Mull

I last visited Mull some 40 odd years ago as part of a family caravan holiday to Oban. I remember my Mum pranging her, a black vw beetle, on that particular visit and that probably put me off going back. However, now some 40 years on I returned with my family with coincidentally a somewhat newer black Volkswagen.

We traveled north to Oban on a rather wet Saturday morning. By the time we reached Oban however, it was much drier and by the time we got on the ferry it was dry. Once on Mull, we drove north from Craignure and soon had splendid views of an adult Sea Eagle just north of Salen. We had a B&B for 3 nights in Dervaig just west of Tobermory.

Tobermory with its famous coloured houses

The B&B overlooked Loch A Chumhainn and within a short distance I was seeing Whinchats and Common Sandpipers appeared to be everywhere.

Day 2 was dull and windy and we drove south to Loch Na Keal. Here we eventually had good views of 1 Sea Eagle but otherwise the weather was a bit of a limiting factor.

Sea Eagle

Day 3 was glorious and we did the touristy thing and headed for Iona. The drive takes about 2 hours and there was much stopping in the various passing places on Mull's narrow roads. The ferry to Iona goes from Fionnphort :

View from Fionnphort Harbour

Once on Iona I quickly found Corncrake. There was no shortage of birds calling but seeing any proved impossible.

View from Iona Harbour

View to the North

Iona Abbey

Returning view Loch Na Keal I staked out a known Golden Eagle site and had 2 birds in the sky over the ridge. Back at Darvaig, a ringtail Hen Harrier was quartering the marsh and then proceeded to fly past the bedroom window.

The last morning was spent at Grass Point where I failed to see any Sea Eagles but 2 Whinchats and a singing Grasshopper Warbler were notable.

All in all a really good trip.