Driving home for Christmas…
Even though I had to be up for 5 the next morning, when I went to bed late on my last night on the Gruinart reserve I was feeling good, and not a little excited. This was after spending most of the day cleaning. After just 4 hours sleep I was up for 5.15am (Sat 19th), eating a quick breakfast and putting the last few items into the trusty wagon. A last walk for Ghilean and I was on my way.
Road conditions were tricky. There was no wind and the sky was completely devoid of clouds, the stars twinkling brightly with no light pollution to dull them in this part of the world. So, I couldn’t feel the cold, but I could sense it through the steering wheel. On the road to the ferry terminal a tanker was driving at a snail’s pace down the hill to Port Askaig. At the terminal itself extra grit was being laid following some arse/pavement action. I carefully made my way in to claim my tickets for the 7am ferry.
The crossing was glassy smooth, but I was asleep on a sofa/chair arrangement in one of the lounges. With few people on board I wasn’t disturbed until an hour into the journey, when I woke to the sound of a small boy’s laughter. I sat up and he smiled at me, a big beaming smile, so I said hello to him and his Mum and decided it was a good time to go and see what was going on.
Approaching Kennacraig
Outside the first light of day was beginning to wash over West Loch Tarbet as the ferry glided up the loch towards Kennacraig. Every now and again we passed some ducks, or swans, and I could see rings appearing in the water with no obvious culprits.
Soon after, I was on the road, the only other traffic being that which had accompanied me on the ferry. We gingerly made our way along the wonderfully scenic A83, through Tarbet, Lochgilphead, “Rest and be Thankful”, and eventually on to Arrochar. By this time I had been joined by a new set of unknown travelling companions, and made a brief stop to refuel. Edith Bowman and James King were providing the company inside the van.
Three hours after alighting the ferry I was on the A74 South of Glasgow, and finally felt I could trust the road to not slide out from underneath me, mostly because everyone else on the road seemed to be travelling at 80mph plus. If their cars were gripping the road ok then my heavyweight wagon should be fine.
Cold but bright in the Scottish Lowlands
There were tales of snow on the radio and the ratio of Christmas songs was high. I can’t say that his is my favourite Christmas song (Greg Lake takes that prize), but when Chris Rea’s “Driving home for Christmas” came on the radio it summed up my mood nicely.
Looking bleak in the Lake District
First stop, Barton-under-Needlewood. So began my attempt to fit in some much anticipated cross country socialising on my way South. After a night out in Lichfield with John, Vic and friends, watching The Villians, their soon to be wedding band, we made our way in to Nottingham on Sunday (20th), where Breige had very kindly organised a Christmas meal for the Mona Street posse and friends.
After a few beers and a night on some sofa cushions I set off for Manoj’s on Monday (21st) morning. Thankfully, a bit more snow was evident, but still not the many feet that had reportedly fallen in the South East. My journey was rewarded with a trip to the British Car Auctions with Manoj and Harmesh.
Snow on the streets of Nottingham
It seemed to be snowing across most of the country, which made for good looking news. No new snow in Wolves though and after an eventless trip to the auction and a few films I continued on my way, yesterday (22nd).
Snow on the streets of Penn
This time I got as far as Portishead, where it’s very icy, for a few alcohol free Becks with ex-work colleagues, Mike and Dean, in the Poachers’.
I made it back to Exmouth at half past midnight, last night. The house was warm and Christmassy. It’s great to be back. I feel excited. Oh, and Carol, my conveyancer, called to say that the house sale had finally completed.
Today has been spent catching up with family and unpacking the wagon. Round at Han and Ian’s Flynn and Willow both have colds. But I still managed a bit of reading time with Flynn. I’m now “Phwo”, and he seems to know lots of words, rather than just the “Shoeshoe” that he knew when I left.
Last day on the reserve
David caught the 7am ferry this morning so it’s just me, on my own today. And there is a big RSPB get together of some sort, in Glasgow, today, so it’s just Neil and James about on the farm and in the office. As a result I’ve been enlisted to help clean up the cows this morning. It’s physical stuff, which is great, having not done too much of this kind of thing over the last couple of weeks.
Most of the rest of the day is dedicated to cleaning up the bothy. This process is interrupted by James, at 3 in the afternoon, who calls by to tell me that a Sea Eagle is down by the Loch. We head down to the viewing platform, just above the hide, and spot the Eagle on the Salt Marsh. It has a yellow tag, on it’s wing, with a black spot. It’s, apparently, a juvenile, and so does not have a fully developed white to its tail.
After watching the Eagle for some time, myself and James move around Gruinart for a Hen Harrier roost count. The rest of the day is spent cleaning, eating and taking Ghilean (we’re looking after Catherine’s dog while she is away) for walks.
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- The biggest town on Islay, Bowmore.
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- A view across Loch Indaal from the pier at Bowmore
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- The scope pointed at the Eagle on the salt marshes
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- This is Ghilean’s slightly disconcerting favoured sleeping position.
Bird of Prey species no 7!
After working on some dry stone wall on Smaull Farm, myself and David take a little time to walk the nearby cliffs. As we approach we notice a white bird perched on the seaward side of the top of one of the nearby high points. Our first glance is a casual one, but it looks like a bird of prey. Is it really that white, or is it somehow shining in the sun?
It seems to be facing us and it looks like a Falcon of some sort, but neither of us has seen anything quite like it before. We take it in turns to watch it whilst the other one moves into a closer position, with a better view.
Eventually David has climbed the hill between us and the bird. It still hasn’t moved, but from my position I can see that it isn’t just the front that’s white. It’s turned to the side, and it has pale wings, with dark flecks down them and it’s front. At the bottom of each wing is a darker tip.
David is in place so I make my dash for the hill. As I get to the top he’s standing up. Apparently, in the small amount of time it took him to shift position, the bird has flown, and we don’t know where.
We head over to the house of Ian & Margeret Brooke, local RSPB volunteers, and author of an Islay bird blog. Ian has some photos that he shows us from the last time such a visitor was seen nearby, and it confirms David’s suspicions that we have been watching a Gyr Falcon, the white form, probably a visitor from Greenland.
On the way back to the farm we see two Hen Harriers and numerous Buzzard and a decent sized group of Geese (although the groups about now are small in comparison to the numbers that arrive together, in Autumn).
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- The RSPB office. An extensive list of volunteers are listed on the board…
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- David, a wall and the West coast of Islay
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- Here, David can clearly be seen stalking the Gyr Falcon
I’ve been counting geese…and an otter
For two days now, all I’ve been doing is counting geese. Geese, geese and more geese. 25 White Fronts here, 3040 Barnies there. I turn around and more geese are flying over. Some land, some don’t, they’ve all got to be counted as being somewhere. Every goose counts, for the International Goose Count.
It’s great! On the first day we count over 10,000 barnies, and hundreds of White Fronts, and on day two we count more. On day two my co-counter, Fiona, is some kind of counting master. My “Oooh, look, there’s some there, hiding in the rushes!”s are invariably met with a “yeh, I’ve already done them”.
Yesterday, which was a beautiful weather day, with almost no haze, I was able to watch a male Hen Harrier fly fairly close by for some time. Hen Harriers have a distinctive white bar across the top of their tail, and this fella was a striking pale grey with dark wing tips. He was also extraordinarily agile in the air, twisting and turning a few feet above the heather with barely a wing flap.
Then, whilst down by the other side of the Loch (from the farm), Louise points out an otter. It’s swimming about in the water less than 50m away. It comes up and then climbs out onto a rock to eat something. Even though the dogs are running about nearby, and we’re not exactly quiet, it seems unperterbed, and I get a chance to watch, rather than see, an otter. Fantastic.
Today, Fiona and I spotted three Golden Eagles together, up in the fields behind the farm. Two adults and a youngster, the same youngster that myself and David saw last week, I assume. Later a pair fly right over us while we are driving around Ardnave looking for geese.
And then I get a chance to watch a female Hen Harrier down by the sea while Fiona nails a gaggle of around 3000 geese. Unfortunately, this log does not do these sightings justice. My time in Islay has made me realise that I can’t keep using my phone as my only camera. Unless they’ve created a (decent) camera that can act as a phone? Have they? Anybody?
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- Louise, counting geese across the Loch
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- Can you see them? The otter came out of the water on the rocks just in front of us
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- Looking West across part of the reserve. The farm is in the middle of the picture (roughly). The next building to the right (white) is the RSPB offices.
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- This pic is a great demonstration of the failings of my camera. The light on the opposite hillside was amazing, late in the day. The Hen Harrier was flying down near the sea.
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- Sunset of Loch Indaal. Ireland can just be seen in the distance to the right of the open sea
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- A field containing a mix of White Fronts and Barnacles. This wasn’t a field included in the count, but it’s the best geese pic I have
Islay in the Sun
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- No Sea Eagles, but a beautiful morning.
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- The dunes by Killinallan
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- The island of Oronsay is an RSPB reserve
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- Looking west along the beach at Killinallan towards Loch Gruinart
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- David finally becomes a victim of the late night Christmas party antics
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- Maybe I’ve posted this pic too many times, but every new sunrise seems better than the last
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- The sun rising behind some cows on a hill
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- Beyond Islay, to the North, is Jura, and then the mainland, just visible through the haze
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- Gleann Leora
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- As I’m leaving Ardtala a group of stags cross my path
The Loch Gruinart Christmas party (and the Paps of Jura)
The last couple of days work include removing a fence, repairing a gravel woodland path with disabled access, painting signs, checking a deer fence and repairing a dry stone wall. Pretty much all with great views, and in cold but clear weather, around Loch Gruinart.
In between jobs we’ve managed some time to check out the flooded fields by the hide, and the mud flats on the loch. Plenty of Pintail and Shelduck about, in addition to the regulars. And loads of waders, such as Bar Tailed Godwit, Dunlin, Curlew, Redshank, Sanderling, Oysterchatcher, Turnstone, Heron and Ringed Plovers. And maybe some other stuff that we couldn’t pick out. Apparently there have been some Black Tailed Godwits about, for example, but we didn’t knowingly see any.
This afternoon we receive a call, from Louise, a local warden, to say that a Sea Eagle is hanging around Loch Gorm. So we (myself and David) jump into the Landrover and Twitch our way over there at high speed. Even though it had apparently been there for an hour, and we pass by a couple of cars containing local bird spotters, we do not see it while we are there. We curse Louise and head home to cook roast potatoes.
Things are still rather messy on the house sale front. I was expecting exchange today, but the buyers solicitor has gone on holiday without exchanging. If you are the buyers solicitor, I hope you have a very pleasant holiday.
With that in mind I have a Christmas party to go to tonight. Myself and David have been tasked with taking along Roast Potatoes. Not much that can go wrong there, you might think. And with some justification. We mix it up, pretty much half peeled, and half unpeeled, and they all seem to go down well. Other people have brought along soup, vegetables, turkey, lots of great cakes, and cheese and biscuits. I have a few drinks, eat well, and talk to the nice people working for the RSPB, and their partners. When I leave, at just gone midnight, there are a select few making their way through a bottle of Tobermory Malt. Apparently it’s rough, but getting better…
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- A little bit of mist hangs over the fields by the farm as the sun rises
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- This is typical of the landscape on this part of the island. Looking South East towards Loch Indaal
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- Especially for Mike Baker – a picture of the Paps of Jura (seen here from near the deer fence, looking East towards Gruinart), so named because they resemble, um, paps. Really, look it up!
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- Our wall. In the distance (to the left) it is just about possible to make out Colonsay and, further still, the taller hills of Mull.
Down at the Oa
The last couple of days have been spent down at The Oa reserve on the South of the island. Yesterday the wind was strong and was occasionally accompanied by stinging rain. We managed a limited FBS, although it was not a day for birds to be out in the open. However, we still saw a pair of Peregrine and a hardy flock of Reed Bunting/Twite/with some possible Linnet. I wonder how David can tell the difference, even more so after I check my bird book. He also thinks we saw a Tree Sparrow in amongst them, quite a rarity.
Later, whilst shopping in the Co-op in Bowmore, there was a House Sparrow flying about inside the shop. I nailed the id on that one.
Anyway, today the weather was fine. Still a bit of wind, but mostly blue skies. We finish the FBS, as well as a WEBS (wetland bird survey) of the Astle Lochs. On the loch there are Tufted Ducks and Goldeneye, and what looks very much like a Scaup. We see plenty of Buzzards, a Kestrel, and then I see an Otter. It seems big to me, and is moving from the shore up a burn on the Eastern side of the loch. I give David a shout but by the time he looks it’s gone.
Then we see a Golden Eagle, pretty close, fly over the loch.
After finishing the surveys we go to hang a gate, and watch a Hen Harrier fly up to and swoop down through the field we’re about to work in. The gate hangs, and works (!) after only a little adjustment. A fine achievement given the slope we’re on.
So that’s six different types of bird of prey in just four days. Woaw, that’s special. Even more so as I’ve not knowingly seen a Merlin or Hen Harrier before coming to Islay.
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- Sunrise on what is due to be day 1 at the Oa. Red sky in the morning, yes, the weather was shit, so no more photos from day 1 I’m afraid.
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- I’m fairly confident these are otter tracks…
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- …as is this.
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- Part of FBS field 49a. From here we could see Northern Ireland to the South (my camera, which is a phone remember, won’t stretch to capturing things that far away), and I received a text from Vodafone Ireland welcoming me to their service.
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- The view of Loch Kinnabus, near the RSPB farm on the Oa, from where we sat and ate our lunch on day 2 at the Oa…
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- Taking Pip, James’ dog for a quick walk after lunch
Chough Count
Islay is home to a significant proportion of the UK’s Chough population. The Chough is a charismatic bird with a distinctive call. Rare in this country, maybe 10% or more of the 4 to 500 breeding pairs in the UK live here on, or around, the island. So I was very pleased to find out that we’d be counting Choughs on my first day of ‘work’ on the island.
David turned up late last night, from his stag weekend in Edinburgh, but is up in time for sunrise this morning, as am I.
Catherine pops in to inform us of our jobs for the day, and then we’re on our way for 8.30. We spend the day performing a Farmland Bird Survey (FBS) at Ardnave, the peninsula North of where I’m staying, and finding Choughs to identify.
Most of the 29 Choughs we see have rings, and we manage to identify colours in a number of cases. These will be reported back to a special Chough watch information centre by the RSPB, to provide information on their movement.
We then count 26 of them into their roost, although one flies off as it gets dark, and, as far as we can tell, doesn’t come back!
We also see a good many birds on the Loch at Ardnave, and by the sea (where the Choughs were feeding), including Goldeneye, Hooper Swan, Bar Tailed Godwit, etc, and plenty of Twite and Reed Bunting around the farm. By 4.30 I’m tired, and I nearly fall asleep in the passenger seat of the Landrover on the way back to the bothy. Later I write up our results for the day and eat, before going to bed. What a great way to start my stay.
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- The track down to the sea at Ardnave
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- The view across the loch where some Goldeneye, Hooper and Mute Swan, and Little Grebe were swimming about.
So many birds! It’s like being 10 all over again.
When I was 10 or 11 I was in something called the YOC. Martin Andrews used to take a whole bunch of us out to see birds. I can remember fairly well a trip to Pembrey where we got very excited about seeing Widgeons. Since then I’ve not spent a huge amount of time bird spotting. I see birds like Crossbills and Ospreys when I’m working in the Highlands, but I’ve not been in an environment where I’ve been able to relearn some proper id skills.
So, yesterday, my first full day here at Loch Gruinart, I went out for a look around, and to spend some time in the hide down by the loch. And I saw Widgeon and Teal, and a Little Grebe, and a Shoveler, and thousands of Barnacle and White Fronted geese, and some Greylag geese, and that’s not to mention a whole bunch of other birds, like Heron, Mallard, Mute Swan, a Little Egret (yes, this far North!) and Pied Wagtails, that I see more regularly. And to finish off my day, I saw (although I wasn’t sure what it was at the time, having not knowingly seen one before) a female Merlin flying low over the site.
As you can imagine, I was very excited.
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- The hide as seen from near the Farm yard, with Loch Gruinart behind
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- The view from one of the hide windows
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- That’ll be the wagon, with the RSPB visitor’s centre the white building across the farm yard
Islay
I’m up and away by 8am, after making Jane, who’s sleeping on the living room floor, with Steve (a dog), a cup of tea. She didn’t seem to be in a hurry to drink it, but then it was pretty cold, and dark…
The drive to Kennacraig goes well. Kennacraig is, literally, just a ferry terminal. Although it does seem to be relatively busy. When I initially park up the van, in one of the car parks, I notice some movement in the, initially seemingly empty car, parked next to mine. Closer inspection determines that a Robin is flying about inside the car. Is it possible to accidentally shut a bird in your car without noticing?
The crossing is smooth, and Islay alternates between looking sunny and brooding. I pick up some food in Bowmore and then find the reserve. my home for the next two weeks. The RSPB reserve at Loch Gruinart. Yes, indeed, we have a winner! Hopefully.
Eion, the farm manager (cattle and sheep are kept on the reserve to maintain habitat for various birds, which I’ll probably mention over the course of the next couple of weeks), shows me the bothy, where there is a kitchen living area, a number of bedrooms and a couple of toilets/washrooms. No one else is about until Catherine, the warden, shows up to give me an induction.
I carefully choose the bedroom that doesn’t overlook the cow shed. There is a room upstairs which is already occupied by David, another volunteer, who’s away for the weekend. He will be my house (bothy) mate for the next two weeks. Apparently, he’s nice.
First impressions are good. If I have a gripe, and it would be a small one, it’s that everything seems to smell ever so slightly of cow shit.
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- I’ve been driving in rain all morning, but there’s some sunshine coming in from the South
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- The ferry to Islay. And some other ferries.
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- Leaving Kennacraig. If there’s a ferry terminal there then apparently you have to give it a name. Although, on the way, one of the road signs did aptly state “Islay Ferry 19”
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- We’re on the way…
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- Islay on the left, Jura on the right.
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- Port Askaig.
Last day at Dundreggan, for this year.
Davy (a Focaliser for TFL, who I’ve met at a couple of changeovers), has been staying at the Cottage for a couple of days. He’s been practising his chainsaw skills to remove the Leylandi next to the cottage. which has made the area outside the door seem much less claustrophobic, especially after dark. Myself and Derek help to tidy up the brash.
Davy pointed out that we act a bit like those lizards that are shown on the TV, that live in the desert, having to raise one foot off the kitchen floor, and then the other, whilst cooking. Unlike the lizards, we do this to keep our feet from getting too cold.
Anyway, today I’m on my own again, for most of the day. Steve’s router turns up and I set it up as a wireless gateway. This may require further testing, but I have another job to do. I get a pair of secateurs, and a bag, and walk over to the East side of the estate to find some greenery for the Christmas dinner.
I walk up the burn on the South East part of the estate. It’s beautiful. In fact it may be my favourite part of the estate, and I’ve only explored it for the first time today, on my last day! There are masses of Juniper, holly bushes, and several places where the water cascades over steps of exposed rock. By the time I have enough greenery it’s getting dark, so I hurry down to give my findings to Elaine, and then go back to the cottage to pack up my stuff.
I’m honoured to spend the evening with the TFL crowd at their annual Christmas dinner. Every one is on good form and the conversation flows easily. The night finishes with a giant game of untangle, which doesn’t quite work out, with two connected circles, but is hilarious. By the time I get to bed it’s half 12. I have to be up shortly for the next adventure…
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- Davy, with saw, and Derek, working behind the cottage. The light was fading so the picture is poor, but still gives a good indication of how much was cleared
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- There was a beautiful misty light in the Glen this afternoon
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- The view down into the Glen as the evening mists gather
A proper winter’s morning.
It’s been a glorious -5 overnight. When I get up and head down to the kitchen I find that it’s just 2 degrees in there. I turn on the hot tap and a blob of icy sludge falls out. A tiny trickle of water follows. Thankfully, after leaving the trickle running for a minute or so, the flow returns, as hot water runs through the system. The kitchen heater is not working again, but at least the one in the living room is.
Outside everything is white. The couple of pictures that I’ve taken don’t really do it justice. It’s stunning.
So, IT work in the office today. Now we’re talking. I install ArcView (GIS) onto Steve’s laptop. That seems to go well. Then I order a wireless router for the Lodge. Not totally sure how this setup is going to work yet, especially as the current router doesn’t seem to be acting as a DHCP server (fascinating stuff, I’m sure you’ll agree)…
The view from the gate in front of the lodge, looking down past the Dundreggan Lodge 'pond', to the river Moriston.
Life since the office 
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