     
Arthur's
Blog page
guidelines
for car drivers, dog owners & photographers at the bottom of the page
We are taking bookings
for our Self
Catering cottages
14 th May 2011 Kim, Andy
& Thomas (aged 4) Wilson who stayed in Inch Hame said:
It is the best self-catering
accommodation we have stayed in, large enough to feel like a home from
home.
January 2012
Jan 31st Weather cold
and dry - A trip over to Oban today, not very exciting except for a White
tailed Sea Eagle circling over the ferry, friends who had sat on the wrong
side of the ferry were disappointed to miss it.
Jan 30th Weather dry at
last - We had to go up into the forestry behind our land to check out the
burn that supplies our water. During the winter the heavy rains had caused
the burn to flood over it's banks and at one point it was starting to take
a different route, if this was allowed to continue over time we would loose
our water supply. So we spent some time building up the bank with rocks
and fallen tree trunks to stop the water going the wrong way, we then built
a small dam with rocks to send the water in the correct direction, hopefully
over time the silt that has built up over the winter will get washed away
down the burn. As we made are way back through our woodland we saw a Buzzard
and a Woodcock.
Jan 29th
Weather similar to yesterday
- Highlights from our big garden birdwatch, Buzzard, Sparrowhawk twice,
Great Spotted Woodpecker, Mistle thrush, Yellowhammer, Brambling, 25 Rock
doves and 120+ Chaffinches. We had 9 Blue Tits, 9 greenfinches, 7 Goldfinches,
6 Great Tits, 3 Coal Tits and 3 Robins 3 Collared Doves, 2 Dunnocks, 2
Hooded Crows and a Blackbird. At Dervaig this afternoon there were 3 Redshanks,
2 Greenshanks, 3 Little Grebes and a very close White-tailed Eagle. Earlier
at Croig we saw Ringed Plover, Shelducks and an Otter.
  
Jan 28th
Weather dull with rain
on the light breeze - Pam and I went for a 2 hour drive out after morning
coffee and had some great sightings, firstly the views with snow capped
mountains on the Isle of Rhum and also the Ben More range on Mull but they
had more cloud on the very tops. The wildlife was pretty good with Grey
Seal, Red Deer and an Otter seen grooming and scratching itself as we watched
unobserved by the obliging Otter, we were so enthralled we forgot we had
a camera until it was too late. We saw 3 White-tailed Sea Eagles, A Golden
Eagle, fantastic pair of Hen Harriers, more Shelducks, the Gadwalls at
Cailaich and my first Bar-tailed Godwit a lone bird at Croig.
Jan 27th
Weather lovely, sunny
and calm - The Jay was back in the garden today as was the Great spotted
Woodpecker. On a drive out I saw an Otter fishing, lots of Red Deer and
2 separate Golden Eagles. Other birds of note seen were Male Goldeneye,
Shellducks, a Red Throated Diver and Great Northern Diver, a single Greenshank
and some Ringed Plovers.
I also saw several friends
out and about in the lovely weather and chatted rather a lot.
 
Jan 19th to 26th
Weather this week has
been damp and dull in the main with some moderate breezes - I have not
been out and about much this week as Pam told me to stop being a wimp and
get out and get the gardening finished. Now I know there are some of you
out there who would say I should have put my foot down and gone out birding
instead but that would have been most of my male readers and they would
have done exactly what I did; finished tidying up the garden. This is why
there has been little on the blog this week although during one brief escape
I managed to get really good views of a male Hen Harrier and an Otter.
The rams have now left the ewes, isn't it a shame when partnerships have
to break up, hopefully there will be 9 single parents at Ardrioch in the
spring. We took the tops off our fir trees around the garden this week,
fir trees on Mull have had a tendency to fall over recently in the high
winds so we hope we have pre-empted this problem. Due to all the gardening
I am now having to to have physiotherapy on my shoulder and collarbone,
at least this is what I keep telling Pam, up to now I have received little
sympathy. We are looking forward to the RSPB BIG GARDEN BIRDWATCH this
weekend, do take part it is good fun and a very useful scientific exercise.
The blog should get back to normal again now I have finished the gardening.
p.s. Hang on! I'm not
as bad as he makes out, anyway he'd never get finished if I didn't say
something and now I'm going to have to nag him to do his physio exercises.............Pam
Jan 18th Weather good
day after overnight rain - Still working in the garden which I hope to
finish by the end of the week which will be a great relief to me as gardening
is not high on my list of priorities. We did take the dogs for a walk at
Calgary Bay this morning but saw very little in the way of wildlife but
did see a pair of Hen Harriers interacting off the Cailaich road.
Jan 17th
Weather superb 6 days
and no rain whoopee - Great day today so we went out just locally but White-tailed
Eagle over bus, Hen Harrier hunting very close, Grey Seal, Great Northern
Diver and my first Common Snipe and Jack Snipe of the year.
I saw lots of familiar
birds as well as the special ones and as a passionate bird watcher I am
as delighted to see these birds as I am the more exotic ones. I also saw
my Gadwalls again today and got a much better photo of them as you will
see below.
Jan 16th
Weather same as yesterday
but sunnier - A trip to Tobermory to take back the MOT certificate as the
garage had given me the wrong one not even a tour bus, hey ho. Coming
back from Tobermory via Salen and Ulva Ferry we had a close encounter with
a juvenile White tailed Sea Eagle unfortunately our photographs were rubbish
so we cannot put them onto the web site.
Jan 15th
Weather cloudy but calm
- After the bird race we decided to spoil the dogs and took them for a
long walk down Loch Frisa where we hoped we might see some Siskins or Common
Crossbills but in the event the trees we saw them in last year have been
chopped down. Although we were disappointed it has opened up the views
and they were fantastic and with light now being allowed in new life will
soon start appearing where the forests once were.
Jan 14th
Weather cloudy but dry
with light breeze - It was the Bird Club Bird Race today and we saw 59
species in the north west corner of Mull and the winners from the South
and centre got 61 species. From all parts of the Island 6 vehicles of members
took part and in all 82 species of birds were seen. Our highlights were
a Jay, a Brambling, Treecreeper, Iceland Gull, Goosander a Dipper and all
three Divers with the Black Throated being my first one this year.
Jan 13th
Weather the same as yesterday
- We were woken up at 4am by a Tawny Owl calling from the top of a tree
right outside our bedroom window it was great to see this most inconsiderate
bird. On our way to Tobermory to fetch the bus back from its annual service
and m.o.t. we were lucky to see a single Whooper Swan on Loch Torr another
nice surprise on what is supposed to be an unlucky day.
Jan 12th
Weather lovely sunny day
- This morning I went to Calgary and found my first Purple sandpiper of
the year, it was on rocks with a redshank, a Turnstone and 3 Ringed Plover.
I also saw an Otter with 2 half grown cubs fighting over a large fish and
got a great sighting of this Buzzard which I was close enough to get a
good photograph. this afternoon we walked the dogs up a new forest track
and were amazed how many trees had split in two in the gales. After this
I gardened (yawn)
Jan 11th
Weather as yesterday with
less rain - I am actually tidying up the garden at last, as regular readers
will know not my favorite task but I have pruned the Weeping Pear tree
and done most of the front borders today which is a good start. I did find
time to go to Cailaich where I saw my first gadwall of the year, Gadwall
now seem to be coming an annual visitor although not in great numbers.
At Calgary there were 2 Great Northern Divers and 2 Red Throated Divers
always nice to see.
Jan 10th
Weather dull slight rain
and light breeze - today some friends and I in the Dervaig bird group
went and cleaned out the 2 Barn Owl boxes we erected last year and which
had been used in 2011. It was great to see a barn Owl at such close quarters
but there was only one Owl in the boxes, we know one died recently after
being hit by a vehicle so we hope the female left finds a new partner for
this summer and the boxes continue to provide good homes for these delightful
birds.
Jan 9th
Weather sunny after early
drizzle - Pam and I had a day out with Alan Mullbirds
Spellman today and i managed to add another 7 birds to my year list including
a small flock of Skylarks and my first Meadow Pipits of the Year. We also
had 2 Otters which was nice for Pam to see as she does not have time for
a decent look in the summer as she is so busy. Other notable sightings
on the day were another Glaucous Gull, Pam's first of the year and a Hen
Harrier and Teal my favorite Ducks and the first I have seen this year.
I have now reached 75 bird species on Mull this year and to check out what
I have or have not seen click on my 2012 bird list in yellow in the oblong
box near the top of this page..
Jan 8th
Weather better just rain
in the air - An early before first light drive gave me my best ever sighting
of a Woodcock, normally they take off and fly away as you approach them
but this one just carried on foraging by the side of the road and I saw
all its wonderful plumage. Earlier on the drive I had a very good sighting
of a Barn Owl bringing the number of bird species I have seen on Mull in
2012 to 68.
Jan 7th
Weather little improvement
- After the recent gales I went searching for white winged Gulls and so
where do you go if you want to see Gulls on Mull, Tobermory tip of course,
I get to all the best places. Well I was right and found not 1 but 3 Iceland
Gulls in fields right by the tip. Driving down to Salen I spotted 2 more
White winged Gulls at Aros Castle an old ruin from the time of the 'Lords
of the Isles' and on closer inspection 1 of the was the larger Glaucous
Gull so as the rain came down heavily once more I returned home a very
happy bunny.
Jan 6th
Weather still showery
and windy - We took the dogs fo a walk at Quinnish this morning and were
amazed by how many trees have fallen in the recent gales. This is not necessarily
a bad thing as it lets in light and allows for regrowth, like the year
a new beginning. There was not a lot to be seen but we did get a nice Mistle
Thrush singing from the top of a tall still standing tree. This evening
we went to the 10th anniversary dinner of the Isle of Mull bird Club of
which I have served as Chairman and Pam as Secretary, many congratulations
to all involved.
Jan 5th
Weather a bright often
sunny day - We took advantage of the weather to go on two walks with the
dogs and although we did not see much in the way of wildlife it was nice
to be out in the sun at last. We did see 4 Ravens already starting to pair
bond in readiness for breeding, it is always a pleasure seeing these incredible
fliers do their aerial acrobatics.
Jan 4th
Weather rain all day -
It was a case of Deer in the mist today as we saw several through the rain
and although it was difficult to see them properly it made for a very atmospheric
Scottish scene.
Jan 3rd
Weather same as yesterday
- A Brambling in our garden this morning and a Great Spotted Woodpecker
also paid us a visit. At Cailaich Point I saw A little Auk the first live
one I have seen in 12 years living on Mull, lots of Kittiwakes and Guillemots
there as well and 2 Red Throated Divers in the bay. I am having terrific
fun despite the weather and seeing some quite rare birds, I must try to
find my camera.
Jan 2nd
Weather windy with squally
showers - Another day out with our friends produced $ very good Otters,
both types of Eagle, Hen Harrier and Red Deer. We also saw Great Northern
Diver and 2 Goosanders but the bird of the day for me was a Jay seen south
of Craignure. We have already seen 54 species of birds this year and I
nearly forgot the great views we had of 19 Barnacle Geese at Gribun.
Jan 1st
Weather rain in the morning
better in the afternoon - We went for a drive out with friends this afternoon
after new years hangovers had cleared. We saw 2 Golden Eagles. 4 White-tailed
Sea Eagles, 3 Hen Harriers, 2 Otters, Red and Fallow Deer, Grey and Common
Seals, Great Northern Divers, Greenshank and Redshank, comical Oystercatchers
and lots of Curlews. In the garden this morning a very nice Treecreeper
and a Yellowhammer and Greenfinches galore. A total of 38 bird species
seen and 6 species of mammals, 2012 season up and running. |
     
     
guide
lines
for
driving
on
mull
|
1.
Do not park in passing places – It is an offence and you could be fined.
2.
Allow overtaking, (use your rear view mirrors) – it is illegal not to let
a faster vehicle past you within 4 passing places or when it is safe to
do so.
3. When
meeting on coming traffic always pull into the left, When the passing place
is on your right, stop opposite the passing place and let the on-coming
vehicle use the passing place to go round you. Going into passing places
on your right may cause an accident.
4. If you
have just passed a passing place, reverse back into the passing place and
then the vehicle coming towards you can pass safely. Avoid going off onto
the verges at it can ruin the road edges and verges which then cost a lot
to maintain and could seriously damage your vehicle.
5. Remember not all
road users are on holiday many are going about their daily business and
that speeding vehicle could be a doctor or vet going to an emergency. |
|
walking
dogs
on
mull
|
1. When walking on the hills
keep dogs on a lead particularly between March to June which is the peak
lambing period. Sheep run away from strange dogs even if they don’t chase
them and lambs can lose their mothers in this way and become more vulnerable
to predation.
2. Avoid going near cattle
with calves as mothers are very protective of their young and will often
attack strange dogs.
3. Do not to let your dogs
disturb wildlife, particularly ground nesting birds. It is an offence not
to control your dog.
4. From August, to October
first check whether Deer stalking is operating on any hills on the day
you intend to walk them.
5. Do not pick up lambs that
you think are injured or lost – please report it to the nearest farmer
you see and they will take care of it, in most cases mothers are able to
find their own lambs. |
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photographers
|
Photographers are now one
of the main causes of wildlife disturbance on Mull. Knowingly disturbing
wildlife is an offence against the wildlife and country act and ignorance
of the act is not an acceptable excuse.
We encourage photographers
and many join us on our tours, we do however promote good use of
field craft and keep disturbance to an absolute minimum.
Digi-scoping is used for
most of the pictures that we post on our web site as this allows us to
take photographs at a distance and does not disturb the wildlife.
A government issued license
is required to get close to eagles and other protected birds and wildlife.
Please practise the Countryside
code and then you and your dogs can enjoy everything Mull has to offer
in complete harmony with landowners, farmer’s animals and wildlife |
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This is the web site
of Pam & Arthur Brown, Ardrioch Farm, Dervaig, Isle of Mull. PA75
6QR
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