The day started off a bit grey but the clouds were clearing so I headed off on an early morning walk to the Kingcross Point. A distant Seal was swimming out to sea, the Gannets were already diving but no sign of an Otter. I headed bak walking along the beach towards Whiting Bay, there were plenty of Sandpipers, three or four Whimbrels, a distant Curlew , lots of Oyster Catchers, the usual Gulls and a feeding Heron.
After breakfast we headed off to Lochranza, the walk would take us from the Castle round the headland to the Faiey Glen and distant point. Along the way we saw lots of evidence of Otters, scat and discarded Lobster shells well chewed next to worn tracks, so the they are there, just not today ! However there was lots of Willow Warblers, Red Breasted Merganser, Guillimots, Wheatear and even a lone Whitehroat calling for its mate amongst the trees, its song almost drowned out by the Oyster Catchers and Whimbrels that were flying about.
In the Bay a lone Seal was balanced on a rock and another two swam past on their way out to see. However as we stopped for a cuppa, a pod of five Bottle Nosed Dolphins appeared, the weather had turned grey at this point but we still sat and watched in awe as the made their way accros the channel, one looked like it had young with it as two fins never separated or came out of the water, while the other three were merrily rolling out of the water, and at one point they even jumped in the prow waves of a fishing boat.
In the fields by the castle a group of Red Deer were resting with Hooded Crows jumping about . All in all a great afternoon, but it was not over as I managed to get an evening stroll in to the point. It was hot a bright again by this point, and the trees and fields around the bay were alive with Goldfinch, Willow Warblers, Robins, Swallows and Rabbits. Out to sea the usual Oyster Catchers were there , alongside a flock of Eider ducks, Gannets and Cormorants.
All in all a great day !
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