Treshnish Nature Log

January

2012-01-01T17:55:00.031Z

I have updated the north Mull bird list which can be downloaded here or from the link on the right under section on Birds. ThinkFree is slow to load but has an easy download option.
27th: A yellow-tagged adult White-tailed Eagle flew from Treshnish lochan towards Calgary

and there was a Golden Eagle over Ensay.
There were at least 8 Fieldfares at Ensay farmhouse.
A Jay was at Ardrioch, Dervaig (Arthur Brown pers. com.).
The Buzzards were enjoying the sun with a lot of display activity.

12th: I woke up to the sound of Golden Eagles calling around Treshnish wood. An hour later as I left to catch the ferry the pair soared over our house.

There was an Otter and at least 1 cub at Lainne Sgeir, Calgary being watched by Arthur Brown and as we approached Calgary beach a pale gull flew west; it was a first winter Iceland Gull.
Then at Fishnish there was an adult White-tailed Eagle. So again the big 3 in 45 minutes although I didn't have time to look at the Otters.
Obviously seeing the 2 eagle species and Otter in one day is not very difficult. I know the tour guides must see all 3 frequently and now we have 2 pairs of White-tailed Eagles setting up territories nearby it will be easier and easier. Winter is also just as easy to see these species and although a lot of smaller breeding birds leave the island for the winter, a visit now allows the opportunity to see winter migrants such as Great Northern Diver which is common, Slavonian Grebe in Loch na Keal and Whooper Swan. A visit right now will guarantee Iceland Gull!
There was a drake Goosander at Aros estuary.
11th: Pair of Gadwall and 3 Fulmars at Caliach.
I did some research last night. This Iceland/Glaucous influx is definitely a record breaker in Argyll. 'Birds of Argyll' (Argyll Bird Club) has the previous record for Iceland Gull as 33 in the whole winter of 2004/2005, which was in itself double the previous highest. To get this into perspective, we have had at least 73 in just 10 days, since the new year! The Glaucous Gull record will undoubtedly also be broken, the previous record being 30 in that same winter (again doubling the previous record) compared with 28 so far since the new year.
Whist reading Birds of Argyll I came across some other interesting records some of which I mentioned in my North Mull annotated list (download link in right column). For a start it tells us that the origin of the Scottish Glaucous gulls 'is unclear, but may include Iceland as well as Greenland, Norway and Svalbard.' These scarce winter migrants usually only stay for the winter months but it also notes a Glaucous Gull which 'was first seen at Tobermory on 13 June 1979...and remained until April 1984' and the same book also mentions a Glaucous at Craignure on 18 June 1993, which was thought to be hybrid with a Herring Gull. Other literature mentions that Glaucous Gull hybridises with Herring Gull in Iceland.
Argyll Birds also lists Mull as being one of the best places for these two species.
No doubt it is worth checking for the rare Kumlien's Gull amongst this massive influx. There had been no accepted records of this Canadian race of Iceland Gull although a long staying bird in mainland Argyll this winter may change this.
10th: 1 (prob 2nd winter) Iceland Gull at Caliach flew to nr Sunipol gate and then Langamull coast (gull on right).

There has been an influx of these gulls in north-west Scotland. In Argyll alone there have been over 73 Iceland Gulls seen in the last 10 days plus at least 28 Glaucous Gulls. The name Iceland Gull is misleading. They do not breed in Iceland but in Greenland but are common in Iceland in the winter and each year a few turn up in Argyll but this year is exceptional. Glaucous Gull breeds in Iceland, Spitsbergen, Svalbad and arctic Russia as well as arctic Canada.
There were also 2 Purple Sandpipers on Lainne Sgeir, Calgary.
Usual suspect: Buzzard.

9th: 2 Golden Eagles at the cliffs by Lainne Sgeir, Calgary;

4 Iceland Gulls near Killiechronan (2 at and around Knock-Salen junction

and another 2 on sand-spit off Killiechronan). I am pretty sure they were all 2nd winters;

2 Slavonian Grebes off Killiechronan; 2 Short-eared Owls at dusk on Reudle road (1 nr summit and 1 nr Schoolhouse); 2+ Long-tailed Tits along the burn-side to west of Penmore crossroad;

at least 1 Rook at Laggan.
A Tawny Owl was hooting in Treshnish (we usually only hear the kwik call).
Usual suspects: Buzzard

and Robin.

8th: There was a mother Otter with 2 cubs fishing and what looked like playing in the largest pool on Lainne Sgeir, Calgary and within 30 minutes of leaving them, 2 White-tailed Eagles over Dervaig and 1 immature Golden Eagle over Achnacraig, Glen Bellart. I don't think I have seen all of the 'big 3' in one day before, never mind within half an hour. Then a few minutes later there was another Otter at Salen Bay bench.

The Hooded Crows are too tempted to try to grab the Otter's tail.

It was late and raining but at Salen bay I managed to find at least 1 Iceland Gull along with the Glaucous Gull which Arthur Brown found yesterday. It was too dark for photos and the they were on the far side of a rocky islet so didn't show well.
There was also at least 1 Turnstone at Lainne Sgeir, 2 Mistle Thrushes near Mornish Schoolhouse and another 2 to the east of Crannich, Glen Aros.
7th
Now the new bird atlas recording is over, I decided to extract all my data as I presume it will not be available after the last data entry date in March. I also decided to download all my Birdtrack and Breeding Birds data and add it all to my MapMate program. Now at a touch of the button I have access to my most interesting bird records. I only have first and last dates and dates of proof of breeding for the common migrants but for some species, e.g. most of the birds of prey and those below are species I record every time I see them. The data is now easy to access but I also have instant maps and graphs. These are only my records (plus some from guests), so biased to the Treshnish-Calgary area.

6th: A Tawny Owl was heard, as usual, at night in Treshnish wood.
5th: A female Golden Eagle was soaring just to the west of Treshnish cottages for several hour at mid-day but not when I went for the camera. So here is one touched up from the 3rd.

At least 1 Greenfinch on Treshnish bird-feeders
4th: A Golden Eagle was heard and seen briefly below, and probably in, Treshnish wood.
3rd: 1 Barnacle Goose below Treshnish House landed somewhere near the boathouse

where a Short-eared Owl was flushed from nearby on the ground at the saltmarsh there (these are the only 2 true winter records I have for these species). A Sparrowhawk flew over there too.
A Golden Eagle was heard at Treshnish wood and seen along the northern coastal strip

and what I am pretty sure was a Hen Harrier on Cruchan Treshnish - Beinn Duill.
Got home to hear that Arthur Brown saw a Little Auk at Caliach. I have never seen a Little Auk!
2nd: at least 1 Greenfinch on the Treshnish House feeder and 1 Mountain Hare in Treshnish wood.
1st: 1 first winter Iceland Gull flew west along the shore below Treshnish House.

Taking a shot of a flying bird against a background is difficult. I took 12 shots and, luckily with one, I managed to trick the camera into not focusing on the sea. I also didn't have time to change the speed setting so at 1/200th of a second, it didn't come out too bad on a dull day. At least I know it wasn't a Glaucous Gull (which is larger and has bi-coloured bill).

December

2011-12-01T16:35:00.037Z

29th: 1 Red-breasted Merganser and 1 Red-throated Diver off Calgary beach and at least 2 Kittiwakes near road to east of Ensay Burn mouth. A Jay was reported at West Ardhu, Dervaig (JA).
Usual suspect: Kestrel

1 female Otter on east side of Lainne Sgeir, Calgary.
23rd: This Buzzard at Bennan, Calgary allowed unusually close approach.

It wasn't until it flew that the reason became clear, it has a prey item in its right claw.

There was 1 or 2 yellow-tagged White-tailed Eagles in the Port Langamull-Langamull area,

1 Reed Bunting to the southeast of Cillchriosd Standing Stone and 3 waders at Lainne Sgeir, were probably Turnstones (or possibly Purple Sandpiper). There was 1 Red-throated Diver off Calgary beach and 3 Golden Eagles above Lainne Sgeir (it was late and the sky was dark but they were calling so take it from me, these are Golden Eagles).

Usual suspects Common Gulls.

22nd: As it wasn't enough that Maltese hunters shoot everything that flies over their country, some are even coming here to do it.
21st: I came across this video clip of the critically endangered Spoon-billed Sandpiper. I was surprised that they show chicks being fed by human hand but I presume that is because they are building up a breeding population first and so human imprinting is unimportant. I know there is some controversy surrounding captive breeding in the birding world (there always is,whatever the subject!) but I don't think there is any choice. Although, releasing into the wild will not help unless the habitats, particularly on migration, are protected. The South Korean coastal wetland destruction at Saemangeum is a major problem as it an essential staging post; that topic is utterly depressing reading. More positive news is the recent discovery of one of their major wintering grounds in Mynamar
The clip doesn't mention that the captive breeding is going to happen at Slimbridge. What I found most amazing, after reading articles about this in the birding literature, is that the chicks are able to migrate without wild parents. They haven't done it yet with Spoon-billed Sandpipers but they have with Corncrakes which successfully migrated after at least 10 generations of breeding in captivity. Not so surprising really when may of our migrants also manage their journeys without parents but still, the mind boggles.
20th: A warm night brought a moth (and many flies) to our window. It was very worn but still I thought it must be Scarce Umber (in spite of the name not a scarce moth but one I have only caught twice - both last year). Scottish expert, Roy Leverton was also not sure because it was too worn

but at the same time as checking he looked through my web album and came across a couple of surprises.
The good news is that we have a new moth to add to the Treshnish list. I am only confident about identifying a couple of the pug species so they all go to experts for identifying. This moth was identified by another expert as Golden-rod Pug. This is not to discredit the first expert but just that he is better at moths in the hand and Roy must be one of the best photograph experts in the UK.
This is the new moth, Larch Pug from June 2008, which has not been recorded on Mull for many years so a good find.

On the down side Roy found another error, this time mine. I identified it as Grey Birch which is wrong so that deletes that species from the Treshnish list (although Tom Prescott and I recorded it at Croig in June 2007). The moth in question is actually a 'very dark' Brussels Lace (which I have only recorded once before)

18th: The Dipper was still at Ensay Burn mouth.
17th: A pair of Golden Eagles was over Treshnish lochan (soaring low over Leena) and also reported at Haunn; 1 Hen Harrier on Ensay Burn plantation; 2 Redwings at Treshnish farm entrance and 2 near the hair pin bends up the road.
Our neighbour saw a Jay on the Langamull side of Penmore Mill and yesterday 1 on the Croig road nearer to Croig than Penmore.
Hazel Gloves fungus at the hair pin bend above Ensay are doing really well this year and are visible from the road (last trees beside road).

16th: Again 1 Purple Sandpiper at Lainne Sgeir during low tide.

At least 1 Redwing and 1 Fieldfare by Ensay farmhouse.

This Shag was fishing in a pool at Lainne Sgeir.

Usual suspect: Ringed Plover.

Leena saw a Mountain Hare above treshnish boathouse.
I found this photo of these Short-eared Owls fighting. One is trying to drive the other to the ground.
The English Hen Harrier population is down to 4 pairs, the lowest in 50 years.
A beautiful day today. Previous days especially yesterday have been beautiful in a different way as recent guest Janet Mary Robinson reminds us.
Treshnish Point from Lainne Sgeir.

15th: 1 Purple Sandpiper at Lainne Sgeir, Calgary (unusually it was roosting at low tide). Fieldfares heard where Ensay road meets Calgary bay and as usual Tawny Owls heard at night in Treshnish wood.
1 Otter (I think a female) at the rocks about half way between Lainne Sgeir to Calgary beach swimming and fishing to the rocky shore on east side of Lainne Sgeir.
14th: 2 adult White-tailed Eagles and 1 Sparrowhawk at Langamull.
12th: At least 1 Turnstone at Lainne Sgeir, Calgary (there could have been more there but absorbed by below).
Saw an Otter clambering east over the rocks at Lainne Sgeir carrying a big salmon. It swam to a small rocky islet where I realised there was a bundle of fur, another otter. As the bundle unravelled it turned into 2 young otters. Mum returning to her 2 cubs! I watched for about an hour as the mother ate most of the salmon herself whilst the cubs seemed to find bits and pieces to eat under the seaweed along the shore. A Hooded Crow which had been beside the cubs since I first saw them, at one time tried pulling the tail of the mother, she paid no attention. Eventually she let one of the cubs have about 6" of what was left but even after about 15 minutes the youngster hadn't made much progress. A couple of times the mother came back and chewed it for a minute or 2 (perhaps to tenderise it). Eventually the fish was all eaten. I think it was just the 1 cub that fed but when the mum finished chewing she could have allowed the other cub to tuck in but I don't think so as it didn't seem to be pestering her or the other cub. Whilst the cub was trying to finish off the salmon the mum and other cub rubbed on the rocks and groomed with a very small amount of play. When they had all finished they headed to waters edge and disappeared behind a rock and I lost track of them. All in all probably my best views of an otter family. Too far off and dark for photos.
11th: 1 Long-tailed Tit by farm track by Ensay Burn; up to 40 Fieldfares and Redwings moving between Treshnish wood, Ensay and Reudle Schoolhouse attracting the attention of 1 Sparrowhawk and 1 probable Merlin; 1 ring-tailed Hen Harrier at upper Ensay Burn.
9th: An immature White-tailed Eagle flew over Treshnish Old Schoolhouse and the Sitheans behind. I think it is a 2 or 3 year old judging by the spotted breast.

At about the same time Leena also saw a pair of Golden Eagles on Crauchan Treshnish. About 2 hours later I saw an unidentified eagle perched on the sitheans.
There was 1 Red-throated Diver off Lainne Sgeir, Calgary and another off from where the road turns inland towards Treshnish entrance.
There were 5 Turnstones and 1 Purple Sandpiper at Lainne Sgeir, Calgary.
Usual suspects: Great Northern Diver.

7th: 5 Fieldfares and 1 Redwing where Ensay road meets the Calgary bay coast. Again no sign of the Common Scoters.
6th: 1 Golden Eagle eagle flew west along the shore at Ensay Burn mouth (I think it was an immature).
No sign of the Common Scoters in Calgary bay but the drake Red-breasted Merganser is still present.
Flocks of at least 10+10 Whooper Swans were reported flying low over the sea at Treshnish Point.
5th: Only 2 Common Scoters off from Calgary boathouse; about 8 Long-tailed Tits by Treshnish Old Schoolhouse; our neighbour reported 1 Jay beside the road through Langamull (I went to look for it but no luck - I have never seen a Jay on Mull).
4th: No sign of the Common Scoters in Calgary bay but hale and poor visibility may have hidden them.
3rd: A pair of Golden Eagles were calling very loudly and excitedly in and below Treshnish wood. I couldn't get a clear photograph through the trees but looking up I saw what was causing the excitement. Another Golden eagle sky diving high up above.

1st: 20 Whooper Swans flew from Calgary direction over Lainne Sgeir to Treshnish Point, from where they headed south,

only 8 Common Scoters today at pier and later near the beach,

1 Red-throated Diver near the beach, 1 immature Golden Eagle flew north over over the bay from Lainne Sgeir

where there was a lone Buzzard calling and flying with deep wing beats. After a couple of minutes another Buzzard appeared from the west and after soaring to meet the first bird they both started displaying with shallow undulations and mutual soaring.
At least 2 Redwings and 1 Fieldfare at Ensay farmhouse.
Usual suspect: Heron.

November

2011-11-01T17:10:00.050Z

29th: 1 ring-tailed Hen Harrier behind Treshnish Old Schoolhouse, at least 2 Redwings at Treshnish farm entrance and at least 8 probably 9 Common Scoters close to Calgary beach.
27th: 9 Common Scoters at Calgary pier and at least 3 Turnstones at Lainne Sgeir, Calgary.
25th: 1 female Hen Harrier at Loch Carnain an Amais, Mishnish, 1 yellow-tagged White-tailed Eagle at Langamull flew over Mornish Schoolhouse and another flew west over Cillchriosd, 9 Common Scoters at Calgary pier.

24th: at least 2 Black-headed Gulls at Lagganulva.
23rd: 1 Purple Sandpiper, 4-5 Turnstones, 1 Redshank at Lainne Sgeir, Calgary; at least 8 (probably 9) Common Scoters near Calgary pier; at least 3 Long-tailed Tits at Calgary boathouse and 1 Red-throated Diver in the inner bay. 1 owl (probably Short-eared) at dusk on the Ensay side of Ensay Burn cattle-grid and a dead Short-eared Owl under the electric lines there.
A Drinker caterpillar where Ensay road hits the Calgary bay coast was my first November record.
22nd: About 40 Fieldfares at Treshnish wood and presumably the same flock around Ensay in the afternoon,3 Purple Sandpipers at Lainne Sgeir, Calgary (on rocky islets so impossible to get closer).

This Greylay Goose there seems to have a large amount of white at the base of the bill but I am sure the id is correct.

I think this is the same bird later at Calgary beach

Usual suspects: Heron

and Buzzard.

21st: Tawny Owl calling at night in Treshnish wood.
A fresh Hazel Gloves fungus was found about three trees to west of the rhododendron log pile.
At night it was unusual (this year only) to have moths coming to a window. One was a migrant, the Silver Y (my only November record) and the other Juniper Carpet ssp. scotica is a new species for Treshnish!

20th: 9 Common Scoters at Lainne Sgeir, Calgary and 2 or 3 Redwings nearer to the beach.
19th: Tawny Owl calling in Treshnish wood.
15th: 1 male Bullfinch calling at Treshnish Old Schoolhouse and 1 Black-headed Gull over Treshnish wood.
The Blackbird invasion continues with hundreds reported along the Dervaig-Salen road (Dave Sexton pers. comm.)
14th: I went to look for the Short-eared Owls but sheep gathering on the hill may have moved them on temporarily but whilst gathering, Jamie flushed 2 above Toechtamhor cottage, Haunn.
There were still plenty of Blackbirds around.This is one of a flock of at least 12 along with 2 Redwings by the cattlegrid at Ensay Burn. Although this is a female most of them are males.

For about the last fortnight Jamie has also been seeing hundreds of Blackbirds lining the roads, early morning between Dervaig at Achnacroig.
The Treshnish wood Buzzards are getting a bit less wary. The gradual narrowing of the tail bars shows this to be a juvenile

Usual suspect: Goldcrest.

13th: 2-5 Short-eared Owls after sunset, around Treshnish cow-barn and Black Park field (possibly only 2 circling back around me but I don't think so).

A small flock of 4+ Long-tailed Tits in Treshnish wood,

1 possible Jack Snipe at Treshnish boathouse and still more than normal numbers of Blackbirds around the farm. Woodcock in Black Park (will not be mentioned until spring unless high numbers occur).
12th: The 5 Common Scoters still between Calgary pier and the beach.

There were aboout 10 Redwings below Ensay farmhouse and further towards the Calgary coast, 6 Fieldfares and 1-2 Woodcocks. Tawny Owl calling in the evening in Treshnish wood.
Usual suspects: Buzzards.

One day I will catch this Buzzard defensive roll in focus

Don't look behind but...

11th: 5 Common Scoters off Calgary pier,

1 Turnstone and 1 possible Bar-tailed Godwit at Lainne Sgeir, Calgary, about 20 Redwings and later at least 12 Blackbirds below Ensay farmhouse.
Usual suspect: Shags.

An Otter on east side of Lainne Sgeir.
10th: I got back from a walk below Treshnish House where I saw a flock of at least 18 Blackbirds in the graveyard field and at least 12 in Black Park field, to see that a visitor from Ardnamurchan had seen c300 Blackbirds between Calgary and Ulva on the morning of the 8th (Alan Spellman in litt.). There were also at least 5 each of Redwing and Fieldfare around Treshnish wood and about 400 Starlings at the pre-roost gathering by Treshnish cow-barn. I don't think I have seen such a large flock there before.
This Sparrowhawk was hunting the Blackbirds (a second bird in the attack was either a Sparrowhawk or Kestrel).

A Dipper is back at Ensay Burn mouth

where I saw my first Woodcock of the season. This was my earliest record at Treshnish (my previous earliest was on 18th November last year).
A snipe flushed at Treshnish boathouse may have been a Jack Snipe (it flew fairly straight and landed only 30m away, twice). In the evening a Tawny Owl was heard in Treshnish wood.
Usual suspect: Buzzard.

Moonrise over Ensay.

9th: 1 adult and 1 immature Gannet

and 4 Turnstones at Lainne Sgeir, Calgary where there was also another pale Rock Pipit.

I am pretty sure this is a 3rd winter Great Black-backed Gull. It could be confused with a Lesser but the legs would be yellow and the bill less thick.

Treshnish Point.

8th: At least 3 Fieldfares around Treshnish wood, at least 7 Redwings near Ensay and 5 Greenland White-fronted Geese flying south over Treshnish.
There was 1 Bar-tailed Godwit at Croig, presumably the same bird present on the 30th of October. A juvenile Cormorant was showing well with white belly but photos were poor.
Usual suspect: Heron.

and a Rock Pipit with prominent supercilium but not, I think, a Scandinavian Rock Pipit (which is thought by some authors to be almost impossible to identify in the autumn).

7th: About 50 Fieldfares and at least 10 Redwings around Ensay again being hassled by a Kestrel.

There were also about 40 Chaffinches at Ensay farmhouse.
6th: 5 Slavonian Grebes off Killiechronan

where there was a wing-tagged, black dot on yellow, White-tailed Eagle.

The first winter Iceland Gull was at Knock, fish-farm out-falls

where there were about 100 Black-headed Gulls (the Iceland Gull is in the centre with spread wings)

and by the bridge, 1 Dipper.

At Laggan the 2 Rooks were still present and there were about 200 Fieldfares and at least 2 Redwings.

Usual suspects at Knock: Teal

and Goldeneye

5th: A Great Spotted Woodpecker was heard in Treshnish wood. The Fieldfare influx continues with at least 2 near Calgary Farmhouse

and over 50 below Bennan farm.
Many divers passing south around Caliach Point. Several Great Northern, at least 5 Red-throated were identified and 2 possible Black-throated. 4 sightings of Black-headed Gull (all heading south around the point). 24 Whooper Swans flew from the north and landed at sea

and slowly slowly came towards Port na Caillich (the OS map has 2 different spelling for features in this area both different from 'Cailaich' the name of the farm on sign and phone-book). There were also 9 Wigeon here.
4th: There were at least 6 Fieldares at Ensay farmhouse along with 2 Redwings and a large flock of at least 50 flew south although they could have been Starlings. 2 Fieldfares were at the road summit.
Still looking for a good Fieldfare photo opportunity but they are proving very shy.

In the afternoon there was a loose flock of about 200 Fieldares

and Redwings at Ensay farmhouse (some were also in Treshnish wood)

which were attracting the attention of a Kestrel.

23 Greenland White-fronted Geese flew south over Treshnish wood.

There was 1 Purple Sandpiper at Lainne Sgeir, Calgary (my first of the season)

with the regular Ringed Plovers.

It was a good Buzzard day.

This one caught a vole or mole.

This shows the eyelid.

After breakfast naturally ...

Flock of 23 and 7 Whooper Swans and 3 Barnacle Geese flew south over Quinish (Mike Shepherd).
3rd: A pair of Golden Eagles between Burg and Tostary. This is the female.

Here I think it is trying to cough up a pellet.

There were at least 20 Fieldfares between Reudle Schoolhouse and Burg and at least 2 Redwings below Reudle Schoolhouse.
Usual suspect: Heron.

1 dog Otter on east side of Lainne Sgeir, Calgary and a smaller Otter about 300m towards Calgary.

2nd: About 12 Fieldfares near the Ensay Burg summit (Carolyne), 15 Redwings around Treshnish wood and 1 Gannet off Caliach Point.
1 Iceland Gull at Knock fish-farm outfalls (Mike Shepherd), where was it yestrday when i went to look!.
Whilst out with Andy Mortley at Croig last week he showed me a scent marking of an Otter. He has seen Otters making these secretions so there was no doubt what it was. If it is still there I will go back and get a photo meanwhile here is a photo of this anal jelly.
I have been doing a bit of research on Otter and Mink spraints. Years ago someone pointed out that the black oily droppings with a pointed end were from Otters. But last year I was told by a long term visitor that if there were no bones visible it wasn't an Otter's and often the ones described above have no bones showing so it appears that they are from Mink. The site above describes what to look for but states that Mink skats are smaller than 1cm diameter across and I am sure I have seen larger pointed droppings so now I need to keep an eye out and nose out because Otters spraint smell is not unpleasant.
Browsing similar sites allowed me to have a stab at some tracks I photographed on Ulva in 2009. At the time I presumed they were too small for Otter and therefore Mink. I didn't know until recently that there are Stoats on Mull and Ulva and I think that this is what these tracks are (the four toes on one side looks right).

I did some research on the Hen Harrier which appeared to be hunting over the sea yesterday.
I came across this Note from British Birds
'Hen Harriers hunting over the sea
While counting gulls from the southern tip of the island [Copinsay] on the afternoon of 28th October, I noticed two female or immature Hen Harriers C. cyaneus circling over the sea some hundreds of metres to the southeast of the island. Numbers of Fieldfares Turdus pilaris and Redwings T. iliacus were flying low over the sea towards Copinsay and the adjacent part of Mainland and the harriers made repeated dives and low-level chases in pursuit of those which came close. After about 20 minutes, one of the harriers seemed to strike a thrush with either its wings or its talons; the victim dropped into the sea, only to rise again before the harrier was able to pick it up. The two harriers continued to chase thrushes repeatedly—but unsuccessfully—for a further 35 minutes and then flew back to Copinsay, where they spent the remainder of the day hunting in the conventional manner. Hunting over the sea by Hen Harriers seems likely to be even rarer than hunting over open water by Marsh Harriers. MARK BEAMAN'
I think this second Note fits the behaviour I saw yesterday better.
'Hen Harrier apparently attempting to catch fish

At 09.50 GMT on 26th December 1978, I watched a near-adult male Hen Harrier C. cyaneus passing along the eastern edge of a Pennine reservoir which is flanked by a narrow conifer belt and surrounded by open hill pasture..... On five occasions, while flying at a height of 1-2 m, it lost flight speed, almost hovered, and plunged feet-first quite slowly into the water, immersing its legs and thighs completely, with tail lying on water surface while keeping its wings clear of the water and beating steadily. It lifted cleanly out of the water after each immersion without any prey and eventually reached the south bank, where it landed. It subsequently flew out over the water three more times, but did not enter the water again. R. W. RHODES
Donald Watson has commented as follows: 'I have not myself seen Hen Harriers fishing or attempting to take fish, but the following observations are relevant:
...There are several old accounts of Hen Harriers taking dead fish, and migrating harriers, probably Pallid Harriers C. macrourus, have been observed pursuing and catching flying-fish over the Red Sea, which I quoted in my book The Hen Harrier (1977, pages 105 & 27).
'I cannot cite proof of Hen Harriers capturing live fish. Mr Rhodes's account certainly suggests an attempt to lift something from below the surface. I do not doubt that fish put back from keep-nets by anglers, such fish sometimes being dead, could be an attraction to a harrier; and one might even try for a live fish below the surface, as is suggested by Mr Rhodes's note.' EDS

1st: 1 Bar-tailed Godwit and 1 Whooper Swan at Killiechronan,

c80 Canada Geese , c50 Redwings and 4 Turnstones by Craignure Golfcourse, 40+ Black-headed Gull at Knock, 5+ at Killiechronan and at least 1 at Lagganulva.

2 Rooks near Ulva school.

About 8 Fieldares below Reudle Schoolhouse.
A ring-tailed Hen Harrier was hunting over the water and 1 juvenile Gannet both between Laggan and Ulva.
I found out today from Raymond Duncan more details of the colour-ringed Twite I saw at Treshnish Point on 20/09/2011. It was ringed on 30/01/11 at Foveran Links, Newburgh, 10 miles north of Aberdeen. This is now the 5th Mull bird.
On 16/05/2009 Tony Gibson photographed a ringed Twite at Haunn which was traced to one of 417 Twite ringed at Raggra, near Wick, Caithness between November and March 2000/2001. A colour ringed bird I found at Haunn on the 11/04/2010 was ringed at Melrose in the winter of 2008/2009 and another bird ringed in the same year at Melrose (same ring colours) was found by Alan Spellman on 12/05/2010 (a month after mine)at Loch na Keal. The 5th bird was ringed in NW England but I have no details except it looks as though it was found in between Treshnish and Loch na Keal. I am trying to find out more.
A paper on Twite rings and their movements is to be published soon in Scottish Birds.
1 Otter at Killiechronan. I think there is a cub on the left.

A Red Admiral flew at Craignure golfcourse or Salen bay (can't remember which).

October

2011-10-01T20:07:00.093+01:00

31st: There was 1 Dunlin on Calgary beach,

and the pale Rock Pipit is still present there.

There were at least 4 Redwings at Sunipol, at least 1 Gannet off Caliach Point and a flock of about 40 Chaffinches at Bennan farm.
A Heron was feeding beside Treshnish Old Schoolhouse.

The Snow Buntings appear to have gone but Andy Mortley saw a Merlin at the road summit.
30th: A flock of 11 Greenland White-fronted Geese flew south at Croig

(zoomed in)

This is the second time this year I have been able to identify this species from photos, the first being a flock of 31 on the northward migration on 18th April.
At Croig there was also a Bar-tailed Godwit.

A drake Red-breasted Merganser is in breeding plumage.

This duck was with some Greylags near Calgary cemetery. I think it must be a domestic duck.

There were 3 Redwings around Treshnish wood and 6 Fieldfares in between the 2 stone bridges on the road up from Ensay, a Reed Bunting at Cillchriosd

and at least 15 Gannets in a feeding frenzy with Kittiwakes at Caliach. This is a week after my previous latest date for Gannet.
Usual suspect: Herons.

No sign of the Snow Buntings but it was late and they may have gone to roost.
The sky at Croig looking over Quinish.

29th: at least 1 Linnet at Haunn cottages.
28th: Found out too late yesterday that there was a Cattle Egret at Croig. Went this morning for a quick look but no luck.
There was at least 1 Redwing at Treshnish cowbarn.
Usual suspects: Curlew

and Cormorant.

At Calgary bay guests Alison and Philip Hanmer saw 1 Reed Bunting, 4 Whooper Swans (flying over) and close to Calgary, 1 Barnacle Goose with the Greylags.
27th: The 2 Snow Buntings were allowing close approach on either side of the road summit.

I noticed one has a white rump. These below are all of that bird.

At night Andy Mortley saw about 5 Short-eared Owls resting at the same summit.
There were also 2 Fieldfares near the stone bridge over Ensay Burn (beneath schoolhouse). Hopefully I can get better shots later.

There were 7 Rooks near the Glengorm turn off, Tobermory with (2 additional?) single birds opposite Tobermory campsite and beside the dental surgery.
I waited an hour to see if a Peregrine would show at the church in Tobermory but no luck although this Sparrowhawk flew over.

A yellow tagged C White-tailed Eagle was near Mornish Schoolhouse

and later possibly same bird at Cillchriosd.

26th: The 2 Snow Buntings were around today at the road summit (SC). In the morning there were about 20 Fieldfares flying around Treshnish wood, where there were also flocks 6, 3 and 2 (i.e. 6-11) Bullfinches as well as at least 6 Redwings, 2 probable Mistle Thrushes, 1 redpoll species, flocks of 8, 2 and 1 (i.e. 8-11) Common Crossbills,

and 1 Great Spotted Woodpeckerwhich is rare at Treshnish (seen for the first time last winter).

On Beinn Dull there were 3 Golden Eagles which included at least 1 juvenile, a Buzzard with a pale head and what I presumed to be an immature male Hen Harrier. A Sparrowhawk materialised just in front of me in out garden. I must have missed it as I scanned the conifers for Crossbills.
This landing Meadow Pipit shot catches something that we can't see normally.

usual suspect: Raven.

25th: Mullbirds website showed that Pam and Arthur Brown of Discover Mull tours found 2 Snow Buntings at 'Reudle' (actually Pam tells me it was at Reudle Schoolhouse not Reudle) yesterday (they also saw a Great Skua and an Arctic Tern that day! Both late dates).
I went out as soon as I read it and sure enough I flushed a pair just above Reudle schoolhouse. They were joined by 2 other unidentified birds and flew over Ensay Burn onto Treshnish farm. I lost track of them far away and though that is it. I drove up to the summit and saw a 'ring-tailed' Hen Harrier and then drove back down. Surprisingly the 2 Snow Buntings were still around but this time just below the entrance to the drive to the schoolhouse. This is a new Mull bird for me, so many photos!

I went back later when the light looked better and although Arthur had just seen them at the summit a traffic jam there probably disturbed them and so I couldn't find them. Then at about 5pm I tried again. First I saw a 'ring-tailed' Hen Harrier (I am pretty sure it is an adult female but need to check my books)

then a male Merlin on the summit cairn. It flew to an outcrop nearby

and then to another and although I could get close the light was against me.

I missed the shot of a lifetime when it hovered about 10 feet from the car, but the camera's autofocus could not find it. I didn't even know Merlins ever hovered. The light was behind me so it would indeed have been a fantastic shot.
Then found the Snow Buntings a little over the summit (probably what the Merlin was after)

and after several photos drove back and saw another or same pair just up from Reudle Schoolhouse.
Also a flock of at least 30 Chaffinches near Ensay farmhouse, where I am told there was a flock of 24 Goldfinches 'before the storm' (not sure which storm she meant).
Alison and Philip Hanmer guests at Middle cottage, photographed a White-tailed Eagle between Port Haunn and the 'whisky cave'. Their photograph shows a coloured leg ring and from that David Sexton tell us it is a west coast chick from 2010.
I have just found out that the colour-ringed Twite I saw at Treshnish Point on 20th of September was ringed by the Grampian Ringing Group on the Ythan at Foveran, Aberdeenshire (which was only about a mile from where my father and his father were born!). I hope to find out a bit more soon. This is the third colour ringed Twite that has been seen at Treshnish: on 16/05/2009 Tony Gibson photographed 1 at Toechtamhor cottage, which was ringed at Raggra, near Wick, Caithness, between November and March 2000/2001 (Hugh Clark in litt.) and 1 at Haunn cottages on the 11/04/2010 was ringed at Melrose in the winter of 2008/2009 (Raymond Duncan in litt.).
Another ring recovery from Treshnish was a Great Skua ring found at Lòn Reudle on 23/06/2008 which came from a chick ringed in 2001 on an uninhabited island off the Kyle off Tongue, Eilean nan Ron (Clive Craik in litt.).
24th: 1 Redshank, 3 Turnstones and 1 Whooper Swan at Lainne Sgeir, Calgary.

1 Black-headed Gull at Calgary beach and 1 juvenile Gannet at Treshnish Point. This is my latest date for Gannet, my previous latest was on 23rd October in 2006.
23rd: At least 21 Common Crossbills in Treshnish wood

(possibly about 40 because a second flock of about 20 birds was seen after the first flock of 19 flew to the south, although the flock may have circled around. 2 were also present a little later in the wood).

I have only seen Common Crossbills once before at Treshnish (2 on 27 Feb 2010) and guests Andy Stoddart and Maja Passchier also saw one here (on 14 Aug 2010). There were also 4 Bullfinches and at least 1 Lesser Redpoll in the wood.

There was 1 Black-headed Gull feeding beside the road in the field below Ensay farmhouse

and a flock of 5-10 thrushes near Ensay farmhouse were thought to be Fieldfares.
Today we received some photographs from a Treshnish guest, who found a large pile of what were originally thought to be bat droppings at the entrance to the large cave at Lòn Reudle. Later it was shown to a bat expert who was sure it wasn't from bats. I wonder if it could be from Otters. She also took a photo of an Adder nearby, both on 5 September.
I found out that our neighbour also saw Orca(s) in Calgary bay on 16 August 2007 and I saw 3+ in the sound of Coll on 19 May 2008.
22nd: 3 Twite and 1 Reed Bunting in Black Park field.
21st: At least 1 Greenfinch at Treshnish House. Tawny Owls calling as usual at night in Treshnish wood.
20th: Leena saw 6 Whooper Swans flying south over Black Park field.
19th: 6 Lesser Redpolls flew into Treshnish wood. There was 1 Black-headed Gull along the shore below Treshnish House. It ended up flying towards Haunn.

At mid-day male Golden Eagle was over Treshnish wood (here being harassed by a Buzzard)

and towards sunset the female was over Cruachan Trreshnish and the Point.

At sunset the Starling flock on their way to the roost cave at Treshnish Point.

Other usual suspects: Rock Pipit

and Heron.

Leena saw a flock of about 50 geese flying out of Calgary bay.
18th: 1 Arctic Tern on Calgary beach and in the nearby bay

Around sunset a Golden Eagle stooped down from hillside to below the cow-barn..
There were at least 5 Gannets in outer Calgary bay.
17th: 1 Arctic Tern on Calgary beach and in the nearby bay, 1 Whooper Swan on the middle of Mishnish lochs and about 6 Fieldfares between Penmore and Dervaig. Short-eared Owl head at night in Haunn field.
15th: Just after sunset a Short-eared Owl came very low around Middle cottage, Haunn, probably checking out the dogs. Guests in west cottage heard it in the night.
14th: 3-5 Fieldfares over Treshnish wood and a 'ring-tailed' Hen Harrier flew north over Calgary bay from about Treshnish boathouse.
Buzzard ballet. During this display I head a soft cooing noise that I think was coming from these birds (nothing like the usual loud begging and contact calls).

13th: A yellow tagged adult White-tailed Eagle flew over Calgary bay for half an hour,

Here the 'barn door' metaphor is obvious

where there were also 2 Golden Eagles one of which was a juvenile.

Also there, 2 Arctic Terns fishing, often near the beach. I like terns...

and 1 Black-headed Gull in the bay near Lainne Sgeir.
Flocks of c100 and 30 Fieldfares passed over Treshnish wood (some settled near the lochan) where earlier a Merlin flew.
Usual suspects: Heron

and Common Gull and Kestrel fighting.

12th: A Wigeon flew in to Calgary beach. Although not uncommon in other parts of Mull I have only seen it once before in the bay, at Lainne Sgeir, Calgary (3) on 18/11/2010.

There were Bullfinches and at least 4 Long-tailed Tits in Treshnish wood. They may be continental birds but I need better photos.
There were 2 Otters coming to shore to the east of Lainne Sgeir, Calgary and another about half way from there to the beach.

There was a Mountain Hare below Ensay farmhouse.
Margaret and Marc Debeuf who saw the Orcas on the 9th at Port Haunn have been able to identify one of them by the photograph they took of the fin. He has been named John Coe and you can read more about him here.
And I got this from Discover Wildlife
'John Coe is named after a character in a poem. He was given the epithet in the early 1990s by the skipper of a sailboat on a Sea Watch Foundation survey of cetaceans in the Western Isles. But he was first identified in 1980. John Coe, or W01 as he is also known, was already an adult when photos of him first appeared in the fledgling British Orca database three decades ago. That makes him at least 40 years old now.'
More photographs of John Coe 1 2 3 4 5.
11th: As soon as we got out of the car at Cillchriosd a White-tailed Eagle flew over us.

I didn't even have the camera switched on but then after a couple of shots a second flew behind it and again I was completely off guard and missed it as it approached.

They both landed on the hillock to the west of Langamull.
10 Whooper Swans flew west over Langamull (my first of the season)

There was 1 Black-headed Gull at Calgary beach and a Great Northern Diver at Treshnish Point still in breeding plumage.
6 flocks of Barnacle Geese were seen flying over Treshnish, totalling about 100 birds and a flock of 22 Pink-footed Geese flew south over Treshnish Point.
There were at least 2 Linnets at Haunn cottages

and at least 2 Twite. The dark centre to the throat of the top 2 shots is unusual but I think I am correct.

Treshnish wood was teaming with birds. There was a flock of at least 5 Long-tailed Tits (my first of the season).

There were at least 3 Bullfinches which are probably the residents

1 Lesser Repoll and many (probably too many to be resident) tits, Goldcrests and Treecreepers.

10th: At least 4,500 Barnacle Geese flying south over Treshnish (probably at least double that figure as many passed inland and others silently out at sea). They are heading for Islay from which some will head back northwards to other wintering sites like Tiree, Coll, Inch Kenneth and the Treshnish Isles.

which included at least 4 Pink-footed Geese,

and 3 Greylags probably from Iceland!

also 1 Golden Plover and 2 Arctic Terns off Treshnish Point.This is a juvenile and the latest record for north mull (previous being 27 Sept 1981 at Salen).

and 1 Great Skua off Caliach Point (I thought we had seen the last of the latter 2 species for this year).
I accidentally caught a Raven upside in a half roll. Not totally in focus but good luck anyway.

9th: 2 juvenile Pale-bellied Brent Geese were at Calgary beach,

3 Swallows over Treshnish wood and 4 Bullfinches along the edge of Treshnish wood.
A Hooded Crow was hassling a juvenile Herring Gull.

Usual suspects: Oystercatcher

Highlight of the day was that visitors at West cottage saw at least 2 Orcas (Killer Whales) close in at Port Haunn,heading towards Lunga.
8th: 7 Barnacle Geese flew over Lainne Sgeir, Calgary coming from the beach direction.

I gather there is a flock that winters on Inch Kenneth but otherwise it is an uncommon species on Mull. The earliest date I could trace for north Mull was over Tobermory on 6th October (in 1998).
There was 1 Black-headed Gull at Calgary beach, 1 Swallow around Treshnish cow-barn and a flock of about 50 Twite and at least 1 Goldfinch in Black Park field and a sub-flock of about 8 larger birds nearby which contained at least 1 Reed Bunting.
7th: 3 Swallows around Treshnish House, 1 Sparrowhawk in Treshnish wood, 40 Twite in Black Park field and a pair of Golden Eagles long the coastal strip from Haunn and Treshnish Point to Treshnish wood.
They both came close overhead but my camera settings were wrong.
This is the old male

and this is the female being mobbed by a Kestrel.

At night a Tawny Owl was heard as usual in Treshnish wood.
6th: Again flocks of 10, 12, 11 and what I think is a single Pale-bellied Brent Geese flew south around Treshnish Point and also a flock of 7 geese (Pink-foot, Greylag or Bean).
This the single Pale-bellied Brent Geese which flew under the cliffs.

There was 1 Black-headed Gull and Sparrowhawk at Calgary beach and a possible Arctic Skua off Ensay Burn mouth and later at Treshnish Point.
Usual suspect: Kestrel,

and Gannet.

5th: Flocks of 51 and 20 minutes later, 17 Pale-bellied Brent Geese flew south around Treshnish Point,

and zoomed in

where there were 8 Twite and 1 Redshank and out at sea 1 Great Skua chasing Gannets.

I think I also saw 1 Manx Shearwater. There were 2 Swallows going to roost in Treshnish farm buildings. It was getting dark but I think they were juveniles.
Usual suspect: Curlew.

4th: There was 1 Ruddy Turnstone at Lainne Sgeir, Calgary, 1 Golden Eagle, 1 Sparrowhawk and at least 5 Swallows over Treshnish wood (1 day past my latest date which was last year).
3rd: There was 1 Great Northern Diver (my first of the season) in Calgary bay. The Rook was still at Calgary beach along with 2 Dunlin but no sign of the Black-headed Gulls. At least 2 Swallows still over Treshnish wood.
2nd: There were about 12 Lesser Redpolls in Treshnish wood.

One of the Redpolls had a very pale grey head. I couldn't see further details but I presume it was either Meally Redpoll flammea or Northwestern Redpoll rostrata.
A flock of 5 Fieldfares flew south over Treshnish wood and later about 8 flew out of the wood.
There were at least 4 Bullfinches in Treshnish wood.

Along the farm road beside the wood there were 2 Red Admirals,

1 Speckled Wood, at least 1 Common Hawker and at least 1 Common Darter.
1st: There was a pair of Golden Eagles on Cruachan Treshnish, over Haunn Cottages and Treshnish Point and 3 Greenfinches and at least 2 Swallows at Treshnish House.
At night Tawny Owls were heard (as they have for the last 3 nights at least).

September

2011-09-03T19:32:00.093+01:00

30th: Apparently I just missed some Sanderlings on Calgary beach at sunset and I have been told there have been a flock of Pale-bellied Brent Geese at Croig (Andy Mortley pers. comm.). There were still at least 7 Swallows around Treshnish House.
29th: There was a Rook on Calgary beach. I saw one on the 25th but as I only had a quick glimpse of it flying, I started to doubt myself. Rooks are scarce in north Mull.

A Hooded Crow was not accepting it.

There was also a Sanderling and 1 Dunlin and at least 11 Black-headed Gulls on the beach.

At Port Langamull there was 1 male Common Scoter

and at Langamull 2 adult yellow tagged C and E White-tailed Eagles.

There was 1 Sparrowhawk at Calgary beach and 1 beside the road by Ensay farmhouse and 1 Wheatear at Calgary beach and 1 by the road near the Dun where the Ensay road meets the sea.
and 1 Otter to the west of Calgary boathouse.
28th: On Ulva, 1 Speckled Wood and another probable Peacock butterfly and at least 2 Common Hawkers and 1 Common Darter, dragonflies.
The Renkin family saw Whinchat near the pink pier, Calgary.
27th: There was still at least 1 family of Swallows hawking out of the wind on the north side of Treshnish wood, There were 15 Black-headed Gulls at Calgary beach and 1 Wheatear.

Whilst photographing it a Sparrowhawk attacked it right in front of me. This is the bird as the Sparrowhawk attacked.

It avoided the hawk with a short flight, landed in almost the same spot and then sat still for at least 5 minutes. It was not bothered by the fly at all.

There was also a Red-throated Diver near the pink-pier, Calgary and 1 Ruddy Turnstone at Lainne Sgeir, Calgary.
Usual Suspects: Red-breasted Merganser

and Stonechats, male

and female

There was an Otter on the east side of Lainne Sgeir.

26th: A Lesser Redpoll/'Mealy' Redpoll was in Treshnish wood. Lesser Redpolls haven't been around for a few weeks so this must be passing through from elsewhere.

The Linnet was a still around Treshnish Old Schoolhouse

There were 11 Black-headed Gulls on Calgary beach and 2 Ruddy Turnstone at Lainne Sgeir, Calgary.
1 Common Hawker and 1 Common Darter by Treshnish Old Schoolhouse.
25th: There were at least 8 Black-headed Gulls at various spots in Calgary bay including adults

and immatures

a flock of 30+ Greenfinches and another pale presumably leucistic Rock Pipit at Calgary beach

and a mixed flock of about 60 Twite and a few Goldfinches in Black Park field.

A Linnet landed briefly at Treshnish Old Schoolhouse, this species hasn't been seen here for weeks.
24th: There were hundreds of Kittiwakes in Calgary bay. They were spread out and often moving and I didn't have time to count them all but there were at least 400. A Great Skua was also in the mouth of the bay.

There was 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 1 Ruddy Turnstone and 1 Red Knot on Lainne Sgeir, Calgary

and 1 Wheatear by the road to the west.
A Golden Plover was heard around Haunn cottages and in Black Park there was a mixed flock of about 40 Goldfinches and 40 Twite, sometimes the flock separated into 2 same species flocks.
At twilight Red Deer stags were bellowing above Ensay.

23rd: 70 Kittiwakes off Lainne Sgeir Calgary and 1 Ruddy Turnstone on the rocks there and a Black-headed Gull flushed by walkers off Calgary beach. A Tawny Owl was hooting at dusk in Calgary wood.
22nd: There were 20 Swallows over Treshnish wood, 2 Ruddy Turnstones at Lainne Sgeir, Calgary and from where the Ensay road hits the coast: 2 Red-throated Divers, 1 tern probably a Common Tern, 2 Manx Shearwaters, 100 Kittiwakes, 1 Golden Eagle

and 2 Basking Sharks, this is one of them.

21st: There were 2 Sanderlings

and 3 Ruddy Turnstones

and a flock of at least 30 Greenfinches on Calgary beach.
This Rock Pipit is very pale. I though it could be the Scandinavian race littoralis but experts have told me it is probably leucistic, i.e. the normal UK subspecies but with a pigment abnormality.

This is a more typical bird.

There was 1 Red-throated Diver, 1 Red-breasted Merganser in Calgary bay and several Red-breasted Mergansers at Salen bay.

Usual suspect, Common Gull.

20th: There was a flock of about 60 Twite on the cliffs at Treshnish Point. One had coloured rings, silver above yellow on the right leg and yellow above yellow on the left, which I later found out means it was ringed on 30 Jan 2011 at Foveran Links, Newburgh, 10 miles north of Aberdeen. There was 1 Reed Bunting below Haunn cottages.
There were at least 2 Arctic Terns on the mouth of Calgary bay and a possible Little Tern (flew more like a butterfly than the shearing of the Arctic Terns and the black and white markings around the eye and forehead were more noticeable than on any of the Arctic Terns I have seen recently). I only saw 1 Manx Shearwater.
Swallows are still feeding their young.

A Basking Shark was in the mouth of Calgary bay.
19th: There were 5 Sandwich Terns (scarce in north mull and a first for me on Mull),

1 Arctic Skua

and several Wigeon in Salen bay, 2 Teal at Dervaig, and 1 Red-breasted Merganser and 1 Black-headed Gull on Calgary beach.

There was 1 Golden Eagle and 1 probable White-tailed Eagle on Cruachan Druim na Croise.
Other firsts for me were Sea Aster

and Common Glasswort in Salen bay.

18th: A Sparrowhawk flew over Treshnish Old Schoolhouse.

There was 1 immature Golden Eagle to east of Lochan na h-Earba.

and 2 male

and 1 ring-tailed Hen Harrier north of Torloisk,
3 eagles (including at least 1 White-tailed Eagle) fighting to north of Beinne na Cille.
A male Common Hawker landed long enough to get a shot.

and there were several Speckled Woods beside Treshnish wood.
17th: There was an eagle flying south around Haunn cottages but it was too far to see what kind. A Sparrowhawk flew over Treshnish wood.
A Green-veined White was at Treshnish Old Schoolhouse (by far my latest date).
15th: On the north side of Calgary bay there was 1 Whitethroat and 1 Wheatear

and 1 Merlin chasing and being chased by a Swallow.

Usual suspects: Heron.

And there was an Otter on the east side of Lainne Sgeir, Calgary.
13th: There was 1 Ruff (rare on north Mull)

(it flew off towards Calgary at 8.30am) and 1 Ruddy Turnstone at Lainne Sgeir, Calgary.
There were also 9 Red Knots on Calgary beach

(I was wrong about the Red Knots yesterday they were too brown. It was very poor light and now I am convinced they were Ruffs).
Again on Calgary beach, 5 Dunlins (I am told this one on the right is the arctic race alpina),

3 Ruddy Turnstones

and 1 Arctic Tern

which was joined by a Common Tern in the bay.

Towards sunset 2 terns came to roost on the rocks at Lainne Sgeir, which I presume were these 2 birds.
There were 38 Greenfinches on Calgary beach, 1 Red-throated Diver and 1 Eider Duck in the inner bay, 1 Arctic Skua, a handful of Manx Shearwaters and Gannets in the outer bay and a Wheatear below Ensay.
In the evening 2 Arctic Skuas, 1 diver, 5+ Manx Shearwaters and 20+ Gannets flew south across the mouth of Calgary bay during about 30 minutes sea-watching and there were about 30 Kittiwakes on the water just off Lainne Sgeir.
Finally a young Buzzard allowed me to get close.

There was an Otter by Calgary boathouse.
12th: In Calgary bay during a storm there were 3 Arctic Skuas together, 1 Red-throated Diver, 1 Eider and only about 10 Kittiwakes, no Manx Shearwaters and amazingly no Gannets. On Calgary beach there was 1 Ruddy Turnstone (my first of the season),

1 Arctic Tern

and 4 Dunlins, 1 Redshank and on Lainne Sgeir there were 3 probable Ruffs (a scarce bird for north Mull). Last year Arthur brown found 1 on Calgary beach one day earlier on the 11th!
You can see the flowering Sea Rocket on the top of the beach.

This is considered a rare plant on Mull according to the Mull flora but a couple of years ago it got a foothold at Calgary and now it is abundant.
11th: During a 2 hour sea-watch at Treshnish Point, 5 Pale-bellied Brent Geese flew south.

There were also 5-10 Manx Shearwater, 1 Great Skua, 1 Fulmar and several Kittiwakes.

At dusk Tawny Owls called as usual in Treshnish wood.
Usual suspects: Buzzard

and Kestrel.

10th: There was a juvenile Yellowhammer by Treshnish cow-barn. This is a scarce bird at Treshnish.We haven't seen one since last September.

There were about 60 Goldfinches in Black Park field and a Wheatear at Treshnish Point.
At Treshnish Point the Manx Shearwaters were all heading north with the southerly winds today.
There were 2 Great Skuas

this one was chasing the Kittiwakes at Treshnish Point.

Juvenile Kittiwake

and adult.

9th: There were at least 50 Kittiwakes in Calgary bay (mostly adults) and a few landed on the rocks at Lainne Sgeir. Mostly adults

and a few immatures.

A couple of times all the birds came up together as a whole flock.

The culprit was a Great Skua.

At Treshnish wood there was 1 Lesser Redpoll (the first for at least a fortnight) and usual suspect: a Buzzard.

8th: There were 2 Wheatears where the Ensay road hits the coast. I shall indulge in what could be my last of the season.

At Lainne Sgeir, Calgary there were at least 49 Kittiwakes perched on the rocks

and 1 tern which looked like a Common Tern.
There were many Speckled Woods, a few Scotch Argus, 2-3 Green-veined Whites and 1 Peacock flying beside Treshnish wood.
These Common Darters are in the classic wheel pose.

It looks more complicated than it is. The only important thing happening sexually is the female (the yellowish one) touching the male with the tip of her abdomen.
He is only holding her on the head with claspers on the end of his abdomen to lock on to her. Before making the wheel he has already transferred his sperm from the tip of his abdomen to his secondary genitalia where she is now touching.
7th: With about 3 hours sea-watching from near Haunn:, 1 Sooty Shearwater (my first on Mull and almost certainly an under-recorded species on Mull), 1 Black-throated Diver, at least 2 Great Skuas, 4 Fulmars, 4 terns of which I think at least 3 were Arctic Terns, only 6 Manx Shearwaters that looked like they were on migration, and about 50 going in both directions. Then afterwards on the Calgary side of Treshnish point there was an Arctic Skua chasing Kittiwakes and another Fulmar. Most of the Kittiwakes today were adults.
At mid-day there was a Golden Eagle over Cruachan Treshnish and in the evening 1 below Treshnish House and wood. There was a ring-tailed Hen Harrier on Treshnish Point, which I think was a female and a Reed Bunting below Haunn cottages.
A dog Otter was in the field on the Calgary side of Treshnish point. It would have made a nice photo rolling on its back in a field but my battery was dead.
A Basking Shark was off Treshnish Point. It has been rare this year and this is my first!
6th: In the evening after the storm had died down and the rain had stopped, I went sea-watching from near Haunn. Within 5 minutes I saw 3 Arctic Skuas, 2 probable Red-throated Divers and several Manx Shearwaters flying south which looked promising. In the next 90 minutes, I also saw 4 Great Skuas, 1 Pomarine Skua chasing an adult Kittiwake, at least 10 Manx Shearwaters (they were flying both north and south), 1-2 Fulmars, 50 Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 1 tern which was probably an Arctic Tern and many Kittiwakes (all but one or two were immatures).
Whilst tidying up my photos on a rainy day I was drawn yet again to look at a raptor taken on the 30th of August over lower Ensay Burn. I was taking photos of a Sparrowhawk and a Kestrel fighting and took a photo of a distant raptor. I forgot about it until a couple of days later and couldn't figure out what it was. Today after paying more attention I realised that it was probably an Osprey. I sent it off to an id expert who has confirmed it.

I see from Mullbirds website that 1 was also seen at Loch Spelve, Mull on the following day. My 2 previous records at Treshnish were both in the spring, 1 on 17th of May 2010 and 1 on the the 13th of May 2007.
Incidentally the last time I wrote about the satellite tracked Osprey named Rothes, it was heading towards its stop over place during its only southern migration in 2009, 50lm north of Bordeaux,. It was very late to be heading north and there was a lot of speculation as to whether it would make it back to Scotland. To finish that story, it did stop off at that favoured spot and it is still there and is now, as far as I am aware, the first proof of a partial northern migration of an Osprey. Another chapter in the story, is that whilst at this site a birdwatcher unknowingly took a photo of an Osprey, posted it on the internet and it has now been realised that it was of Rothes and stranger still that its is a male not a female as it was thought when the transmitter was fitted (females and juveniles have a dark band across the upper breast). Unfortunately this means that he will not make it back to Scotland until next year and the collars that hold the transmitter are only supposed to last for 3 years. Hopefully it will last until then so we can see where he breeds.
On the subject of satellite collars, this spring the collar fell off Breagha, one of the 2008 Mull satellite tagged White-tailed Eagles. It is a shame because Breagha was the most adventurous of the 2 satellite tagged sea eagles of that year and she moved throughout the west coast as far north as Thurso, over to Lewis for a day but spent a lot of time on Skye. The other bird from that year, Mara is still transmitting but he has been much more sedentary preferring the Morven and Ardnamurchan peninsulas (mostly former) with only one-off trips to Syke, Rum ans Coll. Last year 2 more Mull White-tailed Eagles were fitted with satellite tags: Shelly has taken up residence on Harris and Lewis and Midge has taken up residence on Skye. The 2 birds from 2009, Venus and Oran only transmitted for a short while. I for one suspect foul play and as far as I am aware, no birds were tagged (satellite or wing-tagged) in 2011.
5th: A Willow Warbler was heard singing briefly in Treshnish wood. I got some terrible shots of a warbler which I can only presume is a Willow Warbler but it appears to have a dark crown. I have been in formed that it is probably a juvenile Willow Warbler with fresh crown feathers still in sheath and/or freshly bathed. My latest date here so far was on 8th September last year with another the following day near Tobermory.

A Sparrowhawk flew over Treshnish wood. I presume that it has a full crop.

I was surprised to see a Green-veined White flying I thought they were finished for the year.My latest date is 7th September here and 9th September near Tobermory.
A beautiful Peacock was also on the wing.

4th: A Sparrowhawk landed for a few seconds on our gate.

I took the shot from 5 yards behind and through a window. It flew before I could get closer to the window,
A Bullfinch was seen and heard along the road through Treshnish wood and there were at least 5 Twite at the cow-barn. A thrush behind the cow-barn was probably a Mistle Thrush. The first I have seen at Treshnish since the spring.
At Haunn there was a Sedge Warbler,

a Whitethroat (my latest dates for both warblers) and a family of Stonechats below the blackhouses.
Usual suspects: Buzzard

The Devil's-bit Scabious in Black Park is looking spectacular right now.

3rd: a flock of about 100 Golden Plovers flew south, high over Treshnish Point. They disappeared into a cloud before I could count them more carefully. They could have been Grey Plover but Golden Plovers are more likely. There was also a mixed flock of about 60 Goldfinches with a smaller number of Meadow Pipits in Haunn field and 1 Twite by Treshnish Old Schoolhouse.
Mullbirds has just pointed out that Birdwatching magazine photograph of the year, in the urban category, was of one of our Tobermory Peregrines, click on the image on this page. It is better than my photos on the right but maybe my action shot would have pulled some weight.

August

2011-08-01T19:35:00.025+01:00

31st: There was a mixed flock of about 60 birds mostly Twite but also Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Siskin and Meadow Pipit in the field between the road entrance and the bridge over Ensay Burn and at least 2 House Martins around Treshnish House,2 Kestrels were fighting again with a Sparrowhawk. This was one of the Kestrels returning to the wood.

The adult female Bullfinch

was in the woods with 2 juveniles and at night the Tawny Owls were heard.
30th: At mid-day there was a Willow Warbler beside Treshnish wood, soon they will almost all be gone.

Later there was a flock of about 40 Siskins flying around the wood and 3 or 4 Bullfinches along the road beside Treshnish wood. They were all appeared to be juveniles.

Swallows are still being fed by adults.

The Kestrels have been hanging around Treshnish wood the last couple of days.

I wonder if they will take fancy to the owl box.
In the evening a Golden Eagle flew over Treshnish wood. I ran out but it had gone but I did see a Sparrowhawk

trying to harass a Kestrel.

I think both of them may have been young because they behaving as though they weren't sure what they were doing.
Then when I went inside along comes the female Golden Eagle but this time it stayed long enough for a shot.

1 Osprey over Ensay, see note for 6th Sept 2011 (my third record here the other 2 being in May).
A few rays of sun brought out a few butterflies, I was surprised to see this Dark Green Fritillary.

I haven't see one for weeks and this is my latest date (although I have a possible on 16 Sept 2006).
There was a Speckled Wood

and a Scotch Argus

but no Green-veined Whites or Meadow Browns.
The other day I wrote that most Fox Moth caterpillars are still very small. This was
already quite large.

These Common Darters have mated and now the female is laying eggs. She swings the tip of abdomen into the water although I am not sure who does the swinging.

This shows it better but isn't in focus.

This is an immature Blue-tailed Damselfly.

29th: A Wood Pigeon below Treshnish wood was the first for several weeks. So no breeding again this year. There was a Wheatear near the cow-barn. There were at least 4 Stonechats along the wall in Haunn field and 2 near the sitheans behind Treshnish Old Schoolhouse.
Again a pair of Golden Eagles between Beinn Duill and Treshnish wood. The male was perched behind Haunn cottages and on Cnoc an t-Sidhein. This is him

There was a male Reed Bunting in Black Park and presumably the same in Haunn field.

Pretty sure this is just a Curlew despite the clear eyebrow.

Usual suspects: Gannet

typical views of Manx Shearwater

and Great Skua

28th: A pair of Golden Eagles over and in Treshnish wood. This is the male

and this is the female

here she is diving at a Buzzard (which survived).

There were also at least 2 Bullfinches along the road through the wood. this is a juvenile.

27th: There was a female Hen Harrier right beside East cottage, Haunn and in the evening a Golden Eagle patrolling the coastal strip between Cruachan Treshnish and Ensay Burn.
26th: walkers saw a female Hen Harrier at Haunn.
Better late than never but I have re-identified a butterfly from last year. This is a Large Heath.

I have yet to find one on the Treshnish side of Ensay Burn but it is not common on the Ensay side either.
25th: In the morning there was a Hen Harrier near the summit of the Ensay-Burg road.
In the evening there was a covey of about 6 Red Grouse in the bog on the summit. Although I come across their droppings fairly often they are quite elusive in our area.

This is our residential race of Pied Wagtail. A White Wagtail does not have the dark grey spots on the light grey of the mantle.

At Treshnish Old Schoolhouse there was a Common Whitethroat (latest date at Treshnish is 3rd September).
Almost certain there was a Meadow Brown near Treshnish Old Schoolhouse (too orangey for Scotch Argus). Green-veined White are still on the wing

Managed to get a better shot of a flowering Bog Orchid.

24th: A female Hen Harrier flew from Cruachan Treshnish to Beinn Reudle.
At Treshnish lochan an immature Blue-tailed Damselfly

and on Cruachan Treshnish an Emerald Damselfly.

I also saw my first Black Darters of the year near Treshnish lochan but they were too flighty to photograph.
Tried to get a good photo of Bog Orchids. I could only find one clump of larger flowering plants but they were too shrivelled. This tiny plant came out OK.

22nd: A female Sparrowhawk flew along the south side of Treshnish wood. There was a Short-eared Owl at 8.30 before sunset near the summit of the Ensay-Burg road and walkers saw 2 ring-tailed Hen Harriers at Haunn.
There a lots of tiny froglets about but this is an adult Common Frog.

Sun in the afternoon brought out dragonflies and butterflies.

Common Hawker

Common Darter

and mating Emerald Damselflies on the summit of the Ensay-Burg road. The female has missing segments to the abdomen so won't be able to reproduce. Normally the male first transfers sperm from the tip of his abdomen to his accessory genitalia at the front of his abdomen so this female would have needed to hook her abdomen all the way beneath her to touch his accessory genitalia. This creates the classic wheel. Right now the male is only holding her with his abdomen claspers, nothing else is happening.

A worn Speckled Wood

and one fresh

and a Meadow Brown. I am confused by the double spot but it can't be be a worn female Scotch Argus which would have a third spot and spots on the hindwing. This is my latest date for this species, the previous latest being on 19th August 2008.

Went to see how 2 nearby fruiting Narrow-leaved Helleborine were doing. This one looks great. I couldn't find the other (I will go back with a GPS).

The Broad-leaved Helleborone flowers are starting to drop

and it doesn't look as though they have been fertilized which is not surprising. The only other nearby flowering plant died after only moderate winds. This photo shows the plant with 2 very small vegetative plants of Narrow-leaved Helleborine at either end of the stick. The two species sometimes grow very close together in this woodland.

This Hazel Gloves fungus was very fresh

and this lovely coloured fungus should be identifiable.

21st: A female Hen Harrier flew from Cruachan Treshnish to Beinn Reudle where it was joined by a male.
This Northern Eggar caterpillar was on Cruachan Treshnish. It is superficially similar to the very common Fox Moth but that darker and most are very small at this time of year and none are this big.

It is eating a flower of Cross-leaved Heath. These photos were taken 2 minutes apart.

20th: There were 3 House Martins around Treshnish farm buildings. I don't see any juvenile plumage on this bird. I wonder what the black spot on the side of the white rump is. I don't remember seeing any of the breeding birds with this mark.

One of them went to roost in the nest predated by House Sparrows.
First of all a pair were flying around the farm building looking at the the nests even the artificial one but one bird at least seemed to be most interested in the one that succeeded in producing at least one fledgling this year. The problem was this nest was accidentally knocked down by builders this week. After the roosting bird stayed put the second bird flew around for a bit and a few minutes later returned with a third bird. These birds didn't show any more interest in the nests and although I waited until quite late I didn't see them again.
This was a very familiar site (sorry it was taken into the sun).

I presume these are the birds that made nests this year but it is not definite. Last year whilst the pair still had chicks in the nest up to 10 birds appeared on the 24th and 30th of August and showed a lot of interest in the farm building including the artificial nest. Perhaps they were checking out sites for the following year and the birds today may have been doing the same.
There were 2 Whimbels flying east over Black Park field, between Treshnish and Haunn cottages. I am pretty sure they aren't Curlews.

Ruth Fleming and Stuart Gibson on day off from Mull Magic walks found a new species for the farm. Just after I had spoken to them they saw 3 Black-tailed Godwits land near Dun Haunn. Although Killiechronan is a regular site, I have only 2 records from nearby: [11 flew south past Calgary bay on 20/08/2010 & 1 on 23/08/2010 at Calgary, (Greg Pepper on www.mullbirds.com), 4 on 15/09/1988 at Calgary (Argyll Bird Report 5:22)]
18th: I caught a quick glimpse of some kind of ruckus on the edge of Treshnish wood. It involved a Kestrel, a Sparrowhawk and another raptor probably another Kestrel or Sparrowhawk. Going by the Kestrel alarm calls it may have been a Sparrowhawk attacking one of a pair of Kestrels or vice-versa.
There were at least 4 Bullfinches in Treshnish wood.

Tawny Owls calling again at dusk.
Still lots of Scotch Argus by Treshnish wood.

17th: No Hen Harriers seen today. Best Birds today were 2 Lapwings, which are not common at Treshnish.

and another good find was a couple of Stonechats. Terrible photo but its a rarity this year!

It has been very bad for Stonechats and Grey Wagtails on Mull this year. Presumably this is due to the last 2 cold winters.
This Lesser Redpoll had a recently fledged youngster.

Went to see if I could find that Quail. I did flush a game bird but its mum turned out to be a Pheasant. Later I flushed another small game bird which was probably a Pheasant but it flew into cover.
Its almost that time to look for the last migrants. Today many of the usual suspects were seen: Swallow, Sand Martin, Whitethroat, Wheatear, Willow Warbler and Sedge Warbler,

this was a juvenile that was waiting for its parent to bring food

Tawny Owls calling again at dusk.
I am pretty sure I saw a Golden-ringed Dragonfly in flight by Treshnish Old Schoolhouse. If so that is my latest date. I will try and get a better view tomorrow to discount female Common Hawker.
I spent a lot of time looking for Lesser Twayblade at what looks like a perfect spot just outside the deer-fence on the road to Haunn. I didn't find any.
16th: Went to see if I could re-locate the Wryneck, which was a long shot as this is a skulking species but no luck.
More good news. Carolyne flushed a bird between Treshnish and Haunn cottages which she thinks was a Quail.
A good raptor day although mostly quick, distant views. In the morning a probable Merlin was diving at a Raven at Treshnish Old schoolhouse.
A White-tailed Eagle flying west around Treshnish Point.

A Golden Eagle flying from Cruachan Treshnish towards the boathouse (this is the female).

Sparrowhawk(s) at Haunn field and treshnish Point.

Hen Harrier near the entrance from Black Park to Haunn field. This shot was with 2 Buzzards (the harrier is on right)

which resulted in this Buzzard doing a half roll.

and more Buzzards.

Got a better male Reed Bunting shot today

and what I think is a juvenile.

A Whinchat was still around between Haunn and the north coast.

Also a Dunnock fledgling.

Again Tawny Owls were heard in the evening at Treshnish Old Schoolhouse.
Carolyne took photographs of the Field Gentians which she has posted here and I saw she had found many I had missed. So the hillock where I reported 350+ actually has probably more than 600 plants!
I think this must be a Harebell.

15th: I have had confirmation that this a Wryneck which flew from the fence of the reeds area below Toechtamhor cottage, to some bracken just to the west. This is the third record for Mull and the earliest post breeding record for Argyll which has only had ten records since 1969!

Immediately I saw it on the fence post, I thought 'Cuckoo, no too small and then, Wryneck!' The posture was right (horizontal) and the plumage was obviously something unusual. I immediately took a shot as the bird flew. Luckily it landed close by and didn't disappear into the vegetation immediately but after 2 shots I couldn't see it at the spot where it landed although I saw a bird hidden on a thistle a yard away which I thought must be it. I waded across the bog to get closer and eventually saw it was just a Goldfinch. Then I forgot about it as I was preoccupied with trying to get Hen Harrier shots. When I got home I was worried the photo was not good enough. Could it have been a shrike? I was pretty sure it wasn't just from the jizz (general shape and appearance). Luckily the photograph was good enough, phew.
Previous Mull records were 1 from 9 to 10 June 1991 at Torlochan and 1 on 14 May 2001 at Croig. The Croig bird was the last for Argyll (as of 2007).
Today 2 Hen Harriers in the fields around Haunn.
For once I can say I am happy with these photos

There was a female Sparrowhawk there too.

and I always thought Reed Buntings only ate seed but this juvenile was fly-catching

I guess it hasn't read the books because here it is trying to eat a feather it caught.

It was very tame

not like the adult male (and adult female?)

This Swallow in the reedbed was begging for food.

2 presumed Red-throated Divers flew around Treshnish Point.
There were over 50 Twite in the evening around Treshnish House

Back at the cow-barn a Kestrel gave me my best shots so far.

I was also told of a Peregrine seen at Treshnish Old Schoolhouse.
There was at least 1 House Martin with the Swallows at Treshnish house, which may be the juvenile from here.
As I type a Tawny Owl calls outside our window. haven't heard it for a while.
This Shaded Broad-bar moth is only my first since 2008. I have only 8 previous records 1 in 2006, 5 in 2007 and 2 in 2008. It came to the light trap only twice, all other records were during the daytime.

and this Common Blue is quite late, even though my lastest is on 9th Sept in 2009. My other latest was on 17th August last year.

I found another patch of 220+ Field Gentians just to east of the reedy area below Toechtamfor at a new site.
This is a Threatened plant and its success at Treshnish should be enough to pursuade you to vote for Treshnish to win the RSPB Nature Of farming award, if you haven't already done so (see top). There are at least 14 in this small square.

14th: Again a female Hen Harrier between Treshnish boathouse and Treshnish Point for at least an hour and a quarter. It didn't come as close as I hoped but better than yesterday.

A Sparrowhawk flew over Treshnish cow-barn to the wood below.

Usual suspects Twite.

There was a Mountain Hare in Skoma field.
Found my first ever Cinnabar Moth caterpillars.

This moth feeds exclusively on ragwort. These were on Marsh Ragwort in a wet fenced off, tree planted area. I would have thought the colour alone would be enough to put off predators but some of them, when they saw me, raised the front half of their bodies and jerked it violently back and forth, sideways.
Went back to get the grid-reference for yesterdays Field Gentians. I counted at least 350 and it is totally new site! Nearby there were another 300, also a new site! My highest count previously was 102 but usually there are only 1-30 at a site.
13th: Again a female Hen Harrier in Black Park and Skoma fields. In the evening I went back with a camera and after a short while it flew by from Treshnish Point towards Treshnish cow-barn but it wasn't as close as in the afternoon or yesterday.

Just before sunset a House Martin flew into the successful nest at Treshnish House. I approached the nest to try to get a shot and see how many there were but I disturbed it and 1 flew out. There were no more inside and after a minute or so it went back inside but only after several attempts. It also showed interest in the artificial nests beside their nest. I think because of this hesitancy it was the juvenile.
The Kestrels have moved way from their nesting cliffs and are starting to give photographic opportunities.

I will have to spend more time on this but at first glance it looks like the spider-hunting wasp, Ceropales maculata.

I found over 70 Field Gentians on the side of the hillock at the top end of Skoma field near the gate into Haunn field. I didn't have my GPS with me but if I have seen them here before it certainly wasn't in such high numbers. There were also smaller numbers at other spots nearby. This is almost certainly due to the late grazing in this field this year. Whilst seeing the cows slowly slowly nibble the Field Gentians in Haunn field this year, is hard to see, it just means that numbers are flourishing in other areas. This is especially true as there are at least 30 sites with Field Gentian on the farm. The cows have just been moved from a field where I found three new sites whilst the cows were still present, so those should set seed. Field Gentian also prefers a short sward and cows are more likely to feed on longer grass so probably leave some plants to set seed. This year does seem like an excellent Field Gentian year.
12th: There was a female Hen Harrier in Black Park and Skoma fields and 3 Bullfinches at the entrance to Black Park field, between Treshnish and Haunn cottages. There was a Mountain Hare in the garden by Duill cottage.
9th: There was a cream coloured Swallow with Swallows and a couple of House Martins at Bennan farm, Calgary which was last seen over the house at Langamull. I am not 100% certain that it wasn't a martin.
A male Hen Harrier was over Bennan.

A pair of White-tailed Eagles at Cillchriosd.

Usual suspect: Wheatear

There was an Otter on the west side of Lainne Sgeir, Calgary and a Mountain Hare at Bennan.
8th: Now the young have fledged I went to see if I could find the Short-eared Owl nest. I didn't find it but I did find a few feathers and the roost sites of an adult. These are the pellets at the roost sites.

and a perch site of an adult with pellets and a feather on a rock.

It is not very often I get such a close view of a Hen Harrier but this female flew immediately it landed and before the autofocus could find it.

Two and a half hours later I saw another near the ruins behind Treshnish Old Schoolhouse.

having a scratch

They could have been 2 different birds. The upperwing patch appears to be wider and more rufous in the first bird.

There was a Golden Eagle over Cruachan Treshnish and about 2 and a half hours later, 1 over Beinn Reudle.
Found some more Lesser Twayblade sites behind our house but again none with flowers.
I found some Bog Orchid bulbils at the site closest to Treshnish House. I couldn't find any last year but if they don't flower they are very hard to see.

The submerged leaves on the above photo are of a bladderwort species (you can also see the bladder).

I mentioned I only knew very few sedges etc. This one I do know, it is White-beaked Sedge.

7th: A pair of Golden Eagles were hunting along the coastal strip. favourite perches were the hillock above Treshnish lochan and Cnoc an t-Sidhein (the hill half way between Treshnish and Haunn cottages). The larger bird is the female.

I think these are all of the male

15 Greylags flew to Skoma field from the Port Haunn direction and later 2 more were above Haunn.

I have not mentioned Greyags for several weeks because I haven't seen any at Treshnish.
There were 3 Whinchats at Haunn field.

There was a Hen Harrier at the summit of the Ensay-Burg road.
This Kestrel appears to have caught an insect, perhaps a moth.

Guests at Duill cottage saw a Redshank in front of Toechtamhor cottage and on about the 4th, one at the pond at Duill.
6th: A juvenile chat before the gate into Haunn field may have been a Stonechat. The first all summer if not all year! Went to see if the Short-eared Owls were flying earlier and giving photographic opportunities but only 1 was seen briefly at 9.30pm. I presume they must be flying in the middle of the day. I will try for an early morning soon. Guests at Shian cottage saw a Tawny Owl at about 10pm above the owl box half way to Haunn cottages.
5th: There was at least 1 House Martin fledgling with its parents around Treshnish House and for a while all together on Duill cottage roof. At one time I thought I saw 5 together but they may have been Sand Martins. I only ever saw 1 chick poking its head out of the nest so perhaps they only managed to rear 1 young.
Last night was so sultry it seemed like the perfect night for moths so I ran the moth trap for the first time this summer. I only ran it for about 4 hours and later the wing picked up but although the catch wasn't too bad they were mostly of 2 species.
The most interesting was this beautiful Ingrailed Clay

and for scarcity this Scotch Annulet. I usually catch only 1 or 2 of these per year (never more). It is a Nationally Scarce B (Nb) species, i.e. recorded in less than 100 10x10km squares in Great Britain since 1980.

Bleached Pug is another Nb species at Treshnish (I caught 5 in 2007 and 1 in 2010) and Transparent Burnet is even more scarce (Na) i.e. recorded in under 30 10x10km squares (some years abundant at certain sites at Treshnish) whilst The Grey is a Red Data species i.e. known from under 15 10x10km squares (I have only caught it twice).
4th: This Lesser Yellow Underwing was found inside our house. I don't remember seeing one so beautiful.

On the 2nd I went looking for the fungi I posted a photograph of on the 19th July, to see if it looked different when open but I couldn't find it and haven't been able to identify it. So I asked for help and I have been told by an expert that it is Amanita battarrae, (also known as A. umbrinolutea) which is rare in Britain although it has been recorded on Mull before but not shown on this map.
3rd: An adult White-tailed Eagle was on Cnoc a' Chaisteil and Beinn Bhuidhe for over 3 hours in the afternoon. It was checked out by a ring-tailed Hen Harrier and was watched over by a Golden Eagle for part if not all of the time. I am pretty sure it was also there yesterday going by the noise the Buzzards and Ravens were making. Today it was the yellow tagged C. Too far away for decent photographs but at x60 with a telescope the tags were quite clear. This was from 1.5km away (just under a mile).

Still lots of Lesser Redpoll in the wood.

Usual suspects include this Buzzard.

These Green-veined White were mating. I understand the yellow one is a second brood female.

After a frantic struggle they managed to separate

Also good numbers of Speckled Wood

and Scotch Argus with a few Meadow Browns.
I had the results back today of a rare grass I found on the Ross on the 4th of July (see that date for photos). I thought it was Sea Fern-grass Catapodium marinum but I was told it could even be Fern-grass Catapodium rigidum which is un-recorded on Mull. It turns out it is Sea Fern-grass which is still very rare on Mull. I should point out that I know next to nothing about grasses and sedges etc. in fact I can identify only a handful of species but this one was so unusual I gave it a go and as it happens on Mull, it was a rarity!
Also the vetch from 4th of July, that I thought was Common Vetch Vicia sativa is also confirmed and that is a new plant for me. I thought perhaps I was overlooking this species because I see now that the Mull Flora hast is as 'occasional; a few scattered localities' and lists the north-west as one of the regions but survey work for the new flora by Lynne Farrell and team does not, as far as I am aware, have any records for the northwest so it must be rare at least in this part of Mull.
2nd: Bullfinches as usual in Treshnish wood but today an adult male was also seen.
Usual suspect: Blackbird.

The nearest Broad-leaved Helleborine is dying but this one is fine.

I have been reading up on the reproductive process. I think I have this right. The white ball is a sac of glue. When a wasp lands on the lip and its head touches the sac, it burst and the glue sticks to the wasps head.

Then when the wasp touches the pollinia (stacks of pollen), it attaches to the wasp which carries it to the next plant where fertilization takes place.

The pollinia are the 2 pale yellow banana shaped structures above the white ball. The anther is the greeny yellow structure above them and stigma is the shiny rectangular shaped structure below the white ball or viscidium.
I know I have a better photo somewhere but this Marbled Coronet has what I think are pollinia stuck to its head but from a different orchid species.

and on this Large Yellow Underwing

1st: Below Treshnish House there were at least 2 terns fishing. Both Common Tern

and the 2 photos below of Arctic Tern.
On the photo below notice the sharper dark line at the tips of the primaries (outer flight feathers) and the pale patch inside of it and also the smaller white line between the bill and the cap and a white contrasting line between the cap and the more grey belly.

here the tip of the wing has none of the dark wedge of Common Tern and the neck is shorter. The short neck creates the 'front heavy' profile of Arctic compared to the more balanced of Common, which is mentioned in the books.

There were several mixed flocks between the cow-barn and the Studio, including many Twite, you can just see the pink rump of the male on the right

Lesser Redpoll

at least 1 Reed Bunting

and Siskins.
I think this is a House Sparrow chick at the cow-barn

This Sedge Warbler, along the shore below Treshnish House, must have had chicks or fledglings nearby

The House Martins must have fledged. Normally I can get them to poke their heads out when I make squeaking noises. I haven't seen them at the nest since the 30th.
There was a small pod of dolphins probably Bottle-nosed Dolphins out from below Treshnish House. When I went down to the shore they had already moved to Treshnish point.

A still cloudy day allowed close up shots of Scotch Argus

There are still some Meadow Browns, and some look quite fresh

Along the shore below Treshnish House, a mature Blue-tailed Damselfly

and I think an immature

The nearby Broad-leaved Helleborine has been hit hard by what was only a moderate wind for Mull

There was some Marsh Cudweed by Treshnish House. This seems to be an under recorded plant on Mull. I have found it in several places along farm tracks.

and Field Gentian by Ensay Burn mouth.

This was in the vegetable garden. I think it is Fat Hen, a new, but not very exciting, plant for Treshnish.

Treshnish and the Nature of Farming Award

2011-08-01T00:01:00.000+01:00

Somerset and Carolyne Charrington of Treshnish farm, Argyll & Bute have been chosen as finalists for the RSPB Nature Of Farming award for the UK. The winner is chosen by your vote.

You can read more about it here.
If you want to support wildlife friendly farming at Treshnish or Mull or Scotland in general, please cast your vote here for Somerset and Carolyne Charrington, Argyll & Bute or call 0870 601 0215 before 31st August and you also have a chance of winning a weekend away in a luxury hotel.

Later I will post hundreds of reasons why they deserve to win but perhaps these testaments will be enough to persuade you.

'Please vote for Carolyne & Somerset in the Nature of Farming awards, neck & neck so need all the votes you can muster'
Gordon Buchanan, wildlife cameraman and filmaker

'The quality of species-rich areas on the farm were exceptional, a testament to the previous and current sympathetic management. I have not seen such a diverse and colourful sward at any other farm or nature reserve in Scotland before' Dr Tom Prescott, Species Conservation Officer, Butterfly Conservation Scotland.

'That's excellent news. No wonder you get such good moths, not to mention other wildlife.'
Roy Leverton author of Enjoying Moth on hearing of Treshnish winning the Scottish, Nature Of Farming award.

'It scored top marks as they tick all the right boxes on the score sheet. It’s not just ‘good’, it’s ‘excellent’ throughout. The place has been transformed from being over grazed to a biodiversity hotspot. I always knew it was an amazing place but yesterday’s visit exceeded expectations.' Dave Sexton, RSPB Scotland. You may have seen him on BBC Autumnwatch and Springwatch.

'Have sent in my vote for Treshnish. Good luck to you all at Treshnish in getting enough votes.'
Sandy & Brian Coppins, lichen experts and authors.

The proof of Wildlife Friendly farming is in the resulting biodiversity which speaks for itself and is detailed below.

Birds

There are several BAP species breeding at Treshnish but the most exciting have been the recent breeding attempts by Corncrake and Quail.
In 2009 a Quail was calling for 3 weeks in the Haunn fields and in 2011 one was calling for one day.
In 2010 two male Corncrakes were calling for several weeks, one at Haunn and the other near Treshnish House. The Haunn bird was seen with a mate but no chicks were seen. In 2011 a male was heard in the spring on one day.
Short-eared Owls were breeding on the farm for the first time in 2011 although in previous years they have bred close by and used Treshnish as a hunting ground.
In 2011 Hen Harriers were seen more often in the summer than in previous years and breeding may be occurring closer to the farm.
In 2011 Bullfinches bred for the first time. This is a BAP species.
In 2010 Grasshopper Warblers were heard reeling for the first time and for several weeks.
In 2010 1 pair of House Martins bred successfully for the first time and in 2011 there was an increase to 3 pairs one of which succeeded.
White-tailed Eagles are frequently seen along the coast and breeding of two new pairs is imminent further along the coast .
Whooper Swans often frequent the lochans in winter.
Other scarce birds that have occurred include: Turtle Dove (on several years), Hawfinch, Wryneck, Sabine's Gull, Icelandic Gull, White-fronted Goose, Pale-bellied Brent Goose, Green Sandpiper, Purple Sandpiper and Waxwing.

Moths and Butterflies

I have recorded 270 species of macro-moths/butterflies and 94 micros on the farm.
Specialities include: The Grey, Transparent Burnet, Bleached Pug and Scotch Annulet. Habitat is perfect for Marsh Fritillary and Slender Scotch Burnet.

Flowering plants.
Most visitors to Treshnish in the summer will be impressed by the wild flower meadows and reasonably so. Not only is it a beautiful site but it is also a valuable nectar source for all kinds of insects which is why Tom Prescott remarked on it. Treshnish is also home to some rarer flowering plants.
There are 14 species of orchid on the farm (many of which are abundant).

Scarce species and species of conservation concern include:
Hammarbya paludosa (Bog Orchid), Cephalanthera longifolia (Narrow-leaved Helleborine), Coeloglossum viride (Frog Orchid), Pseudorchis albida (Small-white Orchid), Mertensia maritima (Oysterplant), Gentianella campestris (Field Gentian), Vicia orobus (Wood Bitter-vetch), Orobanche alba (Thyme Broomrape) and Ophioglossum azoricum (Small Adder's-tongue).

Species which are rare on Mull include: Epipactis helleborine (Broad-leaved Helleborine), Viburnum opulus (Guelder-rose), Fumaria capreolata (White Ramping-fumitory), Lamium hybridum (Cut-leaved Dead-nettle), Glechoma hederacea (Ground-ivy) and Cakile maritima (Sea Rocket).
Other interesting plants include: Ligusticum scoticum (Scots Lovage), Geranium sanguineum (Bloody Crane's-bill), Juniperus communis subsp. nana (Dwarf Juniper), Rosa pimpinellifolia (Burnet Rose), Carlina vulgaris (Carline Thistle), Cirsium heterophyllum (Melancholy Thistle), Eupatorium cannabinum (Hemp-agrimony), Agrimonia eupatoria (Agrimony), Agrimonia procera (Fragrant Agrimony), Scutellaria galericulata (Skullcap), Gymnocarpium dryopteris (Oak Fern) and Hymenophyllum wilsonii (Wilson's Filmy-fern).
More common but under-recorded plants on Mull include Anagallis minima (Chaffweed), Aphanes arvensis (Parsley-piert), Gnaphalium uliginosum (Marsh Cudweed), Melampyrum pratense (Common Cow-wheat), Scutellaria minor (Lesser Skullcap) and Spergula arvensis (Corn Spurrey).

Fungi

The most important fungi on the farm is Hazel Gloves.
A good reason to vote for this farm is the way they have managed it for Hazel Gloves fungus and the Atlantic woodland. This is illustrated in a five minute BBC film clip filmed almost exclusively on the farm can be see here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xs_RxT3butQ
The improvements in the woodland on the farm since the Charringtons took over is written about on page 88 of the downloadable Atlantic Hazel by Sandy and Brian Coppins. They have been a witness to these improvements.
I have found literally hundreds of sites with Hazel Gloves fungus scattered around the farm. I am pretty sure this is the highest number of Hazel Gloves fungus records in the whole of Europe. It is classified as Vulnerable.

Other rare fungi include: Amanita battarrae and Clavaria zollingeri.

Lichen

The section on Hazel Gloves fungus and Atlantic woodland is especially relavant here particularly the film clip.
Andy Acton and Sandy and Brian have visited the farm during Hypocreopsis rhododendri (Hazel Gloves fungus) surveys and Andy during the filming for above BBC Landward clip.

There hasn't been a full lichen survey but whilst hanging around during the above filming Andy Acton & Anna Griffith recorded 40 species. The total lichen species recorded so far is only 70 so ripe for further field research.

The most important species discovered is Arthothelium macounii which is Nationally Rare and is a Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) species.
First discovered in 1976, this species is now known from eight sites in western Scotland. All sites are by or close to the coast and, although not known elsewhere in Europe, it has recently been discovered in the laurisilva on Madeira, and on Los Tilos in the Canary Islands. Arthothelium macounii is classified as Vulnerable in Great Britain. All sites except two have NNR or SSSI status; one of the remaining sites is under the management of the Scottish Wildlife Trust and the other is on Treshnish farm.

Other lichens which are either of conservation concern or scarce include:
Pseudocyphellaria intricata
Arthonia excipienda
Gomphillus calycioides
Leptogium brebissonii
Pseudocyphellaria norvegica
Pyrenula laevigata
Bactrospora homalotropa
Pyrenula occidentalis

July

2011-07-01T21:50:00.110+01:00

31st: A wet windy day. Luckily for the House Martins it is supposed to be calmer and drier in the next couple of days. Last year when they fledged (much later, on 15th September) the weather got pretty bad and at least 1 of the fledglings died within the first 2 days of leaving the nest.
30th: There was a flock of at least 23 Twite at Haunn.
The House Martins do not appear to have fledged. One flew out of the nest but this may have been an adult cleaning out the nest. later there was still at least 1 in the nest.
29th: An adult White-tailed Eagle flew above the coast from Treshnish Point towards Calgary. (A little earlier I saw what I thought was a Golden Eagle along the coast but this was probably the same bird).
The young House Martins of the one remaining nest have been poking their heads outside the nest hole in the last couple of days. One of the adults looked like it was trying to entice them out. They should fledge within the next week.
No sign of the newly fledged Short-eared Owls at the same spot as yesterday although an adult flew around calling at 11pm.
Usual suspects: Twite

It was nice to get a shot of Common Darter on a tree.

The Broad-leaved Helleborine is looking good. I think it the pollinia are still attached, apparently it is fertilized by wasps. If nothing happens I am tempted to try doing one flower manually. There is another flowering plant about 200m away

28th: A Sparrowhawk flew north over Treshnish wood with a prey item.

The Short-eared Owls HAVE fledged, or at least 2 of them have. I think the adults are still bringing food to one or more unfledged young as they brought food to the nest area. Unfortunately the only time I managed to see an adult bring food it cached it! The adults didn't start flying until 9.30 by which time there is very little light unless they fly high into the sunlight. At 10.45 at least 2 fledglings were seen flying around but keeping within a small area and keeping low to the ground.
Bullfinches were heard as usual in Treshnish wood and a Golden Eagle flew from Cruachan Treshnish to below Treshnish wood and I am pretty sure there was a second bird which stayed on Cruachan Treshnish.
27th: There were at least 2 Bullfinches still in Treshnish wood and at Treshnish Old Schoolhouse and male Lesser Redpolls continue to elude my camera even though they are buzzing around all day long.

The male Peregrine is still frequenting the church steeple in Tobermory high street.

There was a female Hen Harrier at Glengorm at exactly the same place as on 29th June.

There was also a family of Buzzards there, this is probably a juvenile

and this fledgling Dunnock was at Quinish.

I am pretty sure we saw a Northern Eggar moth flying in the daytime just before the house on the top of the Glengorm road. It was yellow and bigger than our largest butterfly. I need to check whether this fits the flight period
Carline Thistle is easily found along the coast, this was at Glengorm

below it there were several Thyme Broomrape plants on the cliffs but too far away to photograph without climbing gear!
26th: There was a ring-tailed Hen Harrier on Beinn Reudle and probably same in mid Ensay Burn. The Short-eared Owls may not have fledged after all. An adult was near the nest site but didn't start hunting before 9.50pm. It was getting too dark to see when it returned.
A Sparrowhawk flew west over Treshnish wood and a male Bullfinch was seen over Treshnish wood.
Usual suspects included this Kestrel.

My first Emerald Damselfly was near the ruined village behind Treshnish Old Schoolhouse.

This Common Darter is turning more red as it matures.

It is getting late for Small Heaths alsthough I have seen them occasionally in mid August.

I found 2 more sites with Lesser Twayblade (20 plants) near yesterday's site but none had flowers so I didn't take photos.
25th: There was a ring-tailed Hen Harrier at the sitheans (gaelic for fairy knoll and pronounced shians) behind Treshnish Old Schoolhouse and later on Beinn Reudle. The old male Golden Eagle was also perched on the sitheans

and flew towards Treshnish wood.

There was a Magpie moth at the site below

Found a new site for Lesser Twayblade near the old ruins below the sitheans. There were at least 16 vegetative plants of this tiny orchid. Last year I found some about 300m away which was the first for Treshnish. There must be more where ever the heather is tall enough.

My little finger gives you an idea of scale and there were even much smaller ones in this patch.

24th: a great photographic opportunity missed today when I had the shutter speed accidentally set too slow as this White-tailed Eagle flew towards our house and then over Treshnish lochan. It has a prey item which would be more clear with a sharp image.

Blackbird fledgling

Song Thrush fledgling

First Scotch Argus of the year

At Treshnish lochan my first male Common Darter of the year,

as well as Common Blue Damselfly,

adult Blue-tailed Damselfly

and presumably immature Blue-tailed Damselfly

Yesterday a local Broad-leaved Helleborine started to open its first flower but today it was more open.

This is the first flowering plant I have seen here since 2007.
23rd: There was 1 Golden Eagle near Haunn cottages in the morning and a pair half way between Haunn and Treshnish cottages in the early evening.
22nd: Whilst taking photos of an excited Buzzard

this male Golden Eagle flew into the viewfinder.

In the evening I went up Ensay Burn to photograph Short-eared Owls. I only had poor views of one so I am pretty sure either the young have fledged or they have been predated. I would have thought I would have seen lots more activity. I was feeling slightly disappointed and then realised I had seen, not only the Short-eared Owl but a male immature Hen Harrier, Peregrine, Golden Eagle being chased by 2 Buzzards (over Treshnish wood), Sparrowhawk and 2 Kestrels all within about one hour.
I took a photo of a Golden-ringed Dragonfly

and then saw it had caught something

I think it is a beetle. Within moments the head was chewed off.

On the 3rd I posted some photographs of some unusual Six-spot Burnet moths and I sent them off to an expert to check that my identification was correct. I was told by Roy Leverton, author of Enjoying Moths who is one of the top most moth experts in Scotland that they were indeed Six-spot but that the last one, with many spots missing, was very unusual. He passed it on to other moth experts, notably Mark Young, another leading Scottish moth expert and author of The Natural History of Moths and Burnet Moths. He was also very excited by this moth and forwarded me a message from Gerry Tremewan who is the burnet moth expert and editor of the Entomologists Gazette who has never seen a moth like this and wants to publish a note about it in his magazine.
That is Mull for you, bend down to look at something and who knows what you could discover!
21st: The road through Treshnish wood is teaming with life. Bullfinches heard, Sparrowhawk, possible Merlin, Buzzard young, getting bolder by the day

and later harassing a Golden Eagle

Treecreeper

Spotted Flycatchers, adults

and fledglings

Blackcap female

fledgling being fed by adults (it is just showing a hint of the red cap)

and terrible photo of male (but full house and proof of breeding)

Lesser Redpoll everywhere, adults

and fledglings

Wren fledglings

loud Blackbird fledgling

Willow Warbler

and Common Darter.

All the butterflies along the Treshnish wood road were Green-veined White which is very unusual on such a warm sunny day. This is pretty much proof as far as I am concerned that this is because of the gale 2 months ago. Inland on the 17th there were loads of Green-veined White, Speckled Wood, Meadow Browns and Dark Green Fritillaries which we would normally expect to see on a day like today (the latter in their scores). However the trees really have recovered a lot. The Hazels have probably been hit the worst but even hard hit trees now have a lot of leaves if not a full canopy.
20th: This is the dangerous time for Swallow fledglings. This one was on the ground. It could fly but not enough.

I picked it up and put it up near these.

Usual suspect: Robin

This seal was close in at Treshnish boathouse. I think it is an Atlantic Grey Seal

At Treshnish boathouse this Golden-ringed Dragonfly was laying eggs,

as were these Blue-tailed Damselflies.

I am pretty sure these are both immature stages of Blue-tailed Damselfly.

19th: I don't know what this fledgling is. I was going to wait to see what adults arrived but it flew off. I think, with the green in the wings that it is a Siskin.

Usual suspects: Buzzard

and Willow Warbler.

A Mountain Hare was on the Ensay side of Treshnish wood.
I went to check on our local population of helleborines. The most exciting news is that I found 8 new plants of Narrow-leaved Helleborine. One plant has a fruit

and 5 others had flowered. This is at a site that I checked in June 2010. It is a pity I didn't see them this year because 6 flowering plants would have been quite a site. This brings the total population up to 20-21 plants with 2 fruiting plants this year (the other fruiting plant also has one fruit). In 2006 the known population was 1! I presume I must have missed these new plants last year although I did find much smaller Broad-leaved Helleborines that day. I am sure they couldn't have been flowering last year but in their vegetative state they are quite difficult to see. Here is one of today's plants beside a grass. You can also see where the flowers have fallen.

there won't be many years in which this population betters Calgary but I doubt they had any fruiting plants this year as they were very badly hit by the May gale whereas this local population had some shelter.
Two of the Broad-leaved Helleborines in the local population should open their flowers in the next few days.

I found a new plant at a spot where i found new plants at the end of May which brings the total plants in this population to 10. In 2007 I knew of only one plant which was easy to find because it flowered.
One of the plants has been eaten by sheep, cattle or deer. It is a strange strategy to flower so late. These plants take 2 months to flower. There must be an advantage, presumably their pollinator emerges late too but it makes them very vulnerable to herbivores.
This large fungus should be easy to identify.

18th: A Willow Warbler was trapped temporarily in our anti Hare and Deer net.

I think this Spotted Flycatcher is a garden 'tick'.

A trip to look for a reported Bog Billbery in north Mull did not produce the plant (which would be new to Mull) but I did find a Hen Harrier nest site with recently fledged young and a low flying White-tailed Eagle but I didn't have a powerful enough camera. On the forest road up there were 5 or 6 Crossbills.
At Ardalanish there were 3 Sanderlings (sorry for so many, will delete some later)

and at least 2 Dunlins,

1 Arctic Skua

2 Great Skuas.

and a Red-throated Diver flying inland with a fish.

There were 16 Canada Geese near Killiechronan.

Usual suspects:

Gannets

At the possible Bog Billbery site there was a Emperor Moth caterpillar. I have seen it before but never at this stage (instar).

I had to walk along a forest road which had lots of Grayling butterflies. They love rock habitats.

There was also a lot of New Zealand Willowherb which also likes disturbed ground.

On the walk to the site I found a Guelder-rose beside a stream. It is uncommon on Mull. The 2 bushes at Treshnish are on cliff sides but this was accessible.

At Ardalanish I saw my first Perennial Sow-thistle flowers (they were in bud on previous visits).

and later I had this identified by our vice-county recorder as Smooth Sow-thistle (a new species for me)

which I know is supposed to be in north-west Mull but I don't seem able to find it (all the Sow-thistles I see look to me like Prickly).
Another plant that was identified for me was also a new plant for me, Sea Beet Beta vulgaris subsp. maritima.

I need to look for it in flower as I may have been confusing it with an orache. It is rare this far north.
16th: The juvenile Bullfinches are still coming to our Blackcurrants.

15th: There was a male Hen Harrier in Black Park field before Haunn.
14th: The juvenile Bullfinches have finally discovered our Blackcurrants which we have left for them this year. They also like the docks. There were 3 of them but no adults. I had to photograph through the glass of a window.

Although the Common Gull colony is very quiet (no alarm calls from the adults), all the young must have fledged but there are still a couple of fledglings on the crags there.

One of the House Martins has a missing flight feather so now it is possible to see which adult is which.
There was a Whinchat in Black Park field just before Haunn. It obviously has young but it has kept very secret until now.

This was nearby and I think it is a juvenile Robin.

A Common Scoter came very close in to the west of Treshnish boathouse. They are very scarce in north Mull although they sometimes stay for few weeks.

It began feeding and I was about to try to get closer when I was distracted by this Mink.

I had to stand up to get the mink shots and this and the dogs pushed the scoter further out. This mink was seen at exactly the same spot as the Otter 3 days ago.A family of mink were seen by Craig last week to the south of Port Haunn.
Usual suspects: Common Sandpiper

and Oystercatcher.

13th: The dogs accidentally flushed into the air a couple of small quail like birds in the boathouse meadow. They turned out to be Pheasants as a mother pheasant was also there.
This adult Lesser Redpoll has a ring on its leg and was feeding recently fledged young.

Unfortunately it is not colour-coded so it will be impossible to trace without mist-netting it.
Twite at Treshnish Old Schoolhouse.

More shots of recently fledged Common Gull

Swallow chicks in the Nissen-hut by Treshnish wood.

A Lizard allowed me the chance to test my new close up lens on my Lumix FZ38.

I am pretty sure these (taken with other cameras) are all Blue-tailed Damselflies

A Grayling butterfly was at Treshnish boathouse (my first of the year).
12th: A thud behind the recycling shed and the commotion of the Swallows alerted me to a raptor. I crept around to get a view and unfortunately scared it off but at least the Starling/Blackbird, which escaped, was happy. As it flew off I had a quick glimpse of a female Sparrowhawk. Guests at Sheillng also saw a Peregrine at Crackaig.
This time of the year there are usually Siskins gorging themselves on the sorrel in the ungrazed grass around Treshnish House.

Other usual suspects include:
dusting Skylark

Buzzards
worn adult

and its fresh plumaged young.

and Lesser Redpoll.

An Otter was fishing to the west of Treshnish boathouse.

It was diving in deep water and would surface with a leap and then dive with a double leap with the tail gliding into the water at an angle rather than the normal vertical flick of the tail. I haven't noticed this kind of diving before. This is the second part of the dive sequence

Here is another with the tail.

At Treshnish Old Schoolhouse there was a Common Darter and at Treshnish House a Common Hawker whilst at Treshnish boathouse there was Golden-ringed Dragonfly

and a female Blue-tailed Damselfly (I an told it is the form infuscans-obsoleta).

Guests at Sheiling saw a Grayling butterfly along the coast between Haunn and Crackaig which is our first of the year (but on time - my earliest is on 7th July). They also tell me there are still plenty Small Pearl-bordered at Ardmeanach. I haven't seen one for a couple of weeks which is normal for Treshnish except this year they were over almost before they began. Dark Green Fritillaries are also very scarce this year at Treshnish (hopefully there is still time for them to peak). I put it down to the storm in May, which hit the north-west of Mull particularly badly. I think it must have killed off either the caterpillars or their food-plants. The Six-spot Burnet moths have been unaffected and had a bumper year.

11th: A Sparrowhawk flew west along the shore to Treshnish Point (they are rare here in the breeding months). The sounds of Lesser Redpolls were everywhere in the in-by meadows but it is hard to get good photos.

Twite

and Short-eared Owl

My first Common Darter of the year along the farm road through Treshnish wood.

I found a new patch of at least 33 Field Gentian plants and 2 Wood Bitter-vetch above Treshnish boathouse. Here is a nice patch of Harebells in Skoma field.

and Cap asking for stick throwing in the boathouse meadow

and

10th: It looks as though all the Common Gulls have fledged from the Treshnish lochan colony although 2 have still not left the lochan area.

There was 1 male Hen Harrier and at least 1 Golden Eagle on Cruachan Treshnish and a male Blackcap in Treshnish wood where Bullfinch was heard.
Usual suspects: Lesser Redpoll

Pied Wagtail male with food

for young

Whitethroat fledgling

9th: Unfortunately the second new House Martin nest has been predated by a male House Sparrow. A fairly large unfeathered dead chick and some of the nest lining was below the nest and the cock sparrow was calling from the gutter above the nest trying to attract a mate to the nest.
Yesterday I put some wire mesh around the last years nest (now the only one with chicks) because I was unsure whether they had built on to the lip of my reinforcement or built up from the wall itself. I was pretty confident it would hold if the latter but not the former. Anyway after seeing what the House Sparrows had done I took the mesh down. The sparrows would find it easier to predate that nest too if they had mesh to perch on. The nest is under an sliding door awning so might be hard for a sparrow to get to. Hopes of seeing 15-20 House Martins flying around the buildings have been dashed. Very disappointing.
The fledging period for House Martins is about 27 days so assuming the chicks hatched a few days ago they may fledge in the first week of August.
Later an unusual call alerted me to the maiden flight of one of the Common Gull chicks from Treshnish lochan. It followed a parent to the shore below Treshnish house and later still it was on the rocks and water begging for food.

The parents were very protective against the larger gulls.
There was also a Common/Arctic Tern flying into the bay and 2 Golden Eagles on Cruachan Treshnish.

8th: Good news: 2 of the House Martin nests have hatched chicks. The one from last year looks like it may have hatched a couple of days ago judging by the amount of droppings. The third pair did not return to rebuild their fallen nest. Today one of the new nests had a visit from a House Sparrow which alarmed one of the adults. Hopefully they haven't done any harm. Do they predate eggs or chicks, I wonder what it was doing?
5 Shelducks flew west below Treshnish House, 1 Peregrine flew west over Treshnish wood and today there was an Arctic Tern below Treshnish House.

Usual suspects included this Rock Pipit.

A dog Otter caught at least 2 fish and a lobster to the east of Treshnish boathouse

and towards Calgary the bay monster.

There were a few plants of Scots Lovage to the east of Treshnish boathouse.

7th: There was 1 Arctic Tern in Calgary bay. The Common Terns in Calgary bay must be breeding somewhere nearby. There were 2 in the afternoon, one caught a fish and flew from the beach area to the west.

There was also a Red-throated Diver near the beach

and this was near Calgary boathouse and is probably a juvenile Lesser Redpoll.

6th: 2 immature/female Bullfinches in our potato patch flew off as I raised my camera but an immature Robin on our deer and hare protector was less shy.

There were 4 terns in Calgary Bay. At least 2 were definitely Common Terns

but this one could have been an Arctic Tern.

Usual suspects include: Eider.

This Dark Mullein was on beside the road in Calgary.

I haven't seen it on Mull before and I wonder if it is a garden escape as it is not in the Mull Flora.
5th: Usual suspect: Wheatear near nest.

Saw my first adult Common Hawker of the year along the farm road through Treshnish wood.
4th: A trip to the Ross gave views of a White-tailed Eagle bringing a fish back to the nest

2 Red-throated Divers

a Hen Harrier
and a mother Otter with 2 cubs

I was told about some Sea-holly

which is very rare on Mull. In fact here it has only ever been positively recorded on Iona where the last record is from 1955. There is one possible Mull record and that was at Treshnish Point in 1967! That record is doubted by the authors of the Mull Flora who considered there to be no suitable habitat here (sand dunes).
I thought this was Burnet-saxifrage but I think it is Wild Carrot

I also found some Sea Fern Grass which is rare on Mull.

This vetch on the dunes was puzzling. I looks like Bush Vetch but only has single flowers and only 3 pairs of leaves. That would point to Spring Vetch which is rare on Mull (1 record from Knockvologan) but that does not have a branched tendril which this one clearly shows. I have been told that it is either Spring Vetch or Common Vetch and I have to go and check it but now I am pretty sure it must be Common Vetch, which is a new species for me.

For comparison this is Bush Vetch

3rd: The House Martins do not seem to be rebuilding the collapsed nest, although there may have been a spot of fresh mud. Last year when the nest collapsed with eggs inside the pair started re-building the next day. I hope they give it another go. There is still time. Last year the nest collapsed on the 10th of July. A Common or Arctic Tern flew past Treshnish Point. A Cormorant flew to the cliffs between Port Haunn and Lòn Reudle. I hope I have not missed breeding here!
Fledglings are everywhere: Wheatear

Willow Warbler

and Whitethroat

and then there were three

and Sedge Warbler parents with food

I continue to look for the rare Slender Scotch Burnet moth at Treshnish although it is getting a bit late in the season. I didn't find any or any Transparent Burnets which we are here most years but there were hundreds of Six-spot Burnets at Treshnish Point.

These 4 are copulating

These ones look like Slender Scotch in that the outer 2 spots are merged but the legs are too dark and so I am pretty sure they are just Six-spots.

This one is very strange, it almost looks like a Cinnabar moth but the club antenna show it to be a Burnet.

This is the cocoon and pupal remains.

Presumably this one emerged and immediately attracted a mate for copulation, you can see the cocoon below them.

Also a Magpie moth was seen in the daytime.

There are very few butterflies around, presumably because of the gale. Today there were sightings of about 5 Meadow Browns (my first of the year)

and 2 large fritillaries which were presumably Dark Green Fritillary., which I have not definitely seen yet this year (this is late for first sightings of these species) There were a couple of Common Blues and probably only about 5 Small Heaths but no Small Pearl-bordered although I did not walk through the best meadows. There was also a Speckled Wood beside Treshnish wood.
I looked more carefully at Wood Bitter-vetch which is fairly common at Treshnish because it is supposed to be very similar to Wood Vetch. The leaves are very different (Wood Vetch has smaller leaves and more pairs and has a terminal tendril). Most of the flowers are pinkish on Wood Bitter-vetch

especially the sepals

but some are more white so look similar to Wood Vetch.

Field Gentian is flowering near Toechtamhor gate and has been since at least the 28th of June.

A favourite of mine is Pale Butterwort. You can see the insects stuck to the glands.

This Pasley-piert was found between Port Haunn and Crackaig. It is a new plant for Treshnish.

Bloody Crane's-bill is doing well at Treshnish Point.

2nd: Bad news this morning. One of the House Martin nests has collapsed. There was one egg on the ground in which the embryo was half way developed. I have mortared around the other new nest to stop it falling too and roughed up even more the wall where the other nest fell from. There is still time to lay a replacement brood but if they start re-building it will be about 66 days before the chicks fledge. Before sunset a pair were coming to the remains of the broken nest and sitting on the new mortar so hopefully tomorrow they will start building again.
At Haunn I caught a brief glimpse of a possible Swift.
The nearby Short-eared Owls don't start flying in the evening until almost 9pm, which limits photographic opportunities.

This was the best opportunity but it saw a Buzzard and took off.

A shot of it attacking the Buzzard was out of focus!
Usual suspects include: Swallow

and Common Sandpiper.

I keep track of Rothes the satellite tagged Osprey from Loch Garten. The most recent update is that on the 26th she finally left Africa to cross the straits of Gibraltar and is making good progress. Her most recent point, on the 30th of June, was 50km north of the Spanish-French border. At this rate she could be back in Scotland in about a week but no doubt she will stop off to hunt. It will be interesting to see if she stops for a while north of Bordeaux where she sopped on her only southern migration nearly 2 years ago.

1st: I had distant view of a Short-eared Owl. It should be possible to tell the individuals of this pair apart as this one has a wing feather(s) missing.