Last 3 Weeks

Haven't blogged for a while because of a full calendar but here are a few photos from places I have visited in the past 3 weeks starting with my own garden with a couple of pics taken through the window in the rain with birds looking really p***ed off.

and a first for the garden

We had a week away in Arrochar and surrounding area in the West of Scotland, where we did a bit of birdwatching and fair bit of drinking sometimes both of them at the same time. 

These photos are from the back of the hotel on the first day

The weather then brightened up for the rest of the time although it did rain occasionally.  The next pictures were taken from the road in front of the hotel which ran alongside Loch Long

From the lawn of the hotel

This little beaut spent a lot of time on the overflow pipe just outside our bedroom wind which overlooked a square which was quite unkempt and several swallows were in the eaves of  3 of the sides of the square.

We managed to spot 59 species but alas no Eagles although the Bus Driver and a few others did see one whilst Carole and I were in the woods at the rear of the hotel exploring.  We also saw 2 Otters having a splash around in the Loch and when we asked a lady who lived next door to the hotel she said that her husband had spotted one for the first time in years at the weekend.  

Great place for watching the Black Guillemots at Oban was the Witherspoons on the harbour front, the only items needed were binoculars and pitchers of Cocktails, not necessarily in that order

Got up to Big Waters on the Bank Holiday and it turned out to be quite a decent day.  Dropped into Little Waters first where I saw my first cygnets of the year.  Eight little beauties who looked as though it was their first or second trip off the nest and they kept huddled into a little bundle all the time.

and of course a video

Walked around with Ian at a leisurely pace (bliss) so here are a few more pics from that day

Couple of Herring Gull with what looked like a young Duck

Cmon Guys start on those nests 

and a video of a couple of Warblers singing

This photo reminded me of the Edward Lear Nonsense Verse

Back to Back they faced each other

They drew their swords and shot each other

Finally to finish off a few shots of a Deer that shot past us and I didn't even get my camera up until it was at least 50m away