Some garden images from the Summer

Insects on the coast

Oak Eggar

The Lackey

Large Skipper

Cuckoo spit

A few from the garden

Fledgling Blackbird

Collared Dove sit above

Red Kite delight

Totally surprised to step outside my front door this evening in time to catch two Red Kites fly over the garden. First time I have seen them in Cornwall.

Earlier I took a few shots at Hells Mouth while my husband was nest recording the Cormorants. 

Cormorants and young

feeding time

This young strengthens its wings 

Oystercatcher on three eggs

Herring Gull

Guillemot chick

The Guillemot colony 

Meadow Pipit

Punk Sparrow

This Sparrow seemed to have a very fluffy feather stuck to her head, she tried all sorts to get it off but didn't manage it. May be the start of a new trend!

Sea Life Surveys

We did a 7hr sea trip with Sea Life Surveys. It cost £80 each and was worth every penny. This is not an ordinary boat trip where people take your money, show you a few things, teach you nothing and put nothing into conservation. These guys have been undertaking Hebridean Cetacean research now for over 30 years and by taking passengers out some of their costs are met. We saw a feeding group of 3000+ Manx Shearwater, 4 Minke Whales, plenty of harbour Porpoise and a few other bits and pieces. The crew on-board give you all the tools to find and identify your own marine wildlife. Here are some of the images

feeding Manx Shearwaters

with a Gannet

Seals

The Three Cormorant of the Apocalypse

The beach where we landed for a 30 minute dinner break

Simon found this Bonxie (Great Skua) for the trip to enjoy. The Bonxie is also known as The Pirate of the Seas

On our way back in to Tobermory Andy put his plankton net over the side, the contents of which were then displayed on a TV screen. Even the plankton is used as part of the research program forming food for many species. Jellyfish and Lobster larvae can be seen

 

Without doubt we'll be doing this trip again next year and who knows - we may be lucky enough to catch up with the resident Orca pod

The Isle of Mull

We've recently had another fantastic week on Mull with excellent views of both Sea Eagle and Golden Eagle including 3 Golden Eagles at the same time. We also watched 5 Mountain Hare and an Otter (but not together!!). Here are a few images with more to come later.

Fallow Deer (in the cottage garden). The image was taken from the living room window.

Loch Ba where Snipe were drumming nr dusk

This burn at the base of a waterfall held a Dipper carrying food for young

A shot of the waterfall from a purpose built viewpoint

A Hen Harrier (male) near Loch Don

Mountain Hare

No mistaking this White-tailed Sea Eagle

The next post will feature images from a 7hr boat trip with Sea Life Survey's