Thanks to WAB and Phil Briggs

Tragus · #1 (**permalink**) 30-04-2006, 07:03 PM

I'd just like to say thanks to WAB for having this site and enabling us all to interact with each other about wildlife in general and without whom I would never have met Phil Briggs (WCO) (Once met never forgotten!!

)
Without this site I would never have had the opportunity to go to Mull for Eagle Watch over Easter this year.

I would also like to say a HUGE thank you to Phil Briggs (WCO) who made it possible for myself and my friend Helen to have a wonderful time in Mull

Not only were we chaffeured around the island to the best sites to see Otter, Golden Eagles and WhiteTailed Sea Eagles, we were royally looked after in PC Finlay Christine's home, Salen Police Station.
I had one of the best holidays I have ever had, the views were spectacular and moments after we arrived on Mull, Phil met us and took us straight up to the RSPB hide and within minutes I had seen my first ever White tailed Sea Eagle.
I never realised just how massive these birds are and it's a moment I don't think I will ever forget.

Not only did we take part in keeping watch on the nest sites, we were also taken out to look for Golden Eagles Eyries. I even managed to climb a corrie. I thought it was just a hill!!!! I was told it was actually between 2,500 to 3,000 feet !!!!!!!!

I got windswept, hailed on and rained on, soggy feet and loved every minute of it.
We got to see, Otter, Golden Eagles, White Tailed Sea Eagles, Hen Harrier, Wheatears, Rock pipits, Oystercatchers, Red Throated Divers, Seals..... my 'first ever' sighted list could go on and on.

Somehow Phil managed to take us to places on the island where we nearly always managed to see something.
Calgary Bay was a stunning place, made even more special as the rain just stopped as we arrived and as we were leaving we managed to see a pair of Golden Eagles displaying not 50 feet away from us.

I could go on and on, but I won't bore you with any more.
Needless to say I will be going back again to Mull. I have fallen in love with the Island, and have missed it so much since coming home.

THANK YOU PHIL

(Psst you want me to make that cheese sandwich now?

)
Jo

Wild-Woman · #2 (**permalink**) 30-04-2006, 08:24 PM

Sounds like you had a wonderful time. Have you got some photos you could share with us?
Just been reading about Phil in the Summer RSPB magazine(shooting of owl). Small world isn't it.
Hmm. Cheese sandwich...curious. :-) ww

Alan · #3 (**permalink**) 30-04-2006, 10:10 PM

Glad to hear you had a wonderful time Tragus

Does it mean we can all go round to Phil's for a holiday! Is next week ok with you Phil

Right everyone round at Phil's next week....ok

Tinkerbell · #4 (**permalink**) 01-05-2006, 09:47 AM

Tragus - your summary of your holiday on Mull makes great reading and I almost feel as though I were there with you!! You certainly seem to have tasted the local hospitality, and maybe Phil has started something (B&B at Salen Police Station - presumably you hadn't 'stepped out of line'). I reckon Mull could become an even more popular destination for our members.

P.S. Glad that WAB was instrumental in the intro.

Tink

Wolfhill · #5 (**permalink**) 01-05-2006, 09:56 AM

Sounds like you had a great time but then Mull is a great place. P.S. 2500-3000ft that is just a hill here in Scotland lol.
Fergus

PhilBriggs · #6 (**permalink**) 03-05-2006, 11:06 AM

Jo
Glad you had such a good time and enjoyed your stay. Thanks for giving up your spare time and for helping out at the watches. It really makes a difference knowing that the nest sites are covered at all times.

Just to let you know that all the white tail sites I took you to have so far been successful bar one. If you cast your mind back to the nest we could never see properly up by the long loch, well unfortunately that hatched one chick which died, probably due to a bad spell of weather.

All other chicks coming on well and getting fat. I'll be up for there assisting with the tagging and ringing in about four weeks.

All the golden eagle sites on the island have also hatched, so safe for another year from the egger's, just need to keep our eye out for dodgy falconers!!.

Off up to South Uist this week for more hedge hogs!! Think that debate could be a good thread

Thanks again for your help, all the best for the season

Phil

Did I mention the Minke Whale I saw in Salan bay after you'd gone!!

Tragus · #7 (**permalink**) 03-05-2006, 03:18 PM

Phil... sorry to hear about the one nest site

I do know which one you mean and although we could never see that much of the eagles, we still saw lots including the hen harrier and Red Deer! As for the Minke Whale....that's just so typical!!!!!!!!! Don't tell me you were standing there with a mug of tea too?

Anyway, thanks heaps again Phil and I hope the tagging goes well. I would love to come up and join you and Finlay but it's going to be busy here unfortunately

PS.. I did go to the BHPS conference on Hedgehogs, if you want to start a debate, I'm game

. The thread is in the mammal forum.
Psst Gaye and Andy were down here for it and gave some good lectures, mostly on the Uist Hedgehog's too.

ww...the cheese butties were something that Helen and I forgot to do once and Phil was a little gutted (oops). Needless to say we both felt very guilty.
As for photos I have some good ones of the White tailed eagles on the nest, taken from a video screen in one of the hides. But I won't be showing these on WAB.

Wolfhill....I know its' only a hill really, but it sure felt like a mountain to me!!!

I will have to go back if only to climb Ben More!

Tinkerbell.....We were lucky enough to be invited to stay at Salen Police Station for the time we were up there, and NO it wasn't in the cell....

There were terrific views of Salen Bay and every morning I was out there scanning the sea and skies for wildlife.

Thanks once again to WAB and Phil

Jo