A Ruff Day

Monday, May 17 

An auspicious date. The day when lockdown is eased almost completely - apart from some social distancing and mask-wearing. Everyone can mix indoors and out, hugging is allowed, pubs and restaurants are open.  

We started the day with a shower in our own en suite bathrooms. That meant a bit of a wait whilst hair dried, we breakfasted, caught up with emails etc. Rather more interesting moths this morning. A Brown Silverlines, Poplar Hawkmoth, another Dark-barred Twinspotted Carpet and the usual Drabs and Red Chestnuts. No photos, the moths were released without my knowledge.

 It was almost noon when we left for Loch Sandary, that pesky Wood Sandpiper news had come through again on the local WhatsApp. We could not find it again, but we did find a handsome Ruff amongst the Oystercatchers, Lapwings, Redshank, and Turnstone.

 






Committee Road - ComRo from now on - is the shortest way to Sollas and on to Bernaray. No stopping, one Short-eared Owl seen en route, we crossed the island causeway as the ferry was leaving for Harris. One Year we'll take it. Pretty mixed weather so far. The least amount of wind we've had, a lot of cloud, occasional sun - and a bit of a drizzle. 

The Borgh road had far fewer birds than previously. About thirty Twite, a few Ringed Plovers and Oystercatchers. We explored a few more turnings before driving to the clifftops of Youth Hostel Bay, overlooking Harris, to eat a late lunch.  Again, far fewer waders. A few Gannets, Little Terns and Ringed Plovers passed by. Pam noticed two divers in the bay. One was a Great Northern, the other, which Pam photographed, looked very much like a White-billed Diver. Great  Northerns have a pale beak  when they are juveniles. We are still not convinced even though the big pale beak, slightly upward pointing looks like a good candidate. They are regular off the Hebridean coast.

Via the Sollas Co-op for an icecream, which we ate sitting in ComRo's Raptor Watchpoint, and another look at Loch Sandary, still no Wood Sand, we submitted ourselves to the track out to Aird an Runair. This very potholed and tractor rutted sandy track is a bit of a penance. 


Great when we got to the bay, we were the only ones there. We could enjoy the silver evening light on the white sands and distant rocks.

 


 A few Eider, Sanderling, Ringed Plover and two Little Terns on the shore, occasional Gannets and terns passing by. Bliss.

This is what the machair out here looks like. Harrowed and unharrowed, side by side. 

 

As we bumped our way back, I heard the jangle of a Corn Bunting coming from the machair. Eventually, I traced it to the top of a pile of vegetation. At last. A mammal tick too. A Hebridean rabbit.


A fast journey home, with one stop for a male Hen Harrier being hassled by a gull and another, to look at the irresistible, first Mute Swan family of the year..

 

Ian and Sue saw a Phalarope at Griminis to-day. Excellent.

 

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