Pauline Western Isles Odeyssey 2008.... Part One!

[PMG]

Here it is at last - its taken a lot longer than I thought - and is a lot longer than I hoped - so put the kettle on first and have a brew before reading on

Mon 23June
After some thought and work in the morning, we decided to go to bed at 9pm, get up at 1am and set off at 2……..yawn! This allowed a gentle drive up to Oban and the ferry to conserve fuel and a longer than usual stop in our favourite elevated parking bay beside Loch Lomond; where I missed poss the best shot of the holiday – 5 fledged Spotted Flycatchers in a row on a branch.

Tues 24 June
The boat journey was unremarkable or so I thought. Actually I felt quite self-conscious wandering the metal decks in my winter camo jacket with matching cap and lens covers – all ‘reed-bed’ pattern – stuck out and sore thumb springs to mind…….. finally one passenger couldn’t resist a comment ….’That’s a very serious lens you have there’ as he disappeared round a corner! That’s ok thinks I – it’s a very serious person behind it……… And that journey did produce a winner – my single Manx Shearwater shot won last weeks Pick of the Week on Birdguides.com – whoo-hoo! We finally pulled onto the camping park at Liniclate, Benbecula at 21.35 hours – 19 and a half hours after setting off …………. Someone pull the bed out before I keel over………





The first two days were a wash-out – rain and gale force winds kept us pinned on site until evening both days. It was too dangerous to drive the camper about! Nothing new here – this is the Hebrides! Also I contrived to have yet another kidney infection and twist my knee (or started with gout? Like father like daughter?!) and was effectively crippled…….. good job it’s the Hebrides where most things can be seen from the driving seat!

Fri 27 June
The third day was dull but the wind had lessened…….. Ian drove and I sat nursing camera plus 500 lens, with window down and bean-bag at the ready! We basically spent the whole day (10 hours) trolling up and down the various South Uist routes to creep up on snipe, redshank, short eared owls, pipits, skylarks, starlings, wheatears and anything else which happened to be sat on a post – some stay put – and some won’t put up with it and fly immediately ………. All parr for the course.







Sat 28 June
Four days in we moved from camping to the luxury of a new-build croft house and our friends arrived in the evening. From this point it all becomes a blur of getting up, making sandwiches, getting off out, North Uist one day South the next, finding/looking for stuff to photograph.



Sun 29 June
The highlights began almost immediately on this day, which being Sunday, is a good day to have the roads to yourself while the locals are in church (better for driving to an abrupt halt and sticking the camera out of the window!). We made straight for North Uist and the C83 Committee Road – the best place on the islands for watching raptors – and tripped across not one – but two Golden Eagles – not 400 yards away…….. panic ensued……… and Ian got to my camera and 500 lens and out the door with it before I could rise from the driving seat – the cheek of the man! We finished the day up the Cleitraval road on our hands and knees looking at flowers: Bog Pimpernel, sundews and orchids, while a herd of red deer passed below us on the lower slopes.









Mon 30 June
South to South Uist again, spotting buzzards on the way with 4 fledged and flying big young around a flattened nest on the walls of Ormiclate Castle! Water Lobelia was photographed (without falling in the loch!). HowMore and a look in the river led us to the place where I want my ashes scattering – Rubha Ardvule – S. Uists best sea watching spot. Wheatears were nesting in the rabbit holes and the old dumped truck which has been rotting slowly away for years contained at least 4 starling nests! I spotted the one and only otter of the holiday out in the bay and it was a distant view even with binocs……….. A particularly beautiful and perfect Lesser Butterfly Orchid was found at Peninerine but not quite at its peak and we made a mental note to return……….







Tues 1 July
Brought dire weather again – more gales – so David opted to take us out in his Jaguar estate – luxury indeed! It was off to North Uist and Bernaray but not before a Short-eared Owl had flown past the croft windows! Decent views of two Arctic Skuas and a flying Red-throated Diver was followed by a distant but sure view of a Black-throated! 3 more reds were in Bernaray Bay and a total of 8 Short-eared Owls and a cracking male Hen Harrier were clocked up.

Wed 2 July
Anne stayed behind to watch the tennis mens final but the sun was finally shining so three of us headed off for North Uist and the RSPB’s Balranald reserve. During the day we saw 2 more Arctic Skuas, merlin, buzzard (10 a penny!), female Hen Harrier and an island scarcity – a swift!. David and Ian went in search and found the Snowy Owl but she kept her distance! With my kidney infection and twisted knee I settled round the centre determined to see Corncrakes …….. and I did! At least 6 (to be fair I was on the spot for 5 or 6 hours!) I had two fighting in front of me and missed the action……… one flew past the back of me (missed it) 2 fought in the next field (could hear it quite clearly but not see anything) and finally a pair came out in the garden for a shake and preen – tho the male thought he was in for a bit of nookie too – and I didn’t miss any of it! Until someone heard the camera shutter going and rushed over to look – show over – birds darted for cover – and I swore and almost stamped my foot till I remembered my sore knee……..





Thu 3 July
South this time round my favourite Peninerine to park on the small sandy sea cliffs and a good scan over the flat calm water with the scopes brought 3 Great Northern Divers and 3 other divers too far away to be sure about, while gannets galore flew up and down between feeding and nesting sites. Later an Osprey flew right over our heads, redpolls were on Eriskay harbour and a Common Whitethroat was singing from telegraph wires near Kilpheder. Back at the cottage in the evening a Red-throated Diver flew past the croft windows!





Fri 4 July
David and Anne went off early for a 4 day stay on Lewis and Harris and we resorted to three 12 and 15 hour photography days – only arriving back at the croft at midnight having hung around for owls and sunsets……… We went north to Loch Maddy and Bernaray hopeful with the sun out that redshank, snipe and owls would be on posts along the Newton Ferry road but the wind was still very strong and kept most things down, quiet and out of sight. A lot of effort went into very little photography…….. The highlight was hearing young raptors begging for food along the C83 and looking up the hillside brought 5 young Merlin into binocular view! A distant Golden Eagle was rather unbelievably a disappointment after our earlier viewing!!

[PMG]

Sat 5 July
That female Hen Harrier zoomed over the croft garden yet again…… and off we went south – back to Peninerine and Rubha Ardvule. An interesting looking raptor brought the van to another heart-stopping halt and there was the Osprey again – it was getting about almost as much as we were! Casting a glance back east towards the Three Peaks, Ben Mhor, Ben Corodale and Heccla, brought a ‘barn door’ into my binocs – White tailed Eagle – a juvenile - oh my! It must have been casting a huge shadow on anyone on the main road – the lucky beggers! We chased back towards what we thought was the last seen spot but it had disappeared – Oh shucks! A Whooper Swan and Teal were interesting on Loch nam Feithan at Rubha Ardvule and the beach added a Bar-tailed Godwit, Whimbrel, juvenile Dunlin and yet more gannets passing out to sea. Driving steadily back in the evening a Short-eared Owl was spotted on a post beside the road……… we drove past, turned around and tried the usual ‘creep and crawl’ towards it, finally switching engine off and drifting nearer – and off it went! It flew down the Druemasdal Road so we switched on and followed and there it was on another post – so past it again, turn around (and this in an old VW with no power steering – which only does 19-point turns!) and drifted back towards it………. I was driving (so-called) Ian ‘steered’ while I kept my foot on the pedal and leaned out of the window. This time the owl sat and watched us and we both got pics The waiting traffic behind us was local and indulged the mad visitors – thank you
Hebrideans!







Sun 6 July
South again (got out of the turn and turn about rhythm now!) and we set off to check the lesser butterfly orchid at Peninerine – not quite ready yet……. So we spent a few hours at Loch Eyenort, on the parking spot at the end of the road, which we refer to as Arinambane. The small mixed plantation planted around and beyond the last croft has been maturing nicely since I first went in 1990. It’s the place to see small perching birds and this year it hosted redpolls, greenfinch, wrens, willow warbler, robin, song thrush, blackbird, dunnock and a Goldcrest feeding two tiny young! The icing on the cake arrived when a juvenile Crossbill appeared right in front of us, then a female appeared too – low down, feeding in the Scots Pine just over the gate. The weather was closing in fast (oh why now?) but the cameras were hoisted onto tripods and we stood for a couple of hours. Waterproof camouflaged ponchos were scrambled over us and cameras when the heavens opened and still we stood – like drowned rats……. I wish Anne and David had been with us to photograph this sight!



Mon 7 July
South Uist again……… calling in at Loch Druidebeg plantations first. The Osprey turned up overhead once more and a female Hen Harrier whizzed by. But those Crossbills soon had us back at Arinambane – weather still poor – tho a male had now joined the female and juvenile and again we stood thro rain and murk to get a couple of shots. David and Anne were due back from Lewis and Harris about 8pm and they brought a magical improvement in weather – skies cleared and evening sunlight turned golden and mystical. Reasonable views were had of a Red-throated Diver and I tried to get pics without success. It would have needed the bag hide and a long wait beside the loch and even then success is not guaranteed and we just didn’t have the time. More owls and harries were seen during the drive back up the island – evenings are the best times to keep tripping over these species…….





Tue 8 July
South yet again – definitely out of synch now! The lesser butterfly was open enough to get the macro lens out and pay homage! En-route to Arinambane so that David and Anne could see the Crossbills we encountered yet more Buzzard and Golden Eagles! Despite a long wait when the tide came and went and a seal posed below us on a rock, Red-throated Divers were heard calling and all the little perching birds were watched and admired, the Crossbills had gone and the White-tailed Eagle was nowhere around either…. But the sun shone and the isles were jewels….. When we got back to the croft for a decent evening meal two female Highland Darters were posing on the garage walls trying to keep a bit of warmth in before sundown………



Wed 9 July
Finally north to North Uist and one of my favourite spots – Chlachan Shanda by-passing the most evocative and mysterious cemetery on any of the islands – set on a mound with old crosses and gravestones at angles – what a place to spend eternity……… The picnic area is beyond overlooking one of the best bays in the whole of the islands and surrounded by a top notch piece of north uist machair………… Another beautiful sunny but windy day was spent on hands and knees admiring and photographing orchids, meadow rue, adderstongue fern and the like.



Thur 10 July
North Uist again but first a trip to the Salmon Farm to buy – what else but a very fresh large salmon?! With fish back in fridge till evening, we set off to go around the whole of the north island and start mopping up on things missed and views to photograph while the weather was glorious………. Two Little Grebes were fishing a loch either side the road near the croft. A Red-throated Diver was watched distantly feeding fish into the banking – no young could be seen but I’m quite sure a young was lurking in the edge vegetation. Two Arctic Skuas gave good fly-byes and 6 Greenshank were together in West Valley Strand. And in the evening that salmon was simply delicious – fresh, firm pale meat and ridiculously inexpensive – wonderful! I won’t go into the hilarious tale of its cooking or the late hour it arrived at the table……. I'm a photographer - not a cook...........





Fri 11 July
Back in rhythm and off to South Uist and all the way to the bottom and the Polacher Stone followed by a mooch on the beach where a late Ringed Plover family avoided the cameras…….. Then we plunged into the machair and walked the edge of cultivated ‘lazybeds’ looking for corn and potato-field ‘weeds’ marigold, fumitory, ragged robin, forget-me-knots and poppies to mention only a small proportion. On the way back up we diverted off to Loch Eyenort and covered both North and South districts this visit. A Merlin was surprised from the side of the camper with a juv skylark in its talons – Ian got pics – but yet again I missed……… (I could go off that man at times!) A Black-throated Diver flew past carrying a fish and disappeared tantalisingly into the hills…. However we finished off watching Buzzards hunting and eating Eider ducklings – taking one after the other until the hapless mother had just one left from her big brood………. A strange and sad note to end on but that’s the Western Isles………..







Sat 12 July
We packed and said our goodbyes to the owners of the croft and Katie and Allan at Shell Bay and took our last drive down South Uist to the ferry. We left at 12 noon, the boat was something like 2 – 7pm-ish, we disembarked waved goodbye to David and Anne and set about the long journey home. I drove non-stop except for fuel until just short of Gretna, then gave in and let restless bored husband passenger take over the wheel! We finally slinked onto our caravan pitch in South Lakeland at 1am and were in bed and asleep by 1.30am …….. all done for another year – roll on 2009!

[ron1863]

Looks like you had a great time Pauline and captured some wonderful shots, pity about the weather but it is Scotland - T-shirt, shorts, wellies and a brolly.
A lovely read.

Ron

[Pete Collins]

Brilliant! I really enjoyed reading about your trip, Pauline. Glad you had such a good time, and thanks for sharing it with us.

[RobinP]

Only got through half of part I so far (people keep wanting me to do work!) but a cracking good read (or should that be crakeing - that corncrake shot would win next week's Birdguides prize easily!). Well done!

[PMG]

Originally Posted by RobinP

Only got through half of part I so far (people keep wanting me to do work!) but a cracking good read (or should that be crakeing - that corncrake shot would win next week's Birdguides prize easily!). Well done!

Thanks Robin I must admit I've enjoyed writing it esp once the pics went in! You'd have thought so with the Corncrakes - I don't remember seeing any published with two on before - but unfortunately for me the week I submitted them Steve Round put up an amazing Osprey with fish and that was the end of that - deservedly so

Pauline

[Ida]

Your photos are absolutely beautiful - a real tribute to all the hard work you put in.

I've really enjoyed reading your holiday diary too. Sounds like an amazing place, I can see why you keep going back!

Thanks for taking the trouble to share your trip with us all.

[RobSutton]

Lovely stuff, sounds like a good trip - shame about the weather but it didn't stop you coming back with some stunning photos. I'll be back there some time next year and visiting pretty much exactly the same set of places - I'll keep an eye out for a red camper van!

[djackso]

What a treasure-trove of wildlife pictures! They're all great, especially enjoyed seeing the Crossbill, Short-eared Owl, Corncrakes, and the Starling

[rlchew]

Hi Pauline

I have been waiting for this.

What an enjoyable and informative account of your trip to the Western Isles, supplemented by some quite excellent photos.

I have to say that I think that photo of Corncrakes is outstanding. They are an extremely localised bird in the UK and notoriously difficult to see even where they do occur .... so very well done on such a remarkable photo.

I have not been to the Western Isles for a few years .... guess who is thinking about a return trip having read your account?

Many thanks for sharing.

Richard