Back from the Hebrides

Black guillimot, Rodel,.Harris.

Common Gull, Harris.

Corncrake, Balranald, North Uist. Heard  calling before finally seeing him. (oh for a 600mm lens and converter)

Great Black Backed battle.Uig, Skye.

Great Northern Diver, Tarbet,Harris.

Lapwing.Balranald, N.Uist.

Lapwing chick.

Rock Dove, Scalpay.Harris, Proper Rock Doves.

White Tailed Eagle ,mobbed by a Hooded Crow, Scalpay, Harris.We spent a whole day staking out a 'reliable' site for Eagles with no luck ,then this one flew overhead only half a mile from our cottage on our way back..

Joyce & I have just spent two weeks on the Outer Hebrides , driving  up to Skye ,then catching the ferry across to Harris which was our base for the fortnight. Our trip was tinged with sadness as we had to lose our beautiful dog Minnie the day before we left, which was hard on both of us.  To me the Hebrides were a place of contrasts, driving for ages through a rocky landscape before arriving at the most beautiful beaches you're ever likely to see, glorious sunshine one minute and then rain and even snow the next..The wildlife was definitly a case of quality over quantity, seeing hardly anything at all for ages and then finding yourself watching a White Tailed Eagle flying overhead or a pair of Black throated Divers on a remote loch. Photography wise I found it really hard work just finding a subject let alone trying to get a decent photo, but one or two species found themselves in front of my lens, and I did get some good shots of a pair of Great Black Backed Gulls having a real scrap in Uig harbour on Skye, which I am pretty pleased with..