The rain of last night had passed and a beautiful day dawned. We decided to head for Loch Indaal and look for some sea birds at the head of this large sea loch that is very reminiscent of Loch Ryan.
There were plenty of birds on the mudflats and just offshore. Wading birds included several Bar-tailed Godwits, a small number of Knot and several commoner species. Some Pale-bellied Brent Geese fed on the shore and a smallish raft of Scaup stretched along the shallows. Tim spotted a Peregrine sat out on the mudflats and between us we saw several Great Northern Divers and Slavonian Grebes. However, today we were to head for the Oa where the Gyr had most recently be seen.
We pulled in at the loch where the bird had been seen three days earlier and scanned the area thoroughly. there were more White-fronted and a few Greylag Geese in the fields and Hen Harriers over the hillside. Choughs fed in the fields and we added Kestrel to the raptor list. With no sign of anything else, we headed for the Mull of Oa where we had some great views of flocks of Twite (at least 250) and Linnet (at least 80).
As we made our way up the hill, Janet noticed a large bird of prey that was quickly identified as an immature Golden Eagle - then there was a second. We watched these two birds soaring in the distance for some time until two adult birds got up in the air as well. I've only ever seen one at any one time before so this was a most welcome sight.
There was little on the cliffs save for another Peregrine so we headed back to the Loch where we had further splendid scope views of the two adult Eagles, though never close.
Having watched these birds most of the afternoon, we headed back north to Bowmore, stopping off at various places on the way where we picked up a beautiful male Hen Harrier and some Crossbills in the light of the setting sun. It looks like the weather is set fine for tomorrow once again - how lucky are we?
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