December

30th: A northwest wind should have been good for Golden Eagles but I was away. However Martha did see a Golden Eagle below Treshnish House. On the way back I saw 3 eagles above Lainne Sgeir, Calgary. It was a brief view but I think it was 2 Golden Eagles and 1 White-tailed Eagle.
At dawn about 4 Porpoises near Oban.
28th: West wind: 1 Golden Eagle stooped on some Hooded Crows at Haunn. The actual attack was out of view but I think it must have been unsuccessful as the eagle rose up again and the crows harassed it. There was another eagle much higher up that was probably a White-tailed Eagle. 1 male Hen Harrier at Haunn.
27th: 1 White-tailed Eagle along coast below Treshnish House.
26th: Leena saw an White-tailed Eagle at Achnachaoil (the old black-houses between Haunn and Crackaig - not named on OS maps). 
15th: At least 2 Purple Sandpipers & 3 Turnstones at Lainne Sgeir, Calgary, 1 Common Scoter off Calgary pier.
13th: 2 Golden Eagles (incl 1 juvenile) over Ensay (these birds have no regard for the north wind rule - the wind was southerly),

1 immature White-tailed Eagle over Langamull car park,




2 Whooper Swans at Loch Peallach, Mishnish.



2 Purple Sandpipers at Lainne Sgeir, Calgary, 1 Black-headed Gull at Calgary cemetery, 1 Greenshank, 5 Redshanks, 1 Little Grebe at Dervaig.
6th: 1 Common Scoter between Lainne Sgeir and the pier, Calgary and 1 Sanderling on Calgary beach.
Had my closest ever encounter with a sitting White-tailed Eagle beside the road above Lainne Sgeir. It was very poor light conditions. It was an immature and Carolyne told me that a White-tailed Eagle was also seen carrying a branch like object at Treshnish Point which I thought could also have been a deer leg.


5th: 2 Sanderlings and 1 Dunlin at Calgary beach. I can't be 100% sure of the Dunlin but it was either a Dunlin or Curlew Sandpiper. There were some other waders there and it was getting dark but I think the others were all Ringed Plovers. 1 Merlin and 1 probable Golden Eagler over Treshnish wood.
4th: West to northwest wind brought the Golden Eagle pair calling and displaying over Treshnish wood and lochan saw off an intruding Golden Eagle. I think the intruder is an an adult although it has quite a pale tail. I am having computer problems so photos will have to wait.
3rd: Northwest wind brought Golden Eagle pair over Treshnish wood.
1st: Northwest wind brought Golden Eagle pair calling over Treshnish north coast.

November

30th: Northwest wind and eagles galore. In the morning Golden Eagle pair and intruding juvenile male along the Haunn track and 1 White-tailed Eagle flying southwest around Treshnish Point. Later there were 6 eagles in the air at the same time; 2 White-tailed Eagles (presumably 2 different birds) soaring with 2 Golden Eagles at Creag a´ Chaisteil (the sea-eagles after gaining height flew west) and 2 Golden Eagles calling and sky-dancing over and in Treshnish wood.

At one time one of the Treshnish wood pair flew over to Creag a´ Chaisteil and was chased away.
Whilst walking beside the Tawny Owl box in Treshnish wood a Tawny Owl suddenly appeared in the entrance hole. It checked out the dogs directly below and then without any sign of alarm dropped back down into the box. Although I've often seen droppings around the box and this summer a Tawny Owl flew at me whilst I was walking by the box this is the first time I've actually seen one inside although we have seen them inside the Barn Owl box below the cow-barn. It was too dark to even carry a camera around.
1 Grey Wagtail at the west endf of Black Park field. It is great to see their numbers back to normal again.
At least 1 Mink below Treshnish House although I'm sure there must have been 2 from the way the dogs reacted. 
29th: Northwest gale brought Golden Eagle pair over Treshnish wood where they were calling.
26th: At least 3 Porpoises off Duart Bay and 1 Otter near Craignure pier (these are good spots for both species)
25th: 2 Common Scoters off pier, Calgary, 1 Little Grebe and 1 Redshank, 1 Greenshank at Croig (loch side).
23rd: At least 2 Long-tailed Tits & at least 2 Bullfinches in Treshnish wood and 1 male Hen Harrier flying south over Treshnish wood.
21st:  Northerly wind brought the Golden Eagle pair over Treshnish wood although the forecast sun never materialised which is essential at this time of year for good photos. These were the best but unfortunately many off the full frame shots were not in focus.
Male


and female



A Bullfinch heard in Treshnish wood and 1 male (possibly immature) Hen Harrier over Treshnish House area.
20th: First thing on waking up was a Golden Eagle flying over Treshnish wood. There was a northerly gale so I went to Caliach Point without much success.
At least 2 Redwings at Larg and 12 over Treshnish wood.
19th: Northwest wind in the morning produced a similar story to yesterday except today only 1 White-tailed Eagle was seen flying along Treshnish coast over Creag a´ Chaisteil, Ensay towards Calgary.
As yesterday 2 Golden Eagles sky-diving at Creag a´ Chaisteil, Ensay provoked the Treshnish wood pair into calling and sky diving. But today I was astonished to see the Creag a´ Chaisteil adult respond by flying fast and aggressively (rapid wing beats) towards the calling birds above Treshnish lochan. I would have loved to have seen what happened but unfortunate they were all out of view. The intruder flew away quite quickly but the same thing happened about 10 minutes later. I've never seen any aggressive behaviour between these Golden Eagles before (apart from passive display i.e. calling and undulating flight) and it was, I am pretty sure, a clear message to keep away from the juvenile even though it will be feeding independently by now.
I went above the lochan in the hope of it happening again but the wind had turned around to the west, ot had become more cloudy (displaying seems to occur more when it is sunny) and I didn't see any more eagles today.
Sky-dancing is a way to avoid aggressive contact so it was strange to see aggressive behaviour from an intruder.
This is the intruding adult

I think this the intruder
this is definitely the resident female

and the resident male.

1 Reed Bunting at Treshnish Old Schoolhouse (scarce in the winter).
18th: Northwest wind and eagle galore. 4 White-tailed Eagles flew from Calgary direction along the Treshnish coast and were in the air at the same time (2 were adults, 1 was an immature and I think the third bird was a juvenile or immature - 2 flying in the opposite direction later were presumed to be the same), 2 Golden Eagles sky-diving at Creag a´ Chaisteil, Ensay and another pair displaying and calling over Treshnish wood.

The 2 from Ensay flew over Treshnish wood but it didn't appear to bother the Treshnish wood pair too much, possibly because at least 1 possibly both of the intruders were juveniles. It could also be that the calling that the Treshnish wood pair had shown earlier was enough to give the message.
The 2 at Creag a´ Chaisteil were seen harassing one of the returning White-tailed Eagles
and this is the first antagonistic behaviour I have seen between these 2 species. It may have more play and lesson learning for the juvenile Golden Eagle(s) than anything.
16th: 2 Golden Eagles flew south east over Treshnish wood. They seemed to be coming from outside the usual pairs territory but I didn't get to id the individuals involved.
15th: 1 immature White-tailed Eagle and 1 male Hen Harrier to east of Treshnish boathouse.
1 Mountain Hare in Treshnish graveyard field.
14th: 3 Common Scoters off Calgary pier, 2 Gannets & 2 Black-headed Gulls off Caliach, Point, 1 immature White-tailed Eagle along the Ensay coastal upper cliffs, 1 Golden Eagle above Treshnish House area.
13th: 2 Common Scoters to east of Lainne Sgeir, Calgary, 1 male Hen Harrier at Ensay fort.
12th: 2 Gannets off Caliach Point (3 days after my personal latest date and 1 day after the latest records I am aware of for N Mull), 1 Black-headed Gull off Caliach Point, at least 3 Purple Sandpipers at Lainne Sgeir, Calgary (my first of the season).
I came across a Mink on a dead Rabbit beside the road at Ensay Fort.
It got a bit nervous and hid but curiosity and boldness won

and after 10 minutes it came back for the Rabbit.


Amazingly 2 Golden Eagles appeared

and I was sure I was going to see the eagles take the Mink. At one point the Mink was trotting down the road with the Rabbit as the eagles soared directly above and there is absolutely no way they could have not seen it.

It is possible that the eagles were put off by me in the car or perhaps they had already eaten. One of the eagles had some prey remains in its talons. I didn't get a side on view to see if they had full crops. I think one of the eagles was a juvenile (it was too dark to see plumage details but the pointed tips to the flight feathers point to a juvenile). Interestingly this pair don't seem to adhere so closely to the north wind rule (the last 2 days sightings have been in westerlies). Perhaps there is carrion nearby.
There were 2 baby seals dead on Calgary beach, one must have been very young as it still had fur. At Lainne Sgeir there was a half grown Grey Seal hunting in the small pools in the salt marsh. I have never seen this before. It was thrashing up the water presumably trying to flush hidden prey.
11th: 16 Golden Plovers,

1 Lapwing, 4 Turnstones, 1 Dipper at Craignure golfcourse (north end) - unfortunately the sun went in as I got close,


at least 2 Slavonian Grebes off Killiechronan, 1 juvenile Canada Goose with flock of Greylags at Gruline.
1 Otter at Craignure golfcourse islets (north end).
10th: 1 juvenile Golden Eagle on Creag a´ Chaisteil and Beinn Bhuidhe, Ensay. 1 ring-tailed Hen Harrier over Treshnish wood and 1 (same?) ring-tailed and 1 male Hen Harrier on Beinn Bhuidhe, Ensay.
9th: North wind brought Golden Eagle pair between Treshnish Point and Treshnish wood where they were calling very excitedly and doing a little skydiving.


Ensay Burn is the background noise.
Later I saw why; there was at least another 2 over Creag a´ Chaisteil, Ensay (and later a juvenile). At one point there were 4 visible at the same, the pair at Treshnish Point and 2 over Creag a´ Chaisteil.
3 juvenile Whooper Swans flying from Creag a´ Chaisteil over Cruachan Treshnish.
There was an aurora visible at 4.30am last night but it was cloudy so not clear.
8th: At least 3 Gannets at Caliach Point and 2 Redwings at Sunipol.
6th: 1 Yellowhammer at Treshnish cow-barn and leena saw a large eagle (without white tail) at Treshnish lochan.
4th: North wind brought the Golden Eagle pair over Treshnish wood,

1 Gannet at Rubha nan Oirean (the north point of Calgary Bay), 2 pairs of White-tailed Eagles at Port na Bà  (yellow-tagged pair on the point at Rubha an h-Àird and 1km away white/untagged pair on islet at Sgeirean Beaga), mixed flock of c10 Redwings & 2 Fieldfares at Croig possibly same flock at Port na Bà, 1 Merlin along cliffs above Lainne Sgeir, Calgary.
Buzzard

1 Otter at Calgary beach and we just missed one at Port na Bà.
3rd: North wind brought the Golden Eagle pair over Treshnish wood, c10 Mistle Thrush and c5 Redwings over Treshnish wood, 1 Gannet off Treshnish Point (my personal latest is on 9th of Nov 2011), 8 Whooper Swans flying south-west above cliffs above Lainne Sgeir, Calgary, 1 adult White-tailed Eagle at Langamull.
1st: 1 Little Auk found dead on road through Calgary, photos tomorrow (Tony Gibson), 2 Goldeneye at Mishnish, (Tony Gibson).
1 unidentified eagle diving down near Treshnish cow-barn and a few hours later an immature White-tailed Eagle flying west just beside Treshnish House, at least 15 Long-tailed Tits at Treshnish Old Schoolhouse.

October

31st: 1 Fieldfare, 4 Redwings, 2 Redshanks, 1 Red-breasted Merganser at Croig (I don't usually mention this common bird but in the last year it seems to have become much more scarce on Mull), 1 male Hen Harrier to east of Loch an Torr,  1 Arctic Skua at least 5 Gannets at Caliach Point, 1 Turnstone at Lainne Sgeir, Calgary. I may have seen all 3 divers today at Caliach Point but I can't be sure. There were definitely 2 Great Northerns, a large diver with a black neck flew around the Point and was probably a Black-throated and another flying smaller light grey diver with almost certainly a Red-throated.
On Tobermory lighthouse walk looked for fruiting Broad-leaved Helleborines (a quick search along about half of the lower found 18 fruiting plants and 18 non fruiting - although fruiting plants are easier to see). At Treshnish Old Schoolhouse the second of the late emerging White-ramping Fumitories is beginning to flower (already a month beyond the date given in one of my books). Last week the only plant that was not protected with a guard nibbled and the plant just left lying there - the guards will only protect them from hares and rabbits anyway so they are not safe from mice and voles. These precautions are only until a couple of new spots have a seed bank.
30th: 1 immature White-tailed Eagle flew from Treshnish lochan to the coast and then back again,

2 Turnstones at Lainne Sgeir, Calgary.
29th: 1 Greenshank at Dervaig.
28th: 1 Golden Eagle woke me up but I didn't see it (westerly wind), 1 Gannet at Caliach Point, 1 ring-tailed Hen Harrier (probably a juvenile) at Lag, 4 Redwings at Sunipol. There was a small gull with a dark underwing flying south at Caliach Point but I think it was too big to be a Little Gull. Even though an adult winter Black-headed Gull only has dark wing-tips, I think that is the only possibility. There was also a juvenile Black-headed Gull at Caliach.
26th: wind from west brought the male Golden Eagle on rocks behind Haunn cottages and guests saw a Golden eagle with a rabbit or hare (I think it was a second eagle because this was at about the same time but the male wasn't eating anything). I also saw an unidentified eagle over field to north of Haunn.
24th: c200 Redwings heading west over Treshnish wood was a beautiful sight, 1 Fieldfare and 1 Mistle Thrush landed briefly on the electric wires with some of the Redwings, 2 Whooper Swans flying west at Treshnish boathouse

and 22 Greenland White-fronted Geese flying south at Treshnish boathouse,


Greenland White-fronted Geese is scarce in north Mull. I saw 4 flocks in 2011 (3 in autumn and 1 in spring) but otherwise I know of only 3 other records by others for north Mull (2 in autumn and 1 in spring). It is probably under-recorded amongst the migrating geese flocks.
1 Gannet to north of Treshnish coast.
Treshnish guests reported an Osprey at Ulva ferry.
The sick Grey Seal is till at the boathouse (probably still alive).
23rd: At least 5 Gannets off north Treshnish shore, 1 Black-headed Gull and 1 Barnacle Goose flying west at Treshnish boathouse.

West-northwest wind brought male Golden Eagle to Black Park field. It was being mobbed by Ravens but notice it doesn't bother to turn over and show talons as it would for a Buzzard.




There is a dying male Grey Seal at Treshnish boathouse. It has been there for at least 4 days. I won't post photos.
21st: 1 Fieldfare in Treshnish wood (my first definite of the season).
17th: Light breeze from the south brought male Golden Eagle over Treshnish point and Beinn Duill and female of Cruachan Treshnish
15th: At least 2 Long-tailed Tits in Treshnish wood.
I have been watching the Red Deer rut on Ensay for the last couple of days. The stags spend more time than I would have thought eating and snoozing and their biggest job seems to be rounding up hinds looking for better grazing (euphemism not intended). Today I saw a fight with the top stag and a contender on Beinn Bhuidhe. The new stag had the right idea by approaching from above so in the first thrust he was forcing the top stag backwards but as soon as the top stag managed to turn the new comer, the advantage was lost and the contender immediately ran off. This harem is slightly larger than the other one by the old transmitter behind Ensay farmhouse. The Beinn Bhuidhe harem has about 18 hinds and there are always 4 or more other younger stags hanging around. The harem around the transmitter has about 14 hinds and there are often no stags hanging around.
The aurora last night must have been short lived because all I saw a was a general glow. Carolyne however got some absolutely amazing photos.
I only managed to see the after glow although I was up until 3am hoping for a clear sky and an aurora burst. At least I had better luck with the camera although not sure what I did so differently.

14th: The north wind brought the Golden Eagle pair over Treshnish wood.The male was calling for a short while from a perch in the wood.
Male











and female


There was also another Golden Eagle flying from Ensay farmhouse to the cliffs above Ensay fort (I am pretty sure it was a juvenile).
1 female Hen Harrier flying north over Treshnish wood and 2 Sparrowhawks around again today (I wrote that I wouldn't blog about Sparrowhawks outside of the breeding season but a pair is unusual here).

1 Common Darter at Treshnish Old Schoolhouse.
13th: North wind brought the Golden Eagle pair to the north of the Cruachan. The male was perched for about half an hour in a conifer less than 100m from our house.
Female


Although the male came low over our house none of the photos were sharp.
2 Sparrowhawks over Treshnish Old Schoolhouse.
A few small flocks of redpolls in Treshnish wood, at least one may have been a Mealy Redpoll (large size, tramlines on mantle and white rump).
1 Common Hawker and 1 Common Darter at Treshnish Old Schoolhouse.
It looks like one of the second  batch of White Ramping-fumitories is going to flower. So far only the first 2 plants to emerge have flowered; one at the original spot by Treshnish vegetable garden (which is probably not going to bare fruit as it has been chewed too many times) and another plant which I moved to our house and which was also eaten on the first day and struggled for a while but now has many flowers (some still opening) and a few fruits already. The one from the second batch which has a flowering bud looks very robust with a thick stem. It seems odd that it has taken so long to flower. My books say the flowering period only extends to September. The smaller seedling will probably have to survive the winter in order to flower in the spring.
12th:1 Swallow near Treshnish cow-barn (my latest date is 13th Oct 2007 at Treshnish), 1 male Hen Harrier at Haunn.
At least 10 Linnets with a flock of about 60 finches most of which were Goldfinches and 1 Grey Wagtail at Toechtamhor cottage.
The Red Deer rut has been full on the last couple of days being particularly noisy on Beinn Bhuidhe where there is at least one herd of at least 15 hinds. Today there were at least 6 hinds on Beinn Dhuill but the stag was quiet for at least 2 hours although guests told me he was roaring earlier and I heard it yesterday. I presume none of the hinds are in season yet because he was hundreds of yards from them. Perhaps there was another stag out of sight. Roaring males first heard this year on the 28th of September.
Saw all three of the regular migrant butterflies: Red Admiral (several), Small Tortoiseshell (1 or 2) and 1 Peacock. I'm not sure I've seen all 3 in one day before.



11th: 2 Great Northern Divers off Ensay Fort (1 was in breeding plumage - these are my first of the season ), 1 Grey Wagtail at Ensay Burn mouth, 2 Bullfinches & 1 Mistle Thrush in Treshnish wood.
Sparrowhawk

I was disappointed to see that neither of the 2 flowering Broad-leaved Helleborines in Treshnish wood have born fruit. Last week I collected the fruit of the Narrow-leaved Helleborine near our house which had 3 fruit. The fruit has opened and in the weekend I will spread the thousabds of seeds (the area by the plant is getting quite overgrown with Hazel). I also looked for a Puffin corpse which I had stached but I think the dogs must have eaten it as the head was missing.
10th: 1 Golden Eagle over Treshnish wood, 22 Barnacle Geese flying east around Caliach Point, 1 Lapwing at Croig beach and 1 at Caliach.
1 Common Hawker at Ensay Burn cattle-grid.
Last night the Northern Lights lit up the northern sky in fairly bright glow (2-3am). There was a small patch of intense green for a short time but otherwise it was diffuse. My DSLR zoom does not seem to pick out the colour even with a 30sec exposure. I am not sure why.
9th: 1 Manx Shearwater, 1 Pomarine Skua, several Gannets, 1 juvenile Black-headed Gull off Caliach Point, 1 Peregrine (seen twice but presumably same bird) at either side of Sunipol, 7 Black-headed Gulls at Lainne Sgeir, Calgary.
1 Mountain Hare in field below Calgary farmhouse
There was a great Northern Lights display last night but I was away and missed it, see Carolyne's Farm Blog. Interestingly nothing was predicted (quite the opposite) which, as we have noticed before, only goes to show, it is just best too look at the sky. It has been active during the day today but now at sunset it is only 3.3kp which is promising but not good enough. Hopefully it will pick up.
8th: 4 Goosanders at Dervaig and ring-tailed Hen Harrier near Arthur's Barn Owl boxes there.
7th: 12 Golden Plovers (interestingly the 2 flocks yesterday of 12 and 7 didn't mix), 2 White-tailed Eagles at Langamull.

6th: 1 Wheatear (too dark to get subspecies id), 19 Golden Plovers at Langamull.




I am pretty sure this is an Arctic Skua off Langamull.


c200 Kittiwakes off Ensay fort. At dusk a call heard beside road to east of Lainne Sgier, Calgary was probably a Barn Owl.
5th: 1 immature White-tailed Eagle flew east over Treshnish House, 1 Hen Harrier in Skoma field.
4th: at least 3 Wheatears near Treshnish cow-barn including the true Greenland Wheatear subspecies leucorhoa. The other 2 were much paler similar to a british Wheatear but I din;t find them when I went to take photographs. This is the Greenland Wheatear.




2 Turnstones at Lainne Sgeir, Calgary.
2nd: 1 Wheatear at Treshnish cow-barn. It has been confirmed as a true Greenland bird (i.e. not from Iceland).

Last night there was a Northern Lights display peaking at 5.67K which is storm level unfortunately the sky was only clear for a short time at about 11.30pm and not clear in the north. There was a gap in the clouds for a while. I experimented with my digital SLR instead of digital cameras because my DSLR has slower shutter speed options. Unfortunately I only have one lens my 400mm zoom for this camera so this was taken with the zoom at 100mm. Even 30 seconds wasn't enough. I had to brighten it but I haven't changed the colour balance.