Our last day on Mull and having traveled around almost all of the accessible areas of the island we decided that today we would look to re-visit all of the week's greatest hits aside from the Treshnish Isles of course.
So from the cottage we headed south towards Craignure and then along the road past Loch Don and Loch Buie, into Glen More. As we approached the Golden Eagle nest site we could see several cars parked by the road side, but there was space for us without causing an obstruction.
Getting out of the car it was possible to see with the naked eye something on the cliff ledge that formed the nest site. A check with binoculars showed an adult bird, probably the female feeding a chick hidden behind the grass.
I got out the telescope and what followed was a wonderful experience as we watched the chick and adult bird in the nest. Unfortunately the distance made photography very difficult but I was still able to capture the essence of what were able to see.
Here you can see the chick with white down reaching to the adults bill. The adult will be tearing bite size chunks for it to take, wonderful to watch this fierce looking eagle acting so gently.
Here a better view of the chick while the adult bird is distracted by something outside the nest
The adult eagles attention was taken by a group of Red Deer that were making there way up the side of the cliff, heading for the pastures at the top of the cliff. Red Deer frequently move to the higher ground during the summer to cool off.
What followed next was both the Golden Eagle chick and adult bird watching the procession of Red Deer past the nest site. The deer were no danger to the nest and this was very much a case of curiosity from the eagles.
Once the deer had passed the adult eagle left the nest, dropping from the ledge with outspread wings, gliding around area and then gliding away to the west.
Leaving the eagle nest site the next greatest Hit was Loch Scridain, the location of a superb Otter experience. We parked once again at the substation and walked out onto the rocks to scan for the Otter.
There was no sign of anything other an Oystercatcher and the calls of a Common Sandpiper behind us. We sat on the rocks willing something to happen, but eventually had to resign ourselves to the fact that it wasn't going to happen.
From the south shore of the loch we headed around the the north side and scanned the beach and rocks along the way. Before turning in land towards Loch na Keal we turned off to visit the Whitetail Gin Distillery, where we had coffee and lunch sitting in some beautiful gardens that overlooked Loch Scridain.
After lunch it was back on the road up hill towards the Cliffs at Gribun. As the road heads down to the shore there is a great view across the sea, taking in Inch Kenneth and Ulva.
The drive around Loch na Keal produced very little, Greylag and Canada Geese families on the beach and Wheatear around the rocks around the land side. We stopped at the White-tailed Eagle site. As expected the eagle was in the usual tree, and that is where it stayed, scanning the loch and mountain side around it.
Leaving the White-tailed Eagle we followed the north shore of the loch, turning in land toward Ulva Ferry. We passed the turn there and also a rather busy car park at the Eas Fors waterfall. We turned off at Torloisk and headed over the moorland for Dervaig. All the guide books tell you that this is an excellent area to see Hen Harrier and Short-eared Owl, but the two times we drove it on this trip I don't recall seeing a single bird.
From Dervaig we headed towards the main town of Tobermory, it was time for some gift shopping and enquiries about possible restaurants for the evening which drew a blank. In the end we shopped for an evening meal, took the final photograph of the iconic coloured houses and headed back to the cottage.
Our Ferry on Saturday was early, departing at 7:05 am, fortunately we were only a ten minute drive to the Ferry Terminal and we were the first passengers to arrive, we were also treated to an amazing scene across the Sound of Mull as the sun crept up in the sky.
Here a distant view of the Ben Nevis in the HIghlands about 30 to 40 miles away
A distant ship crosses the Sound.
Blue sky complimenting the golden light above the distant mountains
My favourite photograph from the morning, the sea appearing like molten gold below the mountains
The torn papers shapes of the mountains
This was taken just before we boarded the Ferry, pink in the clouds replacing the golden light of the sky.
On boarding the ferry we expected to be able to leave the cars and to go upstairs and take in the views as we sailed back to Oban. However we were told to get back into the cars as this was an open desk and due to COVID rules we could not mix with the foot passengers. Crazy but these were the rules.
So we spent an hour sitting in the car until we docked at Oban and were allowed to leave, driving through a very quiet Oban, completely different to when we arrived just over a week ago. After fueling up and saying goodbyes we headed off for the long drive home. We left Oban at just after 8:00 am, arriving home at 18:30
Sightings from the trip:
Birds
Yellow highlighted birds new for the year
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