlin as it flew across the road in front of us carrying prey and looked for somewhere to settle and eat it. Eventually it did and gave
great views in my scope on a small rocky area about 25 yards away. Sea and golden eagles of course and otter also.
20/09/2007
Good crowd today had sea eagle flying over with greylag geese. Three otters and the two cubs fighting. Two more young sea eagles touching talons. Another sitting sea eagle and golden
eagle rising over a mountain as the weather cleared. Two more adult sea eagles on the way out and way back home.
19/09/2007
Unusual sightings today as a young sea eagle sat on top of a telegraph post, a young golden eagle lay on his belly on top of a peak as if he were still in the nest and a female otter with two
smallish cubs in very shallow estuarine waters and giving good views along with lots of waders. Hen Harrier also today and peregrine falcon.
18/09/2007
I negotiated the dodgy weather brilliantly today !! Two women in the front were a bit rude in going on about me and 'licking' the new eagle
stamps, but never mind. Otters were good, golden eagles excellent as were the sea eagles but a lot of driving to find weather today.
17/09/2007
Really good golden eagle sightings today as we picked one up crossing a glen, then various sightings of the two adults from that territory.
Otters, sea eagles and at home a skein of geese flew over the house. Winter is coming and already in Iceland..
14/09/2007
Lovely day here today as the the weather in the mountains cleared. Not unexpected therefore that we got four golden eagles up together , two
landed on the hill behind us to give great views sitting together. 4 otters doing various things, hen harrier and two sitting sea eagles.
13/09/2007
I'm often asked about my favourite bird. Well I do like the male merlin BUT I only tend to see the backside of my very favourite bird because she's very fast and usually leaving me! She has great style but she's very bossy and goes in for
tallon grappling quite a lot. So she's pretty dangerous also as she doesn't let go until the very last minute. Yep your right its the female Goldie from Glenmore and what a girl.
12/09/2007
Brassed off with this mizzly murky weather lately but still getting sea eagles, harriers and otters daily. Other sightings include twite,
red throated divers in summer plumage, skuas, godwits, sparrowhawks and young sea eagle sitting on top of a telegraph post !!. Yesterday masses of porpoise off Grasspoint.
08/09/2007
Important I think that all environmentally aware people support the following via the link please. Particularly with national parks in mind.
http://epetitions.scottish.parliament.uk/view_petition.asp?PetitionID=180
07/09/2007
Turned a corner rambling on about the occasional osprey and there it was sitting 30ft above us on a telegraph post. Off it went into the water and caught a fish and flew to a small islet to eat it. In came the two sea eagles with one sitting
very close to the osprey. Hen harriers, otter and a golden eagle chased through the clearing mist by two ravens. Up he soared and gave a glimpse through the mist and then he was gone.
05/09/2007
Another misty drizzly day with no golden eagles, a distant sea eagle, no otters !!! BUT around 9 hen harriers one of which sat in the top of a very high tree. A first for me.
04/09/2007
Frustratingly misty day today as I chased windows in the weather all day. Did get a male merlin sitting on a telegraph wire which we saw again. It had a go at a another merlin but brief encounters. female hen harrier, misty sea eagle but top drawer otter
as the weather cleared a little. After excellent weather all year we seem to be paying a price now. But its incredibly beautiful here as it clears and so much better than Watford !!
03/09/2007
Top day today when we had two sparrowhawks,kestrel,two peregrine falcons, male and female hen harrier, three sea eagles, numerous buzzards and all in the same place !!
Then off we went and saw more eagles and an otter.
01/09/2007
We have had a really good spring and summer here on Mull but it has all gone back to a normal August it seems with misty rain and lttle clear sunshine and warmth.
However all of our wildlife has done really well this year having had good egg sitting weather and excellent rearing young weather and so we are not going to complain. A really good season and customers. Here comes September.
31/08/2007
Sea eagle sitting today, three young hen harriers and a kestrel repeatedly interracting on a small headland on the coast. Further sitting sea eagle. Male otter going ashore and then fishing in the seaweed.
Finally golden eagle circling and crossing to the top of a mountain and latterly another golden eagle from a different territory climbing high to cross a glen. Plenty of seals, deer, dipper, stonechats, buzzards etc.
30/08/2007
No otters today probably because of the very low tide but good views of adult golden eagle and youngster plus really close view of a female sea
eagle as she sailed over our heads along forest and coast. Male hen harrier also today and sparrowhawk.
29/08/2007
Nothing major to report at the moment but all will testify to a good wildlife trip in the last week. Our reasonable weather continues despite the time of year when it can let us down badly.
Otters every day, golden eagles distant but fine and the usual sea eagle drama. Lovely day to start with this morning. Hope its the same with you.
24/08/2007
A really enthusiastic crowd today who were rewarded with dramatic sightings of an adult and young sea eagle. Two golden eagles gave tantalising distant veiws in a ravine but the otter sighting was pretty good.
Highlight for me was the little girl keen on nature today who must have been about 10 and said 'its been a real pleasure meeting you David' !!!!
24/08/2007
Got the date wrong yesterday because on the 23rd we had a moody sighting of two eagles sitting atop a misty highland peak and a mile away another was sitting similarly on a dfferent territory but that was a a youngster with his
white tail showing. Adult and young sea eagle were sitting very close and at last an otter draped across a seaweed rock. Female harrier also.
23/08/2007
I feel poetic because I think all wildlife guides have their moments with their mystical creature. Maybe Costa Rica and at last that jaguar peering through the forest, or the huge blow of a blue whale in the mist. For me its Scotlands bronze headed
bird as each feather wafts in the wind and eyes burn at you. Then she's off along the crags with a see you sometime attitude. We wildlife guides are lucky to be so inspired I think.
23/08/2007
Today was a great day with golden eagles and everyone on the trip enjoyed the moment when we had various golden eagle sightings, sitting close and flying, distant and sitting or just
soaring over our heads while we had lunch. Eagles are inspiring to humans and they have always inspired me.
21/08/2007
Of course I don't just spot Mulls wildlife for people but I also know dozens of these creatures intimately and I duly impressed everyone today with some of that knowledge and what to them was miraculous eyesight. I am sure it was the same
for the guide in India that found me a tiger in January. He knew his habitat and what the creatures might do on certain days etc. Big views then today of golden eagles, sea eagles, hen harrier and otter.
15/08/2007
Yes I am behind with lots of entries, but each day is rolling into the next with typical sea, golden eagle and otter sightings and extras of course occasionally like todays black throated diver.
Very up and down weather at the moment with very warm sunshine at times and then mist and rain.
09/08/2007
Difficult to keep up with postings lately but today was a great moment in the mountains of Mull. As we came off our highest road a golden eagle swept over us and circled with his mate to then land on the hillside. Ten minutes later a
young yellow tagged sea eagle came over the hill and joined aonther green tagged bird to gorge and tug away at a dead sheep with the ravens. Latterly big otter sighting also.
06/08/2007
Forgot to mention golden eagle sitting yesterday !! Today two young sea eagles with an adult going over us and above a seal colony to land. Two otters, the first a terrific encounter
with a big male as he swam and eventually curled up below us on a big rock. Black throated diver also.
05/08/2007
Misty murky day today BUT short eared owl sitting and flying, two young sea eagles and later an adult sittng in a tree, 4 separate otters and on our drive down to the house a long eared owl that flew and sat by our gate.
02/08/2007
On a roll at the moment with stacks of sightings. At one site today without moving we had adult and newly fledged sea eagles, a number of porpoise, three otters, a female hen harrier with kestrel and earlier a short eared owl.
Further otter later in the day and distant golden eagles. A young lady in our group [she will appreciate that] created mass hallucination by convincing everyone that a bush was a golden eagle doing various things !!
01/08/2007
An empty sea loch scene turned into four sea eagles and a female otter and small cub coming from the middle of the loch to climb onto an islet directly in front of us to mark their territory and then curl up and have a nap.
Golden eagles yes and a further otter and sitting sea eagle.
31/07/2007
Another good crowd for this time of year !! They rose to the occasion with short eared owl, terrific sea eagle in the mountains, golden eagle for a moment and then very close and varied views of two adult goldies sitting well
and flying over us. Adult sea eagle sitting and finally a male otter swimming and then coming ashore to everyones delight. And then rain !!
30/07/2007
Top day today with short eared owl sitting and carrying prey. golden eagle carrying prey, two separate otters, peregrine falcon sitting
and finally the much coveted white tailed sea eagle breaking a ridge and giving a dramatic end to the day. I also had a youngster of 8 on the trip who was a pleasure to take out.
28/07/2007
I was getting my hair cut in Oban when a friend came in and congratulated me on my award !!! Seems that the Oban Times report that I have been given a highly commended in the 'Icons of Scotland Awards'.
What that means I don't know but it seems I am an Icon !! Could there be a prize in it of a trip to Mongolia to see snow leopards or just a good plug in the press ! Anyway thanks whoever voted for me XXXX
26/07/2007
The weather has changed alright but it is still pretty good with sightings of short eared owl, otters, lots of porpoise, sea eagles, golden eagles, twite, adder, manx shearwater and other sea birds.
Everyday is different here of course and we have alien skies that could be no more beautiful on Mars or Venus. Mum and her two otter cubs just an hour ago by the way.
21/07/2007
Another inspiring couple of hours today as we arrived back at the house with our family. Offshore were clear splashes of dolphins and sure enough there was a school of 40 or 50
common dolphins. I was down the road and stopping various visitors cars to see the dolphins. One youngster of about 8 years told me it was his first ever sighting of wild dolphins and so he was a very pleased customer !! and I was pleased for him.
20/07/2007
Could be the wildlife sighting of the year so far as two sea eagles pursued a greylag goose on the water. One of the birds evetually went into the sea but could not lift the goose. It eventually swam alarmingly about 100m to a small
islet where it dragged itself ashore and started eating its prey which was originally destined for their youngsters.
17/07/2007
Top action with two sea eagles bringing gasps from onlookers as they raced past us at sea level onyl 50ft away to eventully take a seabird and throw it to their youngster on a hillside.Unique action from the police today when I
nearly got a ticket for parking in a passing place. Well I think it was but who knows when few are marked. Interesting though that no ticket was threatened to the three highland cows sitting in one, possibly for the day!!
16/07/2007
A misty difficult day again today with no otters and golden eagles but very good view of a hunting and feeding female hen harrier. Rewarding drive to find the TV sea eagles Sky and Frisa and sure enough there they were.
Another flying and sitting sea eagle, rock doves, fallow and red deer and lots of knowledge gained today anyway.
14/07/2007
Forgot the black throated divers yesterday right inshore !!
14/07/2007
More up and down weather now but still pretty good sightings, or so everyone on the trips tells me. Numerous otter sightings, distant but still interesting golden eagles, sea eagles
close and distant, number of porpoise observations, sparrow hawks, peregrines, seabirds etc.
12/07/2007
A good crowd and steady day today with two otters asleep and one swimming, golden eagle flying and sitting and latterly a big view of a goldie beng chased by a raven and then landing to give good views in the scope.
Sea eagle sitting and the usual buzzards, deer seals etc.
10/07/2007
Very good views of a female otter with her two cubs today. In fact very good !! Two further seperate otters, a young wing tagged sea eagle
and really exciting sighting of three young peregrine falcons on sea cliffs, learning what do with those talons and their mighty speed. They sat, interracted in flight and gave a great show.
09/07/2007
Been having some good trips but tough today with the weather not really clearing and a cold strong wind made for difficult circumstances.
However we did see a sitting sea eagle and one or two of us saw one flying, buzzards of course seals and red deer looking good. Adding insult to injury is the most beautiful evening here on the west coast of Mull !!
06/07/2007
No golden eagles but sea eagles sitting and flying, good otter sighting again and porpoise, shearwaters and auks. I had a male hen harrier but no one else did !!
Reasonable weather for time of year but misty most of the day and occasional rain. Nice cycle out this evening !!
05/07/2007
No golden eagles today entirely because of the low cloud and misty day but as good as you get view of an otter swimming and then walking over the rocks twenty feet below us. Sea eagle sitting
and one flying over us and along the coast. Big and dramatic view. Seals, deer, whinchat, stonechats, pipits, redpolls, red throated diver, manx shearwaters, auks and orchids.
04/07/2007
Chance encounter with an otter today as we looked at a common seal colony and the otter swam passed and sat on a small rock. Golden eagles were challenging but eventually one sat on the top of a mountain ridge. We had sea
eagles sitting and soaring. A steady but unremarkable day but everyone learned a lot I think.
02/07/2007
Steadily got the big three today and my first young sea eagle fledging. Could be a scotland first for this year. Easy I feel to take certain birds for granted such as redhead with their long elegant legs and stylish walk. However they
easily get their feathers ruffled and can be off like a shot making plenty of noise. Sorry did I say redhead? Well I mean redshank!!
29/06/2007
Very good views of two sea eagles sitting and one later flying overhead, golden eagles and one landing to eat prey, very very good otter sightings and finally a hunting female hen harrier
which sat to be scoped and then flew off catching more prey to take to its nest.
28/06/2007
Female harrier yesterday and male today. Three seperate otters, sea eagles, twite, red and fallow deer and bloomin awful weather. Better tomorrow though !
28/06/2007
No otters today I must be slipping! Reasonably distant but pretty good sightings of golden eagles, one coming dramatically from range above the highest road on the island.
Sea eagles were good sitting and flying. Orchids still around and the smell of the fragrant orchid is gorgeous. Today is rain at last but all day !!!
26/06/2007
we are continuing with wonderful weather here in the Hebrides and yet another sunny but cool day today. Yesterday we got the usual big three but a male hen harrier also.
Watching the apalling weather down south and yet not getting credit for our dry sunny weather is a bit painful tourism wise. You really would think that the most beautiful destination in the world did not exist.
24/06/2007
Been away for a few days in Somerset looking at the hobby and enjoyed it very much. I am also being a bit slow at getting postings on the site but needless to say that each day is bringing otters, golden eagles and sea eagles.
Today was no exception with a number of eagle sightings of both species sitting and flying. Close otter views as he climbed onto various points to mark his territory and then went across the loch for a long sleep.
17/06/2007
Great weather again today though iffy yesterday BUT bottle nosed dolphins in Loch na keal, harriers passing prey in glen more, sitting golden eagle and swimming eating otter. After dinner I had a peregrine over the house and
around 9am a barn owl sitting on the fence fifty feet from the house and it may be fancying, or already in my barn owl box !!!
14/06/2007
On a good run of terrific weather and sightings and today two seperate otters looking very ottery. Sea eagle tangling with buzzards over coastal cliffs, female hen harrier
and two golden eagles doing all the best things that eagles can do when being watched by admirers.
12/06/2007
Good otter sighting in roughish water. Sea eagles flying and sitting, golden eagle overhead and going to join its mate and an intruder. Two black throated divers and a cuckoo sitting on the tee marker for green no 9 !!
Looked for the red backed shrike but to no avail but more orchids, wild goats and then auks offshore. Truly wonderful weather continues here and the wet stuff which I remember is called rain almost came.
11/06/2007
I am in my annual pleasant rut with sea eagles, otter and golden eagles almost every trip now. Various orchids including rare lesser butterfly orchids for Scottish Natural Heritage records.
Many small birds also with whinchat, stonechat, whitethroat,redpoll,all three pipits but missed a red backed shrike today it seems.
08/06/2007
Today was a hiccup in my run of sea eagles, otters and golden eagles on every trip. We did not see otters !!!! However orchids are now evrywhere and yesterday was the sighting of golden eagles that everyone wants
as two circled right over us being bombed by a kestrel and buzzard and as they drifted against the hillside you could see every detail on the two birds. Spectacular weather continues.
04/06/2007
We are missing 'reliable' views of hen harriers and short eared owls in the heart of the island so far and some golden eagles have failed again this year. However we daily get good views of both species of eagle and
otters are also pretty relibale in this clam weather. Porpoise are showing regularly, again because of calm seas. We are having warm sunny days and this will last until the weekend at least. Peregrines now also and orchids everywhere.
01/06/2007
First class sightings again of sea eagles, golden eagles and two separate otters. One was worth following as I knew that in a few hundred meters he
would head for shore and walk up into his holt like a small wet panther !!! These are great moments of high expectation for the watcher as was another otter upsetting a family of mallards with very small young.
30/05/2007
I cannot do a diary posting of every single trip by the way !!! So 'today' the highlight was early on with a sea eagle gliding along a hill and mobbed by a short eared owl. AND last higlight of the
day was at the ferry point after the ferry had just gone and 9 bottle nosed dolphins were right in the bay, leaping and splashing.
29/05/2007
Not such good weather now but a a really wild wildlife day out today with lots of otter sightings, golden eagle sightings were ok but the sea eagle sightings were dramatic as two of them swung down to the coast and landed on an
islet. Later in the day another came of a tree along a forest and then flew very fast and a foot above the waves for ages to then soar up and come fast and low back again. Cuckoo was good as a meadow pipit jumped on its back.
28/05/2007
More glorious weather here today and yesterday when we had distant but dramatic views of golden eagles. Also close in the mountains view of a sea eagle
and great otter asleep atop a seaweed boulder and very cuddly looking and another female swimming later.
28/05/2007
Sea eagles and after much searching and about to give up we had a big sighting of a golden eagle with a buzzard right over our heads. We then had one of my best days with otters and had three separate
and quite different encounters with them. One asleep on a rock and rolling on his back, another just offshore and joining another and a final male otter curled up on a small islet.
26/05/2007
The opposite day to yesterday with lovely weather, golden eagles carrying prey, very close sea eagle mobbed into the clouds by a hooded crow, peregrine falcon sitting and flying
and two otters curled up on an island and then swimming to another with woodpecker, cuckoo and others for good measure. Back to excellent weather for the bank holiday weekend.
24/05/2007
A poor day today I felt with weather that looked like it would clear then didn't and then it might but it didn't!! Though we started well for a poor weather day with an adult
sea eagle across a loch and drying himself off on top of a spindly tree while hooded crows pestered him. Otters were not where they could have been etc etc. A poor day.
23/05/2007
As predicted we are in a very changeable patch of weather with mist, rain and wind which is all very atmospheric and romantic to some but its a devil trying to spot wildlife.
Though as it clears for moments we usually have big sightings like yesterday as a sea eagle rose low from its roost to climb above us and the otter marking his territory as we all got pretty wet but happy.
19/05/2007
Our weather has clearly broken for now with far more rain and wind and it does look like last May again' However golden eagles are still giving good views and otters every trip.
Sea eagles are also showing well and things should get better as young birds advance and become ever more demanding of prey. Sunshine and showers tomorrow which should be good.
11/05/2007
Within fifteen minutes of starting todays trip we had big close views of two sea eagles, an otter very close which we left feeding among the seaweed and then a female merlin being chased very low through trees by an equally fast moving buzzard.
In between all of this two of us followed a possible gull that could have been a male hen harrier and was !!
10/05/2007
It's that time of year when Mull has more variety of species to spot and eagles are busy feeding young. Each good day is now rolling into the next and all on the trips will testify to
inspiring sightings. Today my own highlight was the male hen harrier coming high off a mountain to descend low with prey for his mate.
08/05/2007
Early sea eagles and smaller birds then dramatic golden eagle sightings from low down to climbing very high and later more sea eagles. Highlight of the day for everyone however was the male otter
across the loch fishing and then he came across to our side to climb onto a small point 25 yards away and then various close sightings of him marking his territory very close.
07/05/2007
We had a fleeting sea eagle carrying large prey but the weather closed in until around 1pm and as we waited for a small window of weather up came a young sea eagle
to lock talons with a young golden eagle and from then we had numerous eagle sightings all afternoon and an otter curling up to sleep on the shore. Whimbrel, sparrowhawks and summer plumaged divers also.
06/05/2007
We are in a good run of finding sea and golden eagles. Otters are also pretty close lately. However the weather is more windy with clouds racing in from the sea now.
Has our wonderful calm weather of April come to an end for a while. In fact it feels a bit like last year May but who knows with global warming in control. I was a bit brassed off with sunshine every day anyway!
04/05/2007
Wonderful clear weather continues here and porpoise today, summer plumage great northern divers,close otter curling up for a nap,golden eagles and sea eagles.
Grasshopper warbler, whinchat, stonechat, wheaters, reed bunting, cuckoo, woodpecker etc etc.
01/05/2007
A run of amazingly sunny and dry weather. Sea eagles eating and carrying fish and circling above us. Sitting golden eagle and flying birds also, so top top day with eagles.
Black throated diver and great northerns in summer plumage. A family of mum and two otter cubs with dad a hundred meters away eating a fish onshore.
27/04/2007
Lovely calm seas and clear night skies at the moment. The vastness of the land and seascape from the house makes for a sense of solitude that
is almost touchable and would make any normal person quite emotional. Though I recall pointing out a silver calm sea to some bloke who simply squinted and said 'it's just a grey sea to me' !!
26/04/2007
No otters yesterday but really good views of sea eagle and three golden eagles gliding right over us in misty, moody, romantic Hebridean weather.
Highlight though for me was the 33 Bar Tailed Godwits all in brick red summer plumage and close. Why did I feel the need to sing 'Lady in Red' !!!Also two great northern divers now also in summer plumage.
24/04/2007
Been away for a few days moving my daughter to a new flat amid the morass of life which is the mainland of Britain !! Also drove through lots of rain to arrive to clear sky in the West of Mull.
Today is calm and a bit grey and a sea eagle flew over the house going out to sea and to the Island of Inch Kenneth.
19/04/2007
Otters every day now and spectacular eagle sightings as sea and golden eagles dive at each other with talons outstretched. Male hen harriers regular now also and great northern
divers are gathering here and steadily acquiring their terrific summer plumage. Vivid light and colours lately.
13/04/2007
Some great weather again and good sightings of sea and golden eagles and regular otters now. But the day belongs to my guests staying here who saw
a sea eagle pinching a fish from an otter today.
11/04/2007
Unlike your sun down there ours had gone for a few days to be replaced by mist and drizzle which made birds of prey quite tough to find. But we did have good views of otters and not just the otter got wet!
Wild goats, peregrine falcons, plenty of divers and more misty drizzle were recorded but today is back to normal with sun threatening and eagles beckoning.
08/04/2007
Yesterday we waited an age for a golden eagle but it was then all worth it. As are the sweeter things in life. We had a male otter really close and a female with two cubs not so close but could I find a sea eagle today !!
I saw and heard yesterdays peregrine falcon that lives across the sea and he was right over the house, as was a golden eagle earlier in the day. It's cold now and with some light misty rain this evening.
05/04/2007
Needless to say that the dreamy weather continues here. Lots of eagle sightings yesterday and it has to be impressive when you can leave 5 young sea eagles cirling above!! Good views of peregrines lately.
Two consecutive days with dramatic sights of golden eagles in our mountain range. I would have loved this Hebridean life I have as a little boy !!
03/04/2007
More terrific weather here and super views of sea eagles, a golden eagle up with them, two seperate otters, divers and a peregrine falcon.
Light, colour, shade, golden hills and flecks of snow on mountain peaks all add to the romance of the daily scene here. It's inspiring !!
31/03/2007
Beautiful weather today and a pity that we only got a short view of an otter. As we searched on my own coast I suggested that he would be sitting there when I came home and sure enough he seemed to be giving me a sweet smile as he
lay with his head across his paws!! However big view of a very smart peregrine and good eagle sightings along with summer plumaged red throated diver and group of porpoise.
29/03/2007
Common Scoter today and male hen harrier soaring over the sea. Terrific weather again. No otters but big views of adult sea eagles who are looking like they could have their best year for breeding this century if this weather continues. So top news.
28/03/2007
Terrific weather goes on here and today we had good views of sea eagle, golden eagles, no otters !! But we put up a female hen harrier very close and exciting views of two
peregrine falcons calling and chasing other birds. Forgot my sighting the other day of 18 great northern divers all within feet of each other. I have seen this only once before and in the same area.
26/03/2007
Wonderful weather again here today and it feels more like early May rather than end of March.
First Sea Eagle eggs should be hatching any time now and as usual they seem to have timed it all very well regarding the weather, though I think we may get rain on Wednesday.
25/03/2007
More spectacular weather here in the Islands today and the run through the Highlands yesterday and down through Glen Coe was beautiful and awesome with icing sugar peaks
and golden hillsides. If you want to find yourself again and go back to your ancient and natural roots then the wilds of Scotland is the place.
20/03/2007
Big desires to see a golden eagle today but they were very tough and insisted on going the other way rather than to me, which I usually have off to a fine art !!
Dramatic views of three young sea eagles talon grappling above huge sea cliffs was a highlight and an adult a bit closer and just offshore. Wonderful romantic views of snow capped and sunny peaks all day today.
19/03/2007
It was like a trip to Greenland today with ferry's cancelled and sleet and snow showers. However on the west it turned calm and sunny and gave us spectacular views of 2 sea eagles coming in off the sea to land in trees.
An otter curled up on the rocks after coming ashore with a fish and only two of us saw a distant golden eagle but a good day with a nice crowd.
14/03/2007
It was a lovely Hebridean day today so I went for a cycle down the coast to the little jetty at Ulva Ferry where lots of shellfish are hauled in.
As usual there was no one about at mid afternoon and I watched an otter plopping among the water and seaweed and crunching on crabs. My only problem with such beautiful moments is that I feel I should be sharing it.
13/03/2007
I would like to thank everyone who contributed to the Governments National Park Consultation recently and for that matter all of those who have supported this for a number of years now.
The summary of responses are pretty positive and can be viewed at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/167963/0046203.pdf
11/03/2007
Fleeting views of golden and sea eagles for some today and dodgy weather but actually a good list of sightigns with Slavonian grebes, all three members of the diver family,peregrine falcon,
great male otter eating very close to us,greenshanks and redshanks,turnstones,ring plovers, porpoise, seals,red and a fallow deer with a white fallow,common and black guillemot etc.
09/03/2007
Another beautiful female just passed my way. In fact she slid along our decking showing her very white rump and brown back. Unfortunately not Sharron Stone but a female Hen Harrier and very close!
08/03/2007
8 people to enjoy another top day again with two golden eagles dramatically alighting on a peak from very high up. Otter and sea eagles also but best of the day for me was the male hen harrier circling over hs territory early on and a very
close female crossing the road in front of us. All of which means they are now on territory !!
06/03/2007
6 keen ones today, things are looking up! But it was a long time before we got anything notable today. However off we went with top views of a young golden eagle flying over our heads, going away and then coming back
Then a young otter curled up on an islet by the shore. He wandered around oblivious to us, then really good long term views and close of sea and golden eagles together.
05/03/2007
Just two people on the trip today but I enjoy it if they are keen!! Dodgy forecast but two adult golden eagles were scrapping close with a young goldie...good views. Two really close otters tumbling in the surf and to top it all with the
weather closing in fast we had a pretty close sighting of a male sea eagle carrying a fish. A good day with inspired customers.
03/03/2007
It's impossible for people like myself not to see these magical islands as very romantic, and some sights are overwhelmingly surprising and beautiful. We had wild views of golden eagles, otter and sea eagles today.
Our gigantic evening sky was full of stars as I waited to see another romantic sight, the eclipse of the moon which went a sort of dull orange and transparent colour. Romantic !!
28/02/2007
The forecast was not good today but as it turned out everyone should enjoy such stirring and romantic winter days in these magical islands.
It was beautiful of Calliach point today in our far north west, looking out to Coll and Rhum and the Ardnamurchan peninsula. Golden eagle from our car park kicked us off perfectly.
27/02/2007
What a difference a day makes with driving wind and rain for most of the day today. On my way to the ferry to get some people for the trip I did
have a very close sea eagle above the road mobbed by ravens and we did get golden eagle sightings later in the day but such challenging days are tiring and very challenging.
26/02/2007
One of those miraculous Hebridean days today with warm sun no wind and calm sea. I did some painting of the outside of the house today in just a T shirt.
Well I had other articles of clothing on as well but you get my drift!
24/02/2007
A dreamy quality to the island today and a male merlin within five minutes of the house. Plenty of dramatic eagle sightings and a peregrine
falcon sitting on a cliff top with mist curling around it. Barnacle geese were off in numbers as a sea eagle went among them. The light and colours stole the show today though.
21/02/2007
A lovely day with a nice crowd of people and one being particularly wacky. It eventually culminated with a sea eagle, golden eagles and
an otter on one sweep of the eye, which is quite something don't you think.
20/02/2007
Mull is pretty empty of visitors in the winter of course and driving in the north west can feel remote but beautiful and as we turned a corner yesterday
there was a golden eagle drifting off a small crag to our right. He appeared to land very close to the single track road with crows mobbing it and then spectacularly he took off perhaps fifteen feet ahead of us and rose to join his mate.
15/02/2007
We have two guests on our winter wildlife package leaving tomorrow morning having seen 14 otters doing various things and too many eagles to actually count.
Two otter cubs chased off a young sea eagle sitting on the shore in fact.
13/02/2007
Lots of eagles and otters today and with a young man wanting to see his first golden eagle that was a plus.
Highlight was two very close golden eagles chasing and locking tallons with a first winter sea eagle.
12/02/2007
Fabulous clear day today with snow on the peaks and red and gold adorning every mountainside. Highlight of our trip the other day was undoubtedly
the six eagles of both species having a real dogfight above us.
08/02/2007
Great weather continues here and yesterday we had cloudless skies and lots of eagles culminating in a big view of two adult sea eagles that I know pretty well.
Otters were thin on the ground but like the one we did find they were probably all sunning themselves on shore. All of the divers today and slavonian grebes.
05/02/2007
I say it every year but the very best time of year here is a sunny calm day in midwinter. We have had sunny mild days since we got back from India and a great sunrise this morning over Ben More
which has a light dusting of snow around its peak. Out to sea and across to Iona is a mirror calm scene which is as serene as The Taj Mahal in the early morning mist.
03/02/2007
I have been out of action for a while mainly because I have been in India hopefully to see a tiger and what an amzing experience India was
particularly the tiger as we waited for some cosiderable time before a large male wandered out of tall grass by a lake and ancient ruins on a small island at Ranthambhore. Amazing.
17/01/2007
I have just had two excellent days out with people on our winter wildlife package. Within an hour we had two very close golden eagles, an equally close sea eagle and a male
otter at the ferry point, along with a reporter from Radio 4 who is doing a piece on the possible new Hebridean Islands National Park. It went pretty well. Second day we were on our southern beaches and it is terrific down there.
12/01/2007
I have been unable to post 2007 sightings due to my forgetting to get 2007 on the diary system but ok now and here goes for another top year. Sticking in my mind is the truly wild and romantic image that you can only get in the Hebrides in
winter with wild winds, sparkling sea and the adult female sea eagle from down the loch leaning into wind with her massive feet clinging to a small islet and the elements raging around her. A fabulous wild view.
12/01/2007
Could I please again remind all who love these islands to support the Governments National Park Consultation on www.infoscotland.com/seaviews
It is vital that we are not apathetic about this because without public support it will not happen. Final date has expired but they will still accept responses I am certain but soon please !!
15/05/2004
More sensational weather here today but I think tomorrow is the rain that will change it all here! However each terrific day is like the one before. Today a tip off about bottle nosed dolphins which we found 30 minutes up the coast.
Two of us were down to the shore with very close views perhaps twenty feet away. Peregrines, divers, golden eagles, sea eagles and otters also. Dolphins are like eagles to me, inspiring !! So are our amazing sunsets which are alien at times.
27/04/2004
We had a good hour today with adult and immature sea eagles and golden eagles interracting above us. A female hen harrier later, peregrine and an otter coming ashore which we lost.
Highlight for me was another 'small tick' of a very close grasshopper warbler, warbling away with his fishing reel call. Most divers are now in summer plumage.
Well here we are Christmas Eve and I would like to thank everyone for their support and interest and wish you all a very Happy Christmas.
More wonderful weather again today with hen harriers regularly going past the house. It's clearly going to be a very good 2008 for birds of prey that feed on our voles because they have had a remarkable breeding year.
Another exciting female crossed my path again today and no it wasn't Sharron Stone but an extremely close female harrier drifting along our decking in front of the house. It's also a much better day for weather than predicted by the BBC.
Got the date wrong yesterday because on the 23rd we had a moody sighting of two eagles sitting atop a misty highland peak and a mile away another was sitting similarly on a dfferent territory but that was a a youngster with his
white tail showing. Adult and young sea eagle were sitting very close and at last an otter draped across a seaweed rock. Female harrier also.
What a difference a day makes with driving wind and rain for most of the day today. On my way to the ferry to get some people for the trip I did
have a very close sea eagle above the road mobbed by ravens and we did get golden eagle sightings later in the day but such challenging days are tiring and very challenging.
Sightings from previous years
2008
2007
David Woodhouse
Isle of Mull Wildlife Expeditions
Ulva Ferry, Isle of Mull
Argyll, Scotland
Tel/Fax: 01688 500121
Mull Eco-Charter
