Isle Of Mull Cont:

Wednesday was for me the most productive day so far, subject wise, while Steve and Pete were out searching for Hen Harriers and Eagles (Almost at first light), and playing "Rubber Duck" Rubber Duck", with their Walki Talki's, (the main reason I think they always went out in separate vehicles, although they said it enabled them to cover more ground) Allen and I were watching for Otters outside the cottage, when a very obliging Buzzard dropped in, when Steve came back we went a quick drive to see if we could find any Red Deer in a spot that Allen had seen them in before, always keeping an eye on the shore line in case of any Otter activity, finding this one just on the edge of the loch, we were able to use the car as a hide and he took no notice of us at all, just kept right on crunching away. further down the road and we found these two young Deer Stags and the female Stonechat on the road side wire fence, all this and it was barely 10 am in the morning and we had barely travelled a mile if that!! It was then back to the Cottage to meet up with Pete and Allen and off we went for another visit to Loch No Keal to watch for the White Tailed Eagles, we spent a good few hours watching two Adults and a Juvenile, who was practicing his flying skills but most of the time he seemed not to know quite what to do with his under carriage and looked very comical flying round with his great legs dangling down underneath him, (his thigh's would have rivalled any Christmas Turkey for size), goes without saying that we were grabbing scenery shots galore as we went. If any one visits the Island and you find you have forgotten your maps, don't panic there is a great free give away map that is found in the Local Shop and Information Centre in Craignure and also the Craignure Inn has them by the door as you leave in a rack, (Which by the way you must sample their bar meals, fantastic) and the beer wasn't bad either!! It's the left hand side door you need as you look at the picture, not the main Restaurant.

Isle Of Mull Trip Cont:

Monday was sight seeing day and Pete and Allen were great hosts and although they have seen the Isle many times were very patient and showed us round, with Tobermory being a stop for lunch, as they had told us about the famous Fish and Chips, and boy they did not disappoint (you can just see the Mobile Van on the key side just to the left of the picture), on the way back we ended up at Calgary Bay where the shout from Steve this time was not "Eagle" but "Shark Fins", he had spotted Basking Sharks in the bay and this time at least I had my shoes on!! Tuesday brought my first chance at an Otter close up and out of the water and trying to keep as low as the guy's, we edged as close as we could, but unfortunately four people with large camera's (especially in Pete's case) does attract attention and we turned to see at least three cars stopped, which would not have been too bad but why is it when it had taken us all a good three quarters of an hour to get into position do people in bright clothing think they can stroll right up behind you in full view of the Wildlife and not disturb the subject (do they think they are short sighted or something)and do they not wonder why we are virtually on our bellies among wet rocks and slimy seaweed !! It is beyond belief, but I did manage a Gannet shot as one flew over our heads while waiting for the Otter to emerge from the water.

Isle Of Mull Cont:

Our first full day in Mull and got that long for call "Eagle", the O.H. was outside going frantic, we had a White Tailed Eagle circling above the cottage, there I am in my socks and no shoes standing in gravel I may add, in terrible weather conditions, trying for my first ever record shots of the holiday, thinking this maybe my one and only chance...

Trip To The Isle Of Mull.

Well what can I say, but "Wow", you can keep the Isle Of Skye, as the Isle Of Mull may not rival it on dramatic Scenery but it far out ways it on wild life and how much more that and the Scenery is so much more accessible and people friendly, your more able to pull over and enjoy what you have found and could still be there hours later, undisturbed, where on Skye the moment you stop you are likely to get irate local drivers blasting their horns at you, the minute you pull over, within the first hour of landing there we had seen four White Tailed Eagles, two Golden Eagles and an Otter. We joined good friends Pete and Alan Walkden on the second week of their two week stay, in a cottage in Pennyghael overlooking Loch Scridain and there I am with three fella's and not naming any names I was not the one to spend the most time in the bathroom in the morning's getting ready (you know who you are LOL), I could open the bedroom curtains most mornings to watch an Otter happily fishing in the Loch quite close to shore, but it was to be a few days before I got the chance to photograph one on shore. Below are a few shots of Oban Harbour as we left, having broken our journey there and of my first views of Mull.