Scotland Journey Pt 7 - Otters, Divers & Lekking Grouse

Had an early start, up at 5am and found the car needed de-icing as it was -4c.The plan was to get to a local lekking area not long after sunrise.
The sun though was beating us.
The road to Fort William at 6.30am.

We made it up to the area we had seen Black Grouse in last year.
This sheep was enjoying the morning view.(Photo by Majella Fox.)

Almost immediately there were 2 Black Grouse on the hillside, just feeding and not looking too bothered with each other.Within 10 minutes another 8 had arrived to the leks causing a brief spell of confrontation before they all flew off to a distant tree.:(

It was still early so thought I would go see if any otters were about in Loch Linnhe.
This Greater Black Backed Gull arrived first though with a fish breakfast.

 An otter then appeared on one of the islands, ignoring the Grey Heron and leaving spraint on one of the rocks before swimming in our direction ,then disappearing from sight in the nearby bank where we know a holt is.

From further up River Lochy a second otter came into view.It swam past the first island and the guls and oystercatchers straight to where the first otter had left spraint.After a quick check on the deposit it swam to the edge of the island where it spent a half hour fishing.

We decided to head to Ardnamurchan but by driving around Loch Eil & Linnhe.The temperature still hadn't risen much and the loch shore was lined with ice.(Photos by Majella Fox)

A boat in the calm icy waters of Loch Eil.

An Oystercatcher trying to find some unfrozen ground amongst the ice on the shore.

As we turned south down Loch Linnhe I noticed a bird midway on the loch that didn't look like a Shag or Cormorant.Then there were two.On closer inspection it turned out to be two stunning Red Throated Divers.

With Oystercatchers,Mergansers,Little Grebes,Shags,Wigeon and Goldeneye we were getting to a point where we were stopping in every other layby(passing place;))
Next to catch my eye was some shape on the rocks near a jetty.It was a Harbour Seal, and a pretty laid back one at that.It managed to find the effort to lift its head to check us out then thought, can't be bothered and just went back to sleep catching the suns rays..

Lunch at Strontian was followed by a quick trip to Loch Sunart and the Garbh Eilean hide.There were more seals here along with Mergansers, Rock Pipits, Oystercatchers and numerous Grey Herons probably from the local Heronry on the island.
The Heronry.Yes, there are some herons in the photo if you can find them;)

An Oystercatcher on Loch Sunart.

We headed back to Fort William via the Corran ferry and its 5 minute crossing, much calmer than our last trip over the loch last year.

Another Highland Cow photo from the farm to end the blog with.

Total Bird List for trip -
61.Black Grouse(New for 2014) 62.Red Throated Diver(New for 2014)

Tomorrow will be spent in the Cairngorms with the evening ending at Speyside Wildlife hide with our friend to hopefully view Pine Marten and Badgers.

Thanks for reading:)

Scotland Journey Pt 6 - The Road To The Isles

After a late night with alcohol into this morning, we took a relaxing drive down The Road To The Isles towards Mallaig from Fort William.
It was our second gloriously sunny day with hardly a cloud in the sky.
We drove for an hour stopping a couple of times to watch Buzzards soaring along the ridges to arrive in Arisaig.
We took a first left in the village which takes us to Rhu peninsula.A wonderful coastal single track road with various inlets and a view over to the Isles of Rum & Eigg.
Oystercatchers were the first birds on the beaches.

Our progress was then hampered by a trio of cows, one which was rather reluctant to give way to passing vehicles:)

Goldeneye and Shelducks were found in the next quiet bay.
Male Goldeneye

A pair of Shelducks.

The bay at the end of the public road produced a pair of Great Northern Divers still in Winter plumage.

Numerous Red Breasted Mergansers played on the waves with males displaying without reward to the females and so decided to bathe instead.

Ignoring the amorous Mergansers were a group of Harbour Seals(12 in all in the bay) lounging on the rocks enjoying the Spring sun.

As we returned back the way we came into Arisaig 3 Buzzards circled over the moorland.
Continuuing along the main coastal road took us past more white beaches with crystal blue waters.(photo by Majella Fox)

Watching the Oystercatchers from the beach near Arisaig.(photo by Majella Fox)

A Rock Pipit patrolled the rock pools on the beach.

 The famous White Sands Of Morar between Arisaig and Mallaig.

Into Mallaig and the harbour was filled with gulls, most resting in the sun on the pontoons.A Kumlien's Gull has been seen here but I could not identify it amongst these gulls.

More Gulls, Eiders and Shags were on the distant rocks and waves but a single Shag had tried its luck within the harbour and found it to be just the right Plaice;)
Shag catching a Plaice.

On our way back east to Fort William we stopped at Glenfinnan to view Loch Shiel.

The Highland cattle were waiting for us when we got back to the cabin.

On a late night walk around the farm in the dark I failed to find the Barn Owl that was out the previous night but it nests in the farm barn so will try again.
Total Bird List for trip -
58.Red Breasted Merganser 59.Shag 60.Great Northern Diver

Tomorrow is an early start as we head to a local lekking patch in hope of seeing Black Grouse do their thing:)

Thanks again for continuuing to follow my blog:)