It Otter Be Good

Monday, May 10

Bonnie View is a working croft. Eggs are for sale at the gate, there were six in our generous welcome pack. Chickens and ducks can be seen at the back, behind the surrounding Willow tree hedge, sheep in the adjoining fields. We enjoy that.  The sheep are not the Hebridean breed we see at the entrance to the Balranald reserve. These are black with curly horns, the males' being particularly impressive. The females' horns are straighteer and shorter.

Loch Sanderay had our first Tufted Ducks of the day. Pairs of this attractive little golden-eyed duck appear on many lochs. 

 

As do single Whooper Swans, with their peat stained heads  and necks.

On to Loch Nam Feithean which is on the Balranald road. We often stop to look at this loch, to-day with a purpose. We had a flying view of one of the two male Garganey reported to be present (Local WhatsApp group, which I have joined), no sign of the Ruff. Anything could be present here, yet still be out of view.

After the obligatory rock and roll down to Aird an Runair, where we saw a sub adult Great Northern Diver, two Little Terns on the beach in amongst the Sanderling, Dunlin, Ringed Plover and Turnstone, we returned to Committee Road. I took a photograph of a male Wheatear on the ploughed machair, to show how it looks, like a sandy desert which manages to produce a fodder crop somehow. Powerful stuff, seaweed. the free fertiliser used, its plentiful on all the beaches.

 

One Short-eared Owl and another Iceland Gull along Committee Road, before reaching Sollas at the northern end, driving north as far as  small plantation we remember as being productive. Not to-day, a Willow Warbler was the only songster. We did watch numerous insects feeding on the yellow, pollen-heavy, Willow catkins. A Yellow-tailed Bumble Bee, Hoverflies and Green-veined White Butterflies.

We decided to return via the coast road through Sollas, past Committee Road. At one of the many roadside lochs, Pam halted when she saw a Common Sandpiper close to the road on my side. Thank you. Delightful birds.

 

Mid afternoon, we still hadn't lunched. Pam found a mucky track on a gated entrance overlooking Loch Scalpaig, which looks like two lochs divided by a causeway. It took a long time to eat half a cheese and onion relish sandwich. A Red-throated Diver, many Greylags, two Red-breasted Mergansers, a Raven. Pam saw a Greenshank fly along the far shore, and, 98 Barnacle Geese flew through, high above the coast. They winter here, some still remain. 

As the loop of road that circumnavigates North Uist meets and heads towards the southern tip of the island at Carinish, where our cottage is, there is a junction with the road heading west to Baleshare or Baile Sear.

This minor road leads you to the landward end of a 350m long causeway built in 1962 to connect the island of Baleshare with North Uist.

Baleshare is not the most interesting of islands, but we enjoy the birds we find there Once across the causeway it's a remarkably flat landscape: so flat that on the Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 scale map there is not a single contour line shown anywhere on the island. Baleshare measures about four miles from north to south by two miles from east to west. Baleshare means east township and the island was the first in the Western Isles to turn kelp collection into an economic activity.

The parking area is on line of dunes that fringe the beach, on  a stony car park overlooking the beach,  a vast expanse of shell-white sand.

The views are lovely. To the north is the low white fringe of North Uist's beaches. To the south the sweep of the white beach of Baleshare blends invisibly into the beach skirting Benbecula Airport. And beyond it the mountains of South Uist. The tide was coming in, forcing clouds of small waders to fly aimlessly about before re-settling. A White Wagtail, was  an island trip list addition. 

We had very good views of a Corncrake here last time. No vegetation was apparent, let alone birds. Pam stopped to look at small waders feeding on the small, marshy fields. There was a small lochan on my side. I lifted my bins when I saw a brown blob (no glasses on) move fast through the water. By now the brown blob was out of the water, showing well, if distantly. I called ''Otter'', as I lifted my camera, by which time the animal had re-entered the water and disappeared. For the next ten minutes we watched as it played hide and seek with us, only its head and then its tail as it dived, appearing, for short interludes. We don't know where it went, we didn't see it go, nor leave the water. 

A lovely day which we thoroughly enjoyed. 

Sue and Ian are arriving to-night on the 6 o'clock ferry, to stay at the Balranald campsite. We shall enjoy their company and the swapping of bird notes.

As a postscript, Pam saw a female Hen Harrier fly, and then land, from our cottage window. Part of the joy of the islands.