Life since the office

Latest

Islay in the Sun

Saturday – Islay in the sun

I don’t sleep well, probably as a result of too much alcohol, but get up at 7.30. David gets up, although it looks a bit like he maybe shouldn’t have, having not left the party until 1am.

We eat breakfast, which includes cheese and biscuits left over from last night, before driving to Loch Gorm to see if the Sea Eagle is still about. It’s not, but it’s an amazing morning and there is plenty of life on the lake, although nothing new. We also see a young Golden Eagle, with the white markings on it’s wings clearly visible in the early morning sun.

Afterwards I drive to the other side of Loch Gruinart and then walk North to Gortantoid Point. I can see Mull, then mountains on the mainland in the distance, and plenty of other islands dotted about in the sea. I see Red Breasted Merganser and Great Northern Divers, and I see lots of otter tracks.

Sunday – Islay in the Sun, day II

I sneak a bit of a lie in today, having had probably the best night’s sleep since being here. I drive to the South of the island, past Ardbeg, before parking up near Ardtala. The coastline down here is spectacular, lots of craggy rocks bursting out of the sea creating a beautifully jagged landscape. There are seals basking in the sun with birdlife in every cove.

I walk up Beinn Bheigier, where it is possible to see the whole island. But the best part of my day is sitting eating my lunch, near the top, in a dent in the hill, looking down on a young Golden Eagle practising it’s moves. It flies into view, gliding and swooping, then lands on the hillside below, before taking off over Gleann Leora and gracefully gliding out of my line of sight.

: No Sea Eagles, but a beautiful morning.

: The dunes by Killinallan

: The island of Oronsay is an RSPB reserve

: Looking west along the beach at Killinallan towards Loch Gruinart

: David finally becomes a victim of the late night Christmas party antics

: Maybe I’ve posted this pic too many times, but every new sunrise seems better than the last

: The sun rising behind some cows on a hill

: Beyond Islay, to the North, is Jura, and then the mainland, just visible through the haze

: Gleann Leora

: As I’m leaving Ardtala a group of stags cross my path

Posted by Phil Golder | 13 December, 2009 | Categories: RSPB, Travels | Leave a comment

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…

: A little bit of mist hangs over the fields by the farm as the sun rises

: This is typical of the landscape on this part of the island. Looking South East towards Loch Indaal

: 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!

: 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.

Posted by Phil Golder | 11 December, 2009 | Categories: RSPB, Work | Leave a comment

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.

: 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.

: I’m fairly confident these are otter tracks…

: …as is this.

: 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.

: 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…

: Taking Pip, James’ dog for a quick walk after lunch

Posted by Phil Golder | 9 December, 2009 | Categories: RSPB | Leave a comment

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.

: The track down to the sea at Ardnave

: The view across the loch where some Goldeneye, Hooper and Mute Swan, and Little Grebe were swimming about.

Posted by Phil Golder | 7 December, 2009 | Categories: RSPB | 2 Comments

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.

: The hide as seen from near the Farm yard, with Loch Gruinart behind

: The view from one of the hide windows

: That’ll be the wagon, with the RSPB visitor’s centre the white building across the farm yard

Posted by Phil Golder | 7 December, 2009 | Categories: RSPB | 1 Comment

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.

: I’ve been driving in rain all morning, but there’s some sunshine coming in from the South

: The ferry to Islay. And some other ferries.

: 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”

: We’re on the way…

: Islay on the left, Jura on the right.

: Port Askaig.

Posted by Phil Golder | 5 December, 2009 | Categories: RSPB, Travels | Leave a comment

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…

: 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

: There was a beautiful misty light in the Glen this afternoon

: The view down into the Glen as the evening mists gather

Posted by Phil Golder | 4 December, 2009 | Categories: TFL | Leave a comment

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)…