13th January 2014 - Otter

I took this video of an Otter on the first Tour of 2014 last Friday. I normally don't take photos when I'm running the Tours but couldn't resist this time. Apologies for the poor quality as it was taken on my phone . . . . and Simon's head (or rather hat) is there deliberately to show how close we were :)
Photo courtesy of Simon Nicholls

3rd January 2014 - Hogmanay

Had a great tour on Hogmanay to finish 2013. A bit of a wet start to the day meant we got a little damp watching our fishing Otter, but it cleared later and we got decent views of both Golden Eagle and Sea Eagles in the brightening skies.

A little trip out with the family yesterday gave fantastic views of a young Sea Eagle. We tracked it down the coast as it flew low over the road for 30 minutes. Then amazingly we picked it up again an hour later as we returned. Only losing it as it descended to the loch side, scattering geese and gulls as it did so.

21st December - 5 Golden Eagles

A great Tour today despite the thunder, lightning, hail storms, and gales that made opening and shutting the minibus doors near impossible at times! Fantastic views of a Sea Eagle low over the minibus, dancing on the wind. Two different Otters put in an appearance hunting the shoreline. But again the stars were the Golden Eagles with 5 different birds showing well.

20th December 2013 - Wildlife Highlights

As the year draws to a close I've been thinking about the year's wildlife highlights. We've had some cracking sightings on the Tours, but to start with I thought I'd post up my personal "moment". The 11 Sea Eagles sat on carrion across the glen was certainly an amazing sight, but they were pretty distant. So the top spot is claimed by the 7 Sea Eagles that circled low over my house . . . so close that I only managed to fit 4 in the frame!

18th November 2013 - Tours running throughout the Winter

I'll be running Tours throughout the Winter, but understandably visitor numbers drop off at this time of year. So it's a shame I was out on my own with no one to share today's sightings with (at least it meant I took the camera!). This Golden Eagle sat on the hill nearby and gave great views through the telescope - but I wanted a photo so I moved a little closer and waited for it to take off. The pair and their youngster entertained me for a good hour before I moved on. . . . . It wasn't all perfect though, the other pair of Goldies were insistent on being on the opposite side of the glen to me no matter where I moved. And the hail stung!

24th October 2013 - Whooper Swans

Christine took this pic of two of Skye's wintering Whooper Swans earlier this week. There's been a lot of activity recently, with two groups of c30 Whoopers flying low down the glen yesterday under the cloud and rain . . . missed photo opportunity sadly as one group had a Golden Eagle below them going the other way !! . . . And today four flew over Loch Sligachan while I was out. Winter is on it's way !!

15th October 2013 - Fieldfares

Today we had the closest and best ever views of Golden Eagles . . . . but as always I don't take a camera out on the tours! I did have two photographers with me so will be getting some pics to share, along with some of the Otter we watched hunting . . . . In the meantime the winter visitors are arriving in numbers, with Fieldfares like this one coming in their hundreds since the weekend.

11th October 2013 - The difference between Eagles

Monday's weather was appalling but we still managed 3 Otters and some rutting Red Deer, plus Great Northern Diver, Seals etc. 

Yesterday's 5 Golden Eagles and 5 Sea Eagles were overshadowed by a young female Otter who obligingly brought a fish ashore to eat (you could count her whiskers through the telescope). It was a sighting that brought mixed emotions: The female here chucked out last year's youngsters this spring and had another cub in the summer. I'd only seen a single Otter here for the last few weeks, it's too early for the cub to leave home so I suspected something had happened to one or other of them. Yesterday it looked to be the cub on it's own, so sadly it appears mum has passed away. But that's nature, and the cub has inherited a fantastic territory - as well as mum's outgoing personality.

My own highlight however was today on a day off. This year's recently fledged Golden Eagle ventured over my house and was soon intercepted by one of the local Sea Eagles. After a bit of a dogfight junior departed with it's tail between his legs. . . . . . . . .

And for everyone on the Tours who's asked how I tell the difference between the two eagle species - well here is a pic showing how different they are !!!