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BACK TO THE MANCHESTER BIRDING WEBSITE HOMEPAGE -> Manchester Birding Forum -> Scotland -> Mull - May 2008
Post Info TOPIC: Mull - May 2008
declan savage


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RE: Mull - May 2008
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We visited Mull at the beginning of May and saw much the same as you Rob - fantastic views of raptors of many species being the highlight for me. This included a pair of WT Eagles (a non breeding pair) which flew down over our B&B near Salan each morning as we ate our breakfast to sit on rocks in the bay - amazing sight which the B&B owner got really excited about even though she sees them every day. We also had a family of porpoises which spent alot of time feeding in the same bay, and multiple otter sightings across the island. Corncrakes were surpirisingly visible on Iona, the first I've actually seen since the one which lived in our farmyard in the mid 70s (sadly now long gone from the area). Mull is a great place -we go every spring and I never get tired of it. Highly reccommend it.

-- Edited by declan savage at 19:11, 2008-06-09

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Henry Cook


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Thanks for the info about Mull Rob. I'm hopefully heading up in July by which time bird activity will be lower and mozzies intolerable but I hope to see a fraction of what you had. Great place in winter too. Eagles still around with much better chances of porpoise and dolphins. Goldeneye and allsorts of wildfowl on the lochs too with Dippers and Kingfishers on the coasts!
Thanks. Henry.

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Rob Smallwood


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Had my first proper trip to Mull at Whit.

Stayed in a cottage attached to The Pennyghael Hotel - Loch Scridain and its wildlife visible from all rooms bar the toilet - highly recommended.

Caught up with most of the specialities, White-tailed Eagles seen at two sites including one nest site visible very distantly from our windows, just one sighting away from nesting sites, one over Ben More on our first evening.

Golden Eagles at several sites including a well watched regular pair in Glen More. Hen Harriers at several locations, including adult male, sub-adult male and several ring-tails, also Peregrine (no Merlin), Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, Osprey (one east over Iona and perhaps same later in the week at Lochdon, Short-eared Owl and Kestrel.

Plenty of seabirds including the 4 larger auk sp, Gannets, Manxie and an a distant skua sp near Treshnish Isles where we failed to see any mammals bar a lone seal.

Red Throated and Great Northern Divers in bredding plumage, as well as a very confiding Slav Grebe but no Black Throated that I could find.

Iona turned up Corncrakes - lots calling, two seen, and afurther 2 heard on mainland Mull at Fidden.

Waders mostly had young, Redshank, Curlew, Common Sandpiper whilst Snipe drummed and Woodcock roded in the evenings (well - until we were forced indoors by the local Mossies!).

More Cuckoos than I've seen anywhere.

Otters everywhere and sometimes quite confiding.

If you've been, you'll know how good it is, if you've only read about Mull then I can confirm that it lives up to the hype.smile.gif

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Rob
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