6th November 2008 – Oban to Mull and a Mull circuit
Following the bright and sunny weather of Islay, the weather was obviously changing and dawned very grey in Oban although at least it was dry.
Waiting for the ferry to Craignure on Mull provided an opportunity for some wildlife watching in Oban harbour.
Oban Harbour sightings: 13
Black Guillemot, 2
Heron, c.20
Eider, 1
Common Seal 
The 45 minute ferry crossing to Mull was much less productive than that to Islay but nonetheless I did have excellent views of 7
Harbour Porpoises (2 singles, 2 together and a group of 3).
Ferry sightings: 7
Harbour Porpoise, 3
Black Guillemot, 1
Guillemot, 1
Shag, 3
Cormorant plus c.40 on the rocks by Craignure Harbour
For my first day on Mull, I decided to take a clockwise circuit of the island from Craignure to Diavaig through Glen More and via Loch Scridain and Loch na Keal with detours off to Loch Don, Grasspoint and Loch Spelve.
Loch Don produced few birds as it was high tide but the bird feeders around the bungalows did produce a good variety.
Loch Don area sightings: 2
Wigeon, 1
Red-breasted Merganser, 1
Common Buzzard,
Blue Tit,
Great Tit,
Coal Tit,
Blackbird,
Song Thrush,
House Sparrow,
Chaffinch,
Goldfinch,
Collared Dove
The coast and rough grassland around Grasspoint at the southern entrance to Loch Don produced some excellent birds, not least an adult
White-tailed Eagle perched on a small offshore rock and a hunting female
Hen Harrier.
Grasspoint sightings: 1 adult
White-tailed Eagle, 1 female
Hen Harrier, 1
Common Buzzard, 3
Great Northern Diver (1 in summer plumage!), 2
Wigeon, 1
Mute Swan, 11
Mallard, 3
Common Redshank, 1
Heron, c.40
Cormorant, 3
Stonechat 
The road around Loch Spelve to Croggan was also excellent with the first of 3
Otter sightings during my brief visit to Mull (I watched it for several minutes swimming and feeding just offshore) plus a male
Hen Harrier and
Peregrine flying over a ridge together.
Loch Spelve sightings: 1
Otter, 5
Red Deer, 1 male
Hen Harrier, 1
Peregrine, 6
Common Buzzard, 1
Kestrel, 4
Raven, 2
Great Northern Diver, 1
Red-throated Diver, 3 male and 1 female
Goldeneye, c.10
Red-breasted Merganser, c.10
Heron, c.10
Curlew, 9
Turnstone, 5
Oystercatcher, 1
Common Snipe, 3
Cormorant, 3
Shag, flock of c.50
Fieldfare, 2 flocks each of c.50
Redwing, c.10
Rock Pipit plus small numbers of
Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls 
Glen More is a c.10 mile route through the uplands of central southern Mull and can be very productive for birds or prey. Unfortunately I did not see any Short-eared Owls on this visit but this was more than made up for with the awesome sight of 3
Golden Eagles in the air together, at times being mobbed by 2
Peregrines!
Glen More sightings: 3
Golden Eagle, 2
Peregrine, 1
Common Buzzard, several
Hooded Crow, 16
Red Deer
Following the descent from Glen More, my route followed the shore of the sea loch of Loch Scridain. This produced my second
Otter sighting which started with observing it swimming and feeding just offshore.
However, it eventually became clear that it was heading towards the rocky shore and through careful stalking I managed to get within 20 feet of this wonderful mammal. It seemed to be totally oblivious to my presence as it concentrated on its meal. I could clearly hear it munching on the fish that it had brought ashore!
Needless to say, this encounter led to some brilliant photo opportunities despite some drizzly weather and very poor light.
Loch Scridain sightings: 1
Otter, 1
Great Northern Diver, 2
Mallard, 1
Curlew, 1
Shag, 3
Heron, 1
Common Buzzard, 1
Kestrel 
Continuing north from Loch Scridain, I eventually arrived at the south shore of the sea loch of Loch na Keal. Amazingly, at the eastern end of Loch na Keal, I spotted yet another
Otter as it ran over the rocky shore to the sea.
I have been lucky to see many Otters on my trips to Scotland but 3 separate sightings in a single day was unprecedented! Unfortunately this third Otter was too distant and the light too poor to even attempt a photo.
Loch na Keal sightings: 1
Otter, 2
Common Seal, 2
Great Northern Diver, 9
Red-breasted Merganser, 8
Heron, c.20
Oystercatcher, 4
Curlew, 1
Grey Wagtail plus small numbers of
Hooded Crow and
Common, Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls.
A flock of c80
Greylag Geese were seen in fields at the Salen/Dervaig road junction.
Continuing west along the north shore of Loch na Keal in the gathering darkness and drizzle produced a few interesting sightings, in particular a small bat which I assume was a
Pipistrelle.
Loch na Keal sightings (head of the loch near Killiechronan): 1
Heron, 1
Common Redshank, 2
Curlew, c.20
Oystercatcher, 4
Mallard, 2
Teal
Loch na Keal (north side): 2
Great Northern Diver, c.40
Greylag Goose, c.20
Red Deer, 1 possible
Pipistrelle
Richard