Awake early, after a very early night by my standards, I again tried to write yesterday's account and to upload photos to my Blog. So frustrating, this broadband is very slow and keeps cutting out. It was good to begin with.....
I've actually finished it this evening - playing games between uploads.
Just as well that we didn't do much to-day. A long day yesterday, another to-morrow and then the lengthy drive to Skye on Friday. We drove to Salen, listening for Grasshopper Warbler in the reedbed across the road from here. Nothing apart from a Chiffchaff, our first since the Borders. Eiders, Red-breasted Merganser, Oystercatcher and Sand Martins on the Salen estuary. Then, across to the west coast and lovely Loch Na Keal. A stiff breeze this morning, producing white horses, still another scorcher. We stopped beyond the White-tailed Eagle parking spot, which was full anyway. Pam saw a Golden Eagle rise above the mountain across the Loch whilst a Sedge Warbler sang from the small reed bed and a Great Northern Diver showed briefly. This hot weather seems to have sent them onwards.
As we were about to drive on, an adult White-tailed Eagle flew medium height across the loch towards last year's nest position. Cruising the ridge, a Peregrine which had been hassling it, made an awesome stoop from high above. Brave bird. Or foolish. The eagle disappeared from view. Lovely experience.
Another of Arthur Brown's stopping places eventually came up trumps. We stayed here for an hour, watching six Whimbrel fly onto the rocks, Red-breasted Merganser and Great Northern Diver in the bay and another White-tailed Eagle, its huge wingspan obvious even at the distance and height at which it was travelling. It was going in and out of cloud as it spiralled away.
Then... the local Goldie took flight, giving lengthy views as it left the crag, gathering speed along the edge, before rising on the thermals.
The drive to Calgary Bay is very scenic. Road clinging to the cliff edge in many places, metal crash barriers protecting from the drop onto the rocky shore - not many passing places either. Fingers crossed that one doesn't meet anything, we didn't to-day.
Calgary Bay features on many a picture postcard. The only lay-by possible for loitering to take photographs, is not in the best position. A woman in the car in front, leant out of her window to take a pic as they were driving along. Wish I'd thought of that.
We missed the turning to Caliach Point, thought to be the best sea watching place on Mull (Gordon Hamlett). We love it there. We had to turn back, no wonder, the road isn't sign posted but it's the first left after the Calgary tearooms. My exercise for the day was getting out to open and shut the gate across the road, part of the way down.
We then sat at the end, overlooking a loch, Ardnamurchan visible across the water. Just the sheep, lambs and us in the blazing sunshine and blue sky. We wrote postcards and read for almost two hours. So lovely.
We put the moth trap out last night and again, it started whistling after about five hours. That battery must not last the night. Cathy told us to put it on mains supply to-night, we're off to do that as soon as I've finished this. Not many moths trapped under a clear sky last night. 2 Common Quaker, 1 Clouded Drab, 2 Yellow-horned and one Spruce Carpet.
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