Friday 5 February 2010
February at Lochdon
I have had a Water Rail visiting my garden for the last four days. The first time it appeared I only got a very brief sighting and this prompted me to put up my dome hide in the garden. The following day I went into the hide and spent a couple of hours ther, managing to get some really close views, as close as 3 metres. I took lots of photographs and share them with you here and on my web site at http://www.mullbirds.com/water%20Rail.html
Some other treats werea Long tailed duck on Loch Scidin and four Grey Plover at Fidden plus a display by a Peregrine atttempting to get a Lapwing (and missing after several 'swoops')
WQe have Oyyers at Lochdon, a mother and quite large cub.
Monday 11 January 2010
Wednesday 7 October 2009
Autumn on Mull
Monday 14 September 2009
Rare moth on Mull
Wednesday 9 September 2009
A trip down to Fidden:
Friday 4 September 2009
migrating birds
Thursday 27 August 2009
Ospreys over Lochdon
Tuesday 25 August 2009
Mike Madders
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/scotland/article6807526.ece
Orchids on Mull - August 2009
And another very rare orchid was discovered, this being Birds nest Orchid, sorry I can't say where, but be pleased that there is a site here on Mull, and a third find this year is the rare Lapland Marsh Orchid and pictures are available on my site.
Now to bird news, migration is getting underway, my second brood of Swallows have already departed a few days ago and Waders are on the move as they move south, stopping off at Mull to rest and feed before continuing their journey south. Migrating birds include small parties of Dunlin, many still in their summer plumage, and Black and Bar tailed Godwit and a few Sanderling.
The Rowan trees are full of ripening berries and before long we weill have numbers of Redwing, Fieldfare and Blackbirds decending on us to feed on our glorious fuits.
Wednesday 8 July 2009
more Orchid news
Monday 6 July 2009
Police hunt wild orchid diggers
A number of orchids were uprooted and found in bags
A police investigation is under way after wild orchids were dug up from a woodland in the south of Scotland.
The flowers had been placed in bags for their removal when they were found at Dalry near Castle Douglas in Dumfries and Galloway on Sunday.
Police have warned the public that wild orchids are a protected species under Scottish and European legislation.
They have asked anyone who may have seen the plants being uprooted to contact them with information.
Pc Neil Moffat said: "Wild orchids are a species of plant which are protected by European and national legislation.
"It is an offence under the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 to 'deliberately or recklessly pick, collect, cut, uproot or destroy a wild plant'.
"Scottish Natural Heritage hold all relevant information regarding what wild flowers or plants may be and which should not be taken from the wild."
He added that general advice from SNH was to avoid picking any wild flowers.
Thursday 25 June 2009
Mull Orchids in June
Monday 15 June 2009
Mull Orchids in June
Wednesday 20 May 2009
The merry month of May
Tuesday 28 April 2009
Spring watch II
Saturday 25 April 2009
Spring watching
At Fidden there were 23 Black tailed Godwit passing through, kindly reported by Bryan Rains (Wild about Mull) I had a great day out down at Fidden last week where there were lots of Pied Wagtails and amongst then were at least 7 White Wagtail. A flock of Golden Plover about 150 strong which I searched through, hoping to find a Dotterel perhaps. There were hundreds of Skylarks and Meadow Pipits and a couple of Twite.
There was a report of Ring Ouzel at Loch na Keal and I am sure we have breeding birds on the island, but so far this has not been confirmed. I am getting too old for climbing mountains and have to rely on others to pass on information. We have Sea Eagle chicks at two sites and others will follow these next few weeks. Its always a great feeling when our birds hatch, after watching and waiting for 38 days. Spring migrants are arriving daily and we have heard Grasshopper Warbler at Lochdon, Cuckoo and Tree Pipit. Its a great time of year.
Tuesday 7 April 2009
Spring has arrived on mull
Saturday 14 March 2009
Rare visitor to Mull
Both Glaucous and Iceland Gulls are still hanging around with two IOcelands beingh seen in Tobermory Harbour and a Glaucous Gull at Loch na Keal. Arthur Brown (Discover Mull) recorded a Common Coot at Dervaig (now this is a 'rare bird' for Mull) we have very few records of this common mainland bird.
Another winter bird reported is a drake Long tailed Duck, also at Laggan Bay, but a little way out at sea. A 'pair' of Common Scoter were on Loch Scridain, this is a regular site for these visiting sea ducks in winter,also have been seen on Loch na Keal.
Tuesday 3 March 2009
A grey day can still produce results
It's a grey and damp day here on Mull today. A trip round loch na Keal the other day found several Great northern Diver, I counted 8 Slavonian Grebe, Shelduck, Goldeneye and Mergansers and 300 Barnacle Geese were on Inch Kenneth plus a sighting of a Merlin at Grinurn Rocks area. In Loch Scridain there were 2 Black Scoter (a pair). Spring is in the air as I watched a pair of Golden Eagles patroling their territory together and a Sea Eagle also made a brief appearance before disappearing over the hill..