What's the story from Bala... erm ahem Tobermory?

Amazing week on Isle of Mull. We based ourselves in Tobermory in a small cabin behind the Western Isles Hotel. Really it was simply a base for us; grateful not to be camping in such inclement weather.

First day we wandered over to Calgary Bay and had a planned scoping route which was ruined by picking up a hitcher (thankfully not Rutger Hauer!) A very nice Bristolian travelling on her own steam with an ultimate goal of walking back to Bristol in time for Christmas. Madness- but no apparent axe!!

Monday morning we set off by 7.30am as we did each day bar Weds. We spotted from the car a loan hunting otter about 3.30pm in heavy heavy rain. Spent almost two hours with him (I assume him, based on nothing scientific whatsoever) Awesome but crap weather.

Marsh Harrier attacks... bullrush(?) at Leighton Moss

Fkying visit to Leighton Moss on Thursday (just cannot seem to find proper time to have a break away at the moment) Sat for the longest while watching zillions of coots and not much else from Lower Hide when suddenly much quacking and flapping signalled the arrival of a sparrow hawk - way too quick to snap but then a young marsh harrier appeared and gave us some views.

It then swept down on something on far bank. It was hopping about and we thought it had captured something but it looks from my blurry far away shots as though it was attaching a bullrush! The pictures show it trying to fly off with bullrush clasped in talons. Bizarre! Perhaps practising?

Anyway a few snaps of the harrier here and one of a coupling pair of migrant hawkers.

Of to Mull nex Saturday (a week's time we'll be eating fish'n'chips on Tobermory harbour & hoping to catch a glimpse of resident otter! Joy!!!

Otters at leighton moss

Went up to Leighton Moss on Thursday for a long overdue day off. Great three hours in the only window of decent weather. Later it hailed and rain lashed horizontally!
We saw a couple of Marsh Harriers, a small group of red deer and had two very short, but clear enough through bins, sightings of two otters from Lower Hide. Awesome to see two together there. That's four we've seen at Leighton Moss this year!
As if this is not enough- we are so otter hungry (Chicken Tikka Tarka anyone?) that we feel compelled to nip up to Mull for half term, braving whatever awful weather gets thrown our way, to camp out and look for otters and sea eagles etc. Can't wait.
Meantime here is a pheasant at close quarters! I don't hold out much hope for this fella during game season as he walked right up towards our zoom lenses!

Red Kites in Oxfordshire

Otter killed in Clitheroe car smash - News - Clitheroe Advertiser and Times

Otter killed in Clitheroe car smash - News - Clitheroe Advertiser and Times

No more Kingfisher beer; now Kingfisher here!

So we didn't see any tigers in India but within days of our return we got (my 10th or 11th) otter. (Oh golly I'm actually beginning to lose count! How awesome is that?)
Then pretty much nothing for a bit as we caught up with family and took boring snaps of humans (sorry family)
We did get out in an oasis of fine weather and watched a Kingfisher hunting on the Ribble near Chatburn. Huge relief as we hadn't seen one all spring and summer and had fears that our autumn birds had perished during the frozen river, snow bound winter.
Pictures are still rubbish (though must admit that when we started out a year ago - we would have been delighted with the relative clarity we got here)
Please remember we are mainly walkers with cameras who love wildlife. We haven't the time, sadly, to sit in hides and wait. Everything we capture is a snapshot by keen bean amateurs on the hoof.

PS: REMEMBER - our useless shots can be seen in larger uselessness by clicking on the images..

PPS: This is a boy - I do believe?!