South Uist

[Richard G.]

Savoury!!
Ye gods, not sure how that would be with the custard...
Clootie recipe...

[RobSutton]

I think the easiest place to see Corncrakes on the Uists in May is at the RSPB Balranald reserve on North Uist. Go for an evening walk around the headland there (good for otters) and then aim to get back to the visitors centre (where the car park is) and just stand and listen. They keep the grass long in the garden to make it attractive to Corncrake.

If it's early to mid May Balranald is a hot spot for migrating skuas, including Pomarine and Long-tailed if you get very strong WSW winds. Rubha Ardvule on South Uist is good for sea watching too. The long beaches running north and south from there are good for waders as is the "ford" near the Hebridean Jewelry shop at the top of South Uist (needs to be a high tide for this).

Other good spots:

• the river and beaches either side of the Church at Howmore on South Uist - usually Great Northern Divers offshore well into May with possibility of both Red-throated and Black-throated Divers too, Corn Buntings here also.
  
• the road past Loch Druidibeg to Loch Skiport takes you into Golden Eagle country, could be Red-throated Divers on Loch Drudibeg.
  
• take a day trip from Vatersay onto Barra to go and see the beaches on Eoligarry - including the beach where the planes come to land.
  
• the view from the Pollacher stone across to Barra is superb and it's a good location for otters too and the Pollacher Inn can be good fun on a lively evening
  
• my best otter spot is on North Uist where you walk from the Langass Hotel toward the stone circle - go slightly past the stone circle and sit and watch on an incoming tide for an hour or so.
  
• the "Committee" road across the middle of North Uist to Solas is another good spot for raptors including golden eagles
  
• and if you want to go slightly further afield go onto Berneray and walk the length of the beach on the west coast

[Richard G.]

Very thorough write up Rob, bookmarked for future ref, thanks!

[ChrisJB]

Originally Posted by Jim Ford

I believe 'clootie'=clout=cloth. It's therefore a savoury pudding boiled in a cloth.

Jim

Well, if they are owt like a good ol' Lancashire rag puddin', count me in.

Regards, Chris

[diggleken]

better, surprisingly!
Enjoy, Chris - like I said, its a wet place!
Ken

[Goatboy]

Thanks for all your replies, especially Rob, that's really helpful. Can't wait now

[PMG]

Originally Posted by Goatboy

Thanks for all your replies, especially Rob, that's really helpful. Can't wait now

As Rob says arrive at Balranald between 4 and 5pm and either sit down with your back to the visitor centre wall facing the garden and wait (for everyone to go off to their hotels and suppers!) and eventually the corncrackes might come out and prance about in front of you! Two came out in front of me - I had sat there for almost 5 hours and one of the birds had walked around the garden perimeter in the long grass a couple of times - when he got to the end and 'peeped out' he was less than 6ft off ........ it was 20 a sec view and prob not even that long being so close (I think he was checking if I was still there!) then eventually both birds came out as the female wanted a break from incubation and a preen and shake and the male thought he was getting a 'bonk' but she shrugged him off (not now dear we have an audience.....)

Very early mornings and late evenings are the best times for seeing stuff which makes for long and tiring days as you think you're headed back for bed when something else happens, flies past, walks out, starts hunting in front of you ........ I've often thought that going the wrong way round the clock wouldn't be a bad idea - sleeping in the afternoons and heading out at teatime and staying out till dawn ......... but then I'd be wondering what I was missing in the afternoon! 30 years hacked off my age would help

Enjoy!
Pauline