Skydancers and Fish-eaters

Beautiful bright blue skies and barely a cloud and a light southerly breeze.

Theo picked up guests starting with coastal habitats seeing a WTE on her nest, Golden and Ringed Plovers, Turnstones, Eiders Great-northern and Red-throated Divers.

Onto more moorland habitats for operation skydancer, calm sunny more can be great for Hen Harriers to display and we treated to a fantastic 45sec long display from a male Hen Harrier yo-yo'ing above the ground catching the sun, a 2nd more distant male was skydancing also. We saw 5 Hen Harriers over the next 45mins, a distant WTE flyby, 2 Buzzards, a lone flyover Pink-footed Goose, a Grasshopper warbler was singing as was many Willow Warblers, a pair of Stonechats and lots of Red Deer. We had many sightings of Golden Eagles, 2 different pairs enjoying the breeze and sun and an immature Golden eagle showing well in the scope, a very successful stop!

Heading back to a coastal sealoch there were a few Red-breasted Mergansers, Bar-tailed Godwits, a Little Egret and a few Yellowhammers. Parking up for a hot drink, there was an Adult WTE sat on the field feeding on prey. An Osprey appeared on the far skyline and worked its way down the loch, it spotted the WTE and went for it! Repeatedly dive bombing the WTE from height, both birds calling frantically. The Osprey headed off north and WTE left it catch and perched on a boulder, An amazing interaction!

Also Orange-tip, Peacock and Red Admiral Butterflies and Cuckoo-flower in bloom.