Back to reality!!!

Red Kites at Argaty Farm - Doune

Over 200 Waxwings at Doune

Sparrowhawk at Doune

In for the Kill, poor goose! (Terrible photo!)

White Tailed Sea Eagle

Common Buzzard

Otter

Slavonian Grebe in Winter plumage

Old boat at Pennyghael, a good spot to birdwatch. We had excellent views through scope of a female merlin here. watched with Brian Raines who runs wildlife trips from here.

Great Northern Diver - Loch Na Keal

Fallow Deer at Knock.

Buzzard at Pennyghael - just a common?

Hen HarrierLarge flock of Bullfinch on the track to Loch Frisa, never seen so many together in one place.

Hen Harrier on the road to Tobermory.

Large flock of Crossbills near Loch Frisa hide.

Buzzard gets attacked by crow.

A few views from our cottage garden of the airstrip and sound of Mull

Herons everywhere

Ring Billed Gull in Oban.

The ferry crossing was lovely.

The journey up through the mountains was stunning.

Duart Castle - Isle of Mull

Just come back from a week on Mull and We wish we could have stayed there forever. To get up on a morning and look out of the kitchen window and see the mountains and water with otters swimming in the sea and Sea Eagles flying trying to pick up a goose or two for their breakfast is so much better than looking out onto a close full of cars!! Even the people there relate to you as though they have known you forever and are so kind and helpful and make you feel wanted whereas some people here rush around and haven't even got the time to say hello. Anyway enough of the moaning. We had an excellent week with mixed weather but we really had a brilliant time and very relaxing. We had two otters by the cottage each morning and a pair of Sea Eagles there most days, the best view was the day we were coming home when one of the eagles tried to take a Greylag Goose right outside on the shoreline, it failed but we had excellent views (apart from Mick who was in the shower at the time and couldn't get out quick enough) the cameras were packed up in the car so by the time we managed to get them the shots we got were not so brilliant. There were Waxwings on the island and we had a group fly by one day but we failed to locate them after that however on the way home we visited the Red Kite Centre at Argaty again and found a flock of over 200 feeding in Doune and had excellent views. Can't wait to go back to Mull again as soon as possible.

No joy today.

Red-backed Shrike
Woodchat Shrike

Great Grey Shrike

After sleeping in this morning and arriving at school later than usual I had a busy day and got home about 5pm pretty tired. No sooner had I got through the door and I was told "have to hurry, a Red Eyed Vireo is at North Gare. We jumped straight in the car and shot down to Seaton Carew. We were not sure exactly where the bird would be located so were hoping to see other birders to give us a clue. We had no sooner pulled up in the car park when Mick's phone went off, his friend informing him that a Hoopoe had been seen at South Gare!! We made the decision to try and find that as we thought it probably easier to locate than the R.E. Vireo so off we shot. Upon arriving at South Gare we were told the bird had not been seen for about 30mins and it was not found whilst we were there up until dark. Good luck to anyone who finds it tomorrow.
Not sure what all this travelling around looking for birds is doing for our 'Carbon Footprint' though but it is probably keeping the transporter bridge in business!

No photos of anything for the last couple of days as even the Red-flanked Bluetail at Saltburn was seen but not close enough for a usable picture, so we've put some more Shrike pic's on.

Birds, Birds Everywhere!

Red Breasted Flycatcher

Wheatear

Great Grey Shrike

Red Throated Diver

Redwing

Brambling

Goldcrest

Well Mick abandoned me this morning to go looking for the Great Grey Shrike so I had to go horse riding on my own. On my return at lunchtime we went back to South Gare to see if we could locate the birds he had seen on the morning and we did. There seemed to be birds everywhere. Managed to locate the GG Shrike and the Red Breasted Flycatcher without too much trouble. There were Redwings and Fieldfare, Redstarts, Brambling, Blackcaps, Robins and Goldcrests galore, Song Thrush, Chiffchaff and Willow Warblers and Weatear and a Red Throated diver was in the bay.

How cute.

Went for a ride out in the car in the early evening sun. Wish the nights didn't get dark so early. Did manage however to find a little owl near Aislaby, Yarm