Our first destination was Castlebay, the "capital" of Barra! We enjoyed some cheese oatcakes, yum. Yet another fill up from one of these hostile petrol stations and we were off to the small Island of Vatersay. Just before crossing the causeway Granny had zoned into some rocks. Now there's only one thing you need to know about my Grandma, don't get her started on rocks! These are "folded rocks" she told me. Yes, it may be interesting to a certain extent but rockwatching just doesn't - doesn't get me going lets say...
Now on Vatersay we enjoyed great views and scenes that people could only dream of, but for me the birds just made it 10x as good. It didn't take us long to reach the other side of the island. We decided to find a beach that was just a short walk past a few recently cut fields. As soon as I got onto the field I found a new tick for me the isles...
CHICKEN! Lapwing were there though and 4 Greylag Geese. We did manage to clamber over the rocks and were welcomed by a beautiful white beach. Gulls lined the shore and were mostly Common Gulls with a few Herring and Great Black-Backed Gulls here and there. While searching the rocks I found a Black-Legged Kittiwake...
Again Granny whipped out the Cheese Oatcakes, quick nibble, banana finished, Diver found! I took around 10 photos of this obliging Diver that slowly made its way around the coastline...
Straight away I said Black-Throated Diver however, through closer inspection a Red-Throated Diver was agreed on. A brand new bird and what a heck of a bird it was just look how pretty it is. Oh boy how much I'd like to ring that! Another interesting Gull had appeared probably 2nd Summer bird that makes it ridiculously confusing! PLEASE COMMENT ON YOUR OPINION!
We spent half an hour relaxing in the bliss of the Outer Hebrides then decided it was time to move on. While walking back I managed a shabby shot of a Lapwing
While leaving this part of the island another Merlin and this one was on a mission... We found shortly after a small bird in its clutches, I expect a finch but didn't have good enough views to confirm my hypothesis. A short break and a hot chocolate refuelled our enthusiasm. We checked a small beach along the way and found a rare breed of beach cattle...
Another pass of the folded rocks "deserved" another look in my Grandma's not so sure for me. But hey ho, just past Castlebay we found a new raptor for the holiday, a Peregrine which is great to see and completes the islands ticks, only with the largest to find... My Grandma told me of a beach that was always filled with Seals on it and that's why I think it's called Seal Bay! On the bird front Ringed Plovers and Turnstones were a nice surprise, especially with the Ringed Plovers posing so nicely...
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| Bird bottom right. |
A few Seals later and we encountered the countless Wheatears of the Outer hebrides enjoying their summer retreat. Strangely this is probably one of the only pictures of Twite I have managed on the islands probably due to the better quality elsewhere...
And that was it a very enjoyable day with a more easy feel, less hassle and less on my mind!
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