Changeover Day

Friday May 5

Another cloudless, warm and sunny day. Beautiful scenery across to the Corran ferry, the length of Ardnamurchan and the scenic road to Fionnphort on Mull. If one shares my love for trees, water, moorland and mountain, it was bliss.

The constant sun did mean that I had no respite from it all day, I was bathed in it throughout. Pam tried to find some shade for our stops, with limited success. Having been awake since 3.30 I had problems staying awake too.
We were very lucky with both ferries, straight on at Corran and again at Lochaline. Plenty of time to bird our way across southern Mull. First stop Grasspoint where we saw, Tree Pipit, Stonechat, Wheatear and heard a Cuckoo. Semi open bluebells amongst the bracken on the hillsides, primroses and celandines, some deciduous trees in bright green, young leaf, some in bud, others still winter bare.


We had a long stop beside a loch where I couldn't prevent on and off snoozing. In between....a pair of Ravens posed on a nearby headland, making sorties around the area, uttering their great croaking noise. Our first Whitethroat of the trip sang from a nearby Willow - I tried to photograph it.
I don't know how many Grey Herons there are to the mile on Mull, all seem to be camera shy.

They are rather easily spooked.

A little early for the B and B, we made our first visit to Fidden camp site. Waw, what a coincidence, Mike and Pat were parked on the spot we favour for viewing. They'd newly completed a long walk and were rather tired. Too early for the Hares and very few waders around at a low tide. We  thoroughly enjoyed our chat before driving on, finding a sheep field where 20 Whimbrel fed.
Back to Seaview, greeted by Jane and the dogs, John is in Glasgow until to-morrow. She made us a drink and all three of us sat at the dining table chatting. For ages. At 6.30, we separated and Pam and I drove to Fidden campsite to eat our salad supper. A Snipe and a Redshank flew in - and two Mountain Hares fed on the short grass the other side of the stream. I couldn't let Mike and Pat know, no phone reception in this area.

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