1st June - Calgary Beach, Eas Fors, Loch na Keal and Tobermory, Mull, Scotland

Having been to the south, the north east and centre of the island, today we decided to explore the north and west of the island, heading out through Tobermory and around to Dervaig, then crossing over a moorland area down to Torloisk, then turning right to head towards Calgary Bay.

The journey from Dervaig produced absolutely nothing, a huge disappointment, but it was a beautiful ride from Torloisk around the mountain roads with wonderful views out toward the north west islands of Coll and Tiree, before dropping down alongside Calgary Bay.

On an island with as few sandy beaches as Mull, Calgary Bay really is outstanding. The bay faces west towards Coll and Tiree. The beach is broad and sandy. The sea is an idyllic blue if you catch it in the right weather conditions. And arms of high ground sweep round the north and south sides of the bay, framing it perfectly.

The name comes from the Gaelic cala ghearraidh, which translates as the meadow beside the bay. The origins of settlement here are unclear, but it seems unlikely that in their travels around the Western Isles the Vikings would not have spotted what would have been an almost ideal location for them, combining shelter, a beach on which to draw their boats clear of the water, fertile land for planting, and surrounding high ground to make attack difficult from the landward side. But this is all supposition: if the Vikings were here, we are not aware of any evidence of their stay.

The meadow is another example of the Machair habitat on Mull and we could see many Common Gulls feeding amongst the daisies and grass.

After the machair come sand dunes that are covered with marram grass.  When we were here back in 2008 there was a large colony of Sand Martins nesting in the dunes, today there was no sign of any Sand Martins let alone any nest burrows.  The area of machair is fenced off to ensure it is not unduly used.  You can access the area but are asked to do so with caution.

We walked across the beautiful white sandy beach.  The sun wasn't out and it wasn't possible to enjoy the colours in the crystal clear water, but this did not take from the beauty of the area.

Looking west from the dunes

A stream flowed into the sea on the south side of the bay and here the Common Gulls were bathing in and drinking the fresh water.  They would fly in from the machair where they were feeding, coming low across the beach.  

In summer plumage the Common Gull is a very beautiful gull taking on a dove like appearance similar to that of a Kittiwake, unlike the Kittiwake it has "mirrors" or white patches on the tips of the primary feathers.

In the shallow valley of the stream flowing down to the shore , you can still see the walls of up to 20 houses plus their associated barns. This is all that is left of the crofting township of Invea, whose story came to a halt in the early 1800s. Its 200 inhabitants were "cleared": invited to leave by their landlord so he could earn more from his land by grazing sheep on it. Departure was not optional, and on the north shore of the bay you can still see signs of the stone pier from which many of the residents of Invea left for a new and uncertain life in North America.

We took the footpath north of the bay and headed towards the pier, the edge of the bay is lined with huge rocks that have probably fallen from the sides of the mountain.

Looking up the sheep were up on the top of the ridge, this one appeared to be having a conversation with two Hooded Crows

Buzzard and crows were seen above the ridge, plus a Kestrel, while from the shelter of the woodland on the slopes a Cuckoo called.

Looking across the bay the straight vertical cliffs of the headland stood out.

Coming back the rocks that lead down to the beach.

We had a cup of tea and ice cream in the little cafe on the beach and watched the small car park slowly fill up, despite the overcast conditions the beach was very popular.

From Calgary we re-traced our route heading south.  The road was very winding and slow.  As we headed towards Ulva we passed a waterfall, another place that I could remember from our last visit.  There was a small car park so we stopped and paid what turned out to be a very good visit.

The waterfall is known as "Eas Fors Waterfall" and is one of the most spectacular waterfalls on the island. The ‘Eas Fors Waterfall’ place name is tautological as all three words are synonymous. This often occurs when a name from one language is imported into another and a standard descriptor is added on from the second language. Eas is Gaelic for waterfall, Fors is Norse for waterfall so it could be said that Eas Fors Waterfall is labouring the point slightly!

Eas Fors consists of a series of three waterfalls, the Upper Falls being above the road, and the Middle Falls just below the road.  The final fall plunges 100 feet over the edge of the cliff to the sea below. 

The Upper Falls

The view through the road bridge from the Upper Falls pool.

Crossing the road you reach the Middle Falls and as I made my way to the water a Dipper flew past me, under the bridge and up towards the Upper Falls.

While this is where the stream disappears and falls about 100 feet to the beach below:

Looking along the cliff a Buzzard sat on a dead tree.

The Dipper put in another appearance but again was here and gone in a flash, there were too many people about to allow it to settle.  In the grass by the side of the stream were Common Spotted Orchids.

Walking back to the Upper Falls there was a steep path that wound up over the cliff that allowed you a spectacular view of the Upper Falls as the main river tumbled over the plateau.

A little further along you could get alongside the river and watch as the water reached the end of the plateau.

From this position there were views across Loch Tuarth to the island of Ulva.

A path then led alongside the stream as it came across the plateau, following the path it was possible to walk to a further waterfall that emerged out of a gorge, the water having cut this as it came down from even higher up the mountain.

The path wound its way through the bracken and with the sun now out it was very warm in the shelter of the slope.  A Golden-ringed Dragonfly appeared and settled on the bracken stems, this was my first dragonfly of the year, I can't recall having to wait until June to see one before, another indicator of the strange spring we have had.

A common species found in southern England and the west coasts of Wales, the Lake District and Western Scotland, it like acidic streams.  The female is the UK's longest dragonfly, this one though is a male shown by the slight club shape to the abdomen.

Then, like buses another dragonfly, this time a Four-spot Chaser, a rather brown looking dragonfly with two spots on each forewing.  Male and female are very similar but told apart by the pattern of lines on the thorax, this one a female.

If these two were a surprise the next were as much again.  Two orange butterflies were seen dueling in the bracken, when they broke away one settled on the bracken leaves.

At first I thought that it was a Pearl-bordered Fritillary but on a more detailed look I could see it was in fact a Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary.  The dark markings near the edge of the forewing are separated in the Pear-bordered Fritillary, while in the Small Pearl-bordered, as you can see here they are all joined.

I walked on and scrambled around a corner where I could get a view of the gorge, but my attention was taken from the view as two small butterflies were fighting in the heather.  They appeared dark but I knew what these were, Green Hairstreak and I followed one until it finally settled on a new Bracken leaf.

It looked as if it had just emerged looking immaculate and showing the dotted white lines on the hind wing that give it the hairstreak name.

The Green Hairstreak took my attention away from the gorge and I forgot to photograph it. This was a far as I could go so I turned back and was greeted with another wonderful view of Loch Tuarth and Ulva

We moved on, the road passing Ulva Ferry and then heading down to the northern shore line of Loch na Keal, we followed this checking the beach for Otter.  Finally we reached the parking spot that is closest to the nest site of the White-tailed Eagle.  Getting out of the car we could see one adult sat in one of the tallest conifers.

This is the above photograph cropped further.

Then as we watched it dropped from its perch and flew off, quickly followed and mobbed by the local Buzzards.

It did not go far as was quickly back, alighting once again in the same tree and almost the same branch.

I then attempted to digiscope the eagle with just a steady hand following the loss at the start of the week of an essential part of the kit I had bought.  The results were not too bad and clearly show the size and majesty of the UK's largest bird or prey.

We waited to see if it would fly again, but it appeared quite settled perched watching the surrounding water and country side.  It was time then to move on and we made our way to Salen and then turned left and headed north to Tobermory.

The name Tobermory comes from the gaelic Tobar Mhoire, meaning well of Mary.  The town was built as a fishing port in 1788 on a design by Thomas Telford and is now the main town on Mull. It is a picture-postcard of a place with the brightly painted buildings that curve around the harbour along the main street to the pier and the high woodland-fringed hills surrounding the bay. 

The town has a good variety of shops, hotels, and other accommodation as well as being the administrative centre for the island. The harbour is always busy with fishing boats, yachts and the ferry to and from Kilchoan.  

As the tide rises and the water remains still reflections of the brightly coloured houses ripple in the water.

We wandered along the harbour road while shopping was conducted and then ate in one of the local pub / restaurants, after that it was back to the cottage.

As a post script to the day, overnight the Moth trap produced a little more interest with the following notable species

Barred Umbar

Dark Arches

Coronet

Cloud Bordered Brindle

White Ermine 

31st May - Iona, Loch Scridain and Loch na Keal, Mull, Scotland

 I could hear the Oystercatchers call from the beach just before 3:00 am this morning.  Sun rise is around 4:30 am, but it never really gets dark, full night never arrives as the sun is just below the horizon and we have a period of astronomical twilight.  When I finally got up it was clear it was going to be another lovely day.

This is the view from the bedroom window, looking out across the beach and out to the Sound of Mull.

With binoculars you can see the White-tailed Eagle sat in the usual tree.

Not a bad way to start the day.

I could also hear the calls of Eider coming from the water so I decided to walk along the road to get a better view.  As we close our bathroom cabinet it sounds like the call of an Eider.  Down on the beach it was easy to find the Eider, two drakes and seven females were in a group and amongst them were several little dark spots that kept diving.

Despite the fact that they were a way off shore they were aware of me and as I broke cover they would swim away.  Once happy I was far enough away to be a threat they resumed display, the male throwing his head back and cooing to the females.

I had brought my moth trap with me and had put it out last night.  There wasn't a lot in it overnight, these were the most interesting ones from a small collection:

Nut Tree Tussock

Peppered Moth

Miller

Clouded Border

We were off to Iona today, a small island just off the west side of the Ross of Mull in the south west of the island.  The journey there took around an hour on the single carriage way roads, travel slowed down by the frequent passing places.  A regular ferry goes from Fionnphort, with a short 10 minute crossing to the island.

Iona is a small, fertile, crofting island, currently inhabited by around 130 people.  For many centuries, Iona has been an island of special significance for all Christians. In AD 563, Columba and his followers arrived here from Ireland to spread the gospel in Scotland and the north of England. The restored medieval abbey continues to hold daily services today and St Oran’s Chapel and Reilig Odhram in the abbey is reputed to be the burial place of 48 kings of Scotland, including Macbeth.

After getting off the ferry we turned left and headed south,  Another feature of this tiny island is that the farming practice is all geared up to support the Corncrake, one of the united Kingdom's rarest breeding birds.  The National Trust for Scotland works in partnership with its tenant farmers to ensure that  the corncrake, is conserved.

A meadow full of Iris behind the fire station is considered the best place to wait and watch to see the corncrake.  I stood and watched and listened but with no joy.  After a while we decided to walk on, there are other patches where it is possible to see or hear the Corncrake.

The walk passes through cottages and small gardens.  Feeding on the lawns in the gardens were several Rock Doves.  These are the genuine Rock Doves, no interference from the feral pigeons.  The grey plumage and solid bars on the wings diagnostic.

The landscape is different from the majority of Mull, here it is more like that of the Outer Hebrides, landscape that is known as Machair, the gaelic word for a low lying fertile grassy plain.  This is one of the rarest habitats in Europe and only found on the west coast islands of Scotland 

Sheep grazed across the plain that also makes up the local golf course.  I heard the call of a Twite fly over, unfortunately they did not stop, but I do know they breed on the island.  Common Gulls and Hooded Crows could be seen feeding amongst the daisies and grass of the plain.

The Hooded Crow is closely related to the carrion crow, which until recently was regarded as the same species. In areas where the two species overlap there may be some interbreeding with hybrids showing a mixed grey and black body plumage. Like carrion crows, hooded crows also feed on dead animals. Unlike crows they can be more sociable in the feeding habits and groups of them may be seen together in fields.

We walked over the spine of the island and down to a beach on the west coast of the island.  Glorious white sand greeted us with crystal clear water that was a vivid blue in the sunshine.

A Grey Seal could be seen just off shore and on the rocks were a few Eider.

Looking north there was a spouting hole, as the sea washed in water was forced under the rocks and then burst out in a huge spout.  This was highlighted against the dark form of the granite rocks.

We headed back and then turned north walking past more iris fields and farm land.  Wheatear could be seen feeding on the short grass, this one posing nicely on one of the fence posts.

We passed through a farm and then the path wound around and headed downhill into the small group of shops and cafe near the ferry terminal.

Another view of the machair plains leading down to the Sound of Iona.

After a break for coffee we walked around to the Abbey where there were more suitable fields for the Corncrake, but again without much luck, not a single call in any of the recommended places.

I returned to the meadow behind the Fire Station, on my last visit 13 years ago I had heard one here but did not see it.  I stood and watched as a Sedge Warbler sang from the reeds and a Wren crawled amongst the Iris.  There was no sign of the star bird and the best I could do was provide a photograph of what I was staring at so you all can share the misery.

Fortunately others who were searching were not successful, but I did hear accounts of those who had seen and heard them later in the week from exactly this spot!

With time moving on we decided to head back to the car, waiting on the ferry provided the ideal opportunity to photograph views of the island across the water.

The island of Iona seems remote today. But it was at the centre of the life of the Irish Church, as it was easily accessible by boat from mainland Ireland and Scotland. Iona became an internationally renowned centre of spirituality, learning and art.

The only visible remains of Columba’s monastery are:

- The great vallum (earthen bank) that enclosed the holy site and which pre-dates the monastery

- Tòrr an Aba (‘Hill of the Abbot’) where Columba is said to have had his writing hut

Iona is a rich archaeological landscape, and much more of the early monastery may survive beneath the upstanding remains.

St Columba’s Shrine, a small stone building beside the door to the abbey church, may date from the 9th or 10th century. By this time, Viking raids blighted the coasts of the British Isles, and raids on Columba’s monastery were a frequent occurrence.

After a quick tour around the Fionnphort area in another hopeful search for Corncrake we headed back east along the main road through the Ross of Mull.  The road follows the shore line of Loch Scridain and as we passed through Pennyghael we noticed parked cars and several persons on the rocks with binoculars and cameras.

Fortunately I was able to park alongside a Sub-station and we jumped out of the car and walked over to the rocks. Just behind one of the rocks close to the shoreline a dog Otter was ripping apart an octopus it had caught.

It was a large Otter with a very broad head indicating a male or dog Otter.  Otters are very territorial although territories may overlap between male and female otters.

The Otter is one of the sought after species here on Mull and with plenty of shore line and plentiful food they do not need to be as secretive as those further south that inhabit the rivers and lakes of England and Wales, this makes them technically easier to see, but with 300 miles of shoreline it is still a challenge and wonderful when you manage to find one.  Getting views like this though is extra special.

A truck then went by and this spooked the Otter and it disappeared from sight.  We stayed watching the sea weed and water around the rocks in the hope that it would return.  I wandered around the area checking around the rocks.  From behind there was a strange call coming from an Oak Tree.  My thought was a Common Sandpiper, but coming from a tree?  It turned out though it was a Sandpiper and it was in the tree, but flew out and across the road to the rocks where it continued to call in more appropriate habitat.

There was a pair present and it seemed that there was probably a nest below the dry wall taht ran close to the tree I had originally seen on bird in.

Then from the rocks some one called they could see the Otter once again.  It was a little way along the beach, at the base of a rock on the sea weed.

The views were now much better, out in the open we could see the whole body as it wriggled and rolled around on the sea weed exposed by the falling tide.

I was not sure what it was doing as it rolled around, maybe drying out the fur, the water here is brackish and all the otters like to bathe in freshwater burns to remove the saltwater from their fur.  This means in  many cases they have to cross the road which can result in death as they are hit by cars.  Around the island you see warning signs for otters possibly crossing the road.

Then it moved away again around the rock.  I walked down the side of the road and was able to get some height alongside an old metal frame.  This allowed views of the Otter again in the sea weed.

Again. more rolling and a view of the teeth

Then it was gone again and the best views I have ever had of an Otter in this country was over.  We stood waiting to see if would show again, but it didn't and we decided to move on.  Where to next that would better what we had just experienced?  Well we decided to drive around the loch's north side towards Loch Na Keal.

Driving under the cliffs at Gribun an Otter was seen swimming and diving in the sea below just off shore, this though is not one of the best places to stop so I wasn't able to get any photos.

We pulled into the site where we had waited for possible Golden Eagles yesterday.  Once agai there was not any sign of the Golden Eagles, but we did get a good display of the two White-tailed Eagles from the other side of the loch.

The first one appeared distant to the east of the nest site on the other side of the loch.  But as we watched this one and wished it o come closer another came over our heads from no where

Here showing the classic white tail of the adult bird.

Head on views as it glided towards us

The White-tailed Eagle was trapped, poisoned and shot to extinction in Britain, with the last bird killed in 1918. However, over the course of a decade from 1975, 82 young sea eagles were brought from Norway and released on the island of Rum. They flew over to Mull, and now around 22 breeding pairs have been noted on the island this year. 

Weighing up to 15lb and with an eight-foot wing span, it’s the UK’s largest bird of prey and the fourth largest eagle in the world. The Gaelic name Iolair Sùil na Grèine means ‘the eagle with the sunlit eye’. 

The white-tailed eagle’s distinctive features make it easy to spot and identify. Look out for the huge wingspan, large, pale, buff-coloured head, enormous bill and short, wedge-shaped, white tail. It’s also quite vocal; the call is a mixture of a bark and a yelp. The white-tailed eagle prefers sheltered lochs or sea lochs rather than exposed coastal sites. It also prefers to nest in trees rather than on cliffs.

They then drifted away to the west and out of sight, but provided some of the best views I have had of White-tailed Eagle.

We were here for the Golden Eagle nest but were more than happy with the White-tailed Eagles.  For the record here is the site of the Golden Eagle nest.  I must admit over the course of the week I became fed up staring at it as nothing seemed to happen.  The nest supposedly is in the open patch of grass just below the peak of the main mountain, supposedly.

And that brought to the end a really good day, the only downside being the missing out on Corncrake on Iona