This - Medina - is the best B and B we have ever used. A lovely, well and tastefully furnished room, large bathroom, room to sit and use my laptop at a bureau and a good breakfast. Last but not least, a landlady who loves White-tailed Eagles and whose brother does the boat trips to see the Portree pair.
Making our leisurely way to the Uig ferry on a beautiful sunny day, we took an unmarked, grass centred, side road which ended at a large enviable house beside the sea. Quick reverse to an almost circular open cave like area where we could park to enjoy the view. Good choice. Two male Wheatears were squabbling over territory, one female made a short appearance but neither took any notice of her.
Small movements at grass level betrayed the presence of a few Twite. They are such restless birds, not still for more than a second or two. I got several accidental flight photographs again and this one which is acceptable - if not of the whole bird.
Too early for the ferry really but we can usually see birds in the bay. Not to-day, all our previously used parking spot have been coned off by the house owners who live opposite. I'd got the Saturday Daily Telegraph prize crossword to do and Pam was enjoying her book so we checked in and were first in the disabled queue line. Then.... Barry Barnacal drew in behind us and he and Pam had a lengthy conversation, ending in the exchange of mobile numbers and an invitation to coffee.
Carrying on with my crossword, I almost hit the ceiling when an unseen Ian spoke to me. Thank goodness they managed to find a B and B last night after all, lucky that there was a cancellation fifteen minutes before they knocked.
The boat was nearly an hour late arriving and therefore leaving. Pam and I sat in the roofed open area at the rear, under the top deck. The birding was very slow compared with previous years. A smattering of Puffins, Guillemots and Razorbills, three Gannets, a few Kittiwakes and about twenty Terns around an upwelling, full of food. Mainly Common with a few Arctic.
After an hour, I was getting cold so we went in for a hot drink. A chat with Sue and then Ian helped pass the time pleasantly before disembarking at Lochmaddy.
We were first off the ferry and thoroughly enjoyed bowling along traffic free roads on a good surface, the sun gilding the unspectacular scenery. North Uist is flat compared with Mull but it has its own charm for us.
The gate to our cottage was open, we drove straight in, emptied the car and immediately drove to Balranald and Aird an Runair - the peninsula beyond the centre where we seawatch across and along, a spectacular bay. The latter had a very thick, wide and lustrous shoreline of fresh seaweed, more than we've ever seen here before. Last couple of days storm I suppose.
More of the machair has been - and still is - ploughed this year. Well it's their land, tourists think it's a shame. All those precious machair flowers, the seeds will survive though.
A few Arctic Terns flew through, Turnstones, Dunlin Great Ringed Plover and Sanderling scurried along the water's edge feeding on the insect rich weed. Our first Corn Bunting of the year jangled from the top of a weed, two Whimbrel seemed to be contemplating life from a dune shelter.
Only a short way back towards the campsite, Barry pulled up and told us of a Semipalmated Sandpiper seen 'in the bay'. We returned to find no sign of Barry, he has a proper 4x4 Discovery and had driven on much further down an almost track. Needle in a haystack task. We cut our losses and left.
The farmer had called his cattle off the beach. They were in their pen feeding. Unusually, this had attracted a large number of gulls. We've not seen that before.What was the feed?
Another check of the lochans seen on the way in. Nothing to add to the Wigeon, Whooper Swan, Little Grebe, Moorhen and Tufted Duck seen on the way out.
The farmer had called his cattle off the beach. They were in their pen feeding. Unusually, this had attracted a large number of gulls. We've not seen that before.What was the feed?
Another check of the lochans seen on the way in. Nothing to add to the Wigeon, Whooper Swan, Little Grebe, Moorhen and Tufted Duck seen on the way out.
Known as Committee Road yet signposted Sollas, is a favourite run of ours. Especially good for raptors, the road climbs through moorland to what passes for a mountain before descending to Sollas. There's a bird table at the only house on the road, Siskin, Goldfinch, Chaffinch and a Blackbird, none of them common birds on here.On the return journey, a Hen Harrier was quartering the fence line along a distant plantation. Extraordinarily difficult to see against the dark heather. Female or immature male? It then crossed in front of the car and I took a few hasty shots as it sped up the hill and out of view.
We met Sue and Ian at the T junction, Sue had kindly phoned me earlier to inform me of the Semi-P and 3 Dotterel at PaiblesGarry. I'm still a total dumbo with the Android smartphone and didn't manage to fish it out in time to respond - didn't recognise the ring tone at first. I did manage to return the call....... Without a pager and my Iphone I don't have Bird Alert messages in the field. I have to wait to check my laptop. Nuisance.
More than time for bed, forecast looks OK for to-morrow but our moth trap wouldn't light up to-night. Too tired to deal with it now, will check in the morning.
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