COLL OF THE WILD HEBRIDEAN EXPERIENCE HOLIDAY 31 MAY - 5 JUNE

TUESDAY 31ST MAY

After the evening arrival of the ferry we had half an hour at Loch Eatherna in Arinagour to kick start the holiday prior to dinner. Both Red-throated & Great Northern Diver showed well as did Arctic & Common Tern, Eider, Shelduck, RB Merganser, Raven with young and Common Seals. After dinner the drive to Ballyhaugh rewarded us with a dozen Brown Hares and flocks of Ringed Plover & Dunlin on the machair at Cliad.

WEDNESDAY 1ST JUNE

A hideous day for weather with a howling gale severely reducing the range of species on offer. We began at Totronald, where despite the conditions we still managed stunning views of Corncrake in addition to the usual Lapwing, Snipe, Redshank, Twite, Willow & Sedge Warbler. We then headed for the shore at Cliad where 40 or so Common Seals basked on the skerries and offshore Arctic & Little Terns fished the shallows. Scores of Sanderling picked along the shore with smaller numbers of Dunlin.

THURSDAY 2ND JUNE

The machair at Cliad was again covered in Ringed Plovers and Dunlin in breeding dress. A drive through the dunes took us to Totronald where we again enjoyed great views of Corncrakes. A look at some of the orchids in the area brought us Early Marsh, Heath Spotted, Common Spotted, Heath x Common Spotted hybrids and Heath Fragrant. The drive towards Crossapol brought fabulous views of a Snipe on a road-sign as well as breeding Redshank and Lapwing amongst a host of orchids and other wildflowers. The Crossapol dunes were covered in Bloody Crane's-bill whilst offshore we had great views of Great Northern Divers, Eider, Arctic & Little Terns. We then walked to the remote cottage of Port-na-Luing, watching loads of Northern Wheatears en route, and hearing yet more Corncrakes (the final total for the session being 20 calling males), as well as good views of Otter and Common Seal offshore and Snow Geese (with one gosling). The Canal Loch was covered with Greylags and their young and nearby great views of the rest of the Snow Goose flock were had. Feall was next, and following time spent watching Fulmars playing on the updrafts we had three sightings of Peregrine as well as more Ravens and Buzzard.

FRIDAY 3RD JUNE

We started at Toraston where we enjoyed Sand Martins burrowing in the dunes and then headed up to the NE Lochs SSSI. All three species of Sundew were seen along with Northern Marsh Orchid, thousands of Heath Spotted Orchids, White Water-lily, lots of Juniper spp prostrata clinging to exposed rocks, great views of Highland Darters and Cuckoos and distant views of Great Skua, Merlin & Buzzard. We were very close to a superb male Hen Harrier at Grishipol on the drive back to Ballyhaugh after dinner.

SATURDAY 4TH JUNE
We began the day with more great views of Corncrakes at Totronald, male Hen Harrier near Ballard and then headed to Acha. Cuckoos aplenty, reeling Grasshopper Warbler in the scope and Whitethroat were other highlights. Climbing into the hills at Carnan Dubha we found a brood of week-old Greylags and then entered our first of three Great Skua territories. We had spectacular views of four different birds before catching up with Arctic Skua and Large Red Damselfly on the way back down to the lochs.

SUNDAY 5TH JUNE
On the last morning we were joined by a family and we all enjoyed yet more views of Corncrakes, breeding waders, Arctic & Little Terns, Great Northern & Red-throated Divers, Common & Grey Seals and lots more Brown Hares in addition to a lovely variety of machair flowers and numerous orchids. We were lucky enough to find Red-shanked Carder and Moss Carder Bumblebees.

COLL OF THE WILD HEBRIDEAN EXPERIENCE HOLIDAY 25th-29th MAY

Wednesday 25th Despite some horrible weather we had an awesome Day 1 of this week's Coll of the Wild holiday. It started with 2 Whooper Swans followed by hundreds of summer-plumaged Sanderling & Dunlin and a field full of migrant Ringed Plovers. Offshore there were a dozen or so Great Northern Divers as well as Gannets, Arctic & Little Terns and Manx Shearwaters. We then had awesome views of a dog Otter appearing from the waves with a huge crab in its mouth that then ambled across the beach into the dunes. A couple of Whimbrel flew over calling and then we had a cracking Sabine's Gull feeding close in with terns. On the machair we saw six species of orchids (Early Purple; Early Marsh coccinea; Heath Spotted; Common Spotted; Heath Fragrant; and Common Twayblade). To round the day off nicely we then had frame-filling views of Corncrake.
Day 2 Thursday 26th Today was spent mostly in the Totronald area. We bagged our seventh orchid species en route (Northern Marsh Orchid) and then spent an hour or so watching and listening to Corncrakes, seeing many more Early Marsh-orchid spp. coccinea, and getting great views of Snipe, Redshank and Lapwing. We spent the rest of the afternoon botanising in the dunes where highlights included Mossy Saxifrage, Bloody crane's-bill and Common Twayblade.

Day 3 Friday 27th A horrible day for weather saw us begin at Cliad where stacks of Common Seals splashed around gleefully close inshore, hundreds of Sanderling in full breeding dress scurried along the strand, and Common & Arctic Terns fished the shallows. We headed north to Sorisdale to see Spotted Rock-rose at its only Scottish site (not yet flowering), and then returned for more Corncrakes at Totronald. Hundreds of Ringed Plover & Dunlin in summer plumage adorned the machair now beginning to develop its coating of Bulbous Buttercups.

Day 4 Saturday 28th Today saw us heading into the uplands of the NE Coll Lochs SSSI. Highlights included thousands of Heath Spotted Orchids, Lesser Butterfly Orchid (orchid #8 for the week), ancient Aspens clinging onto deep gorges, Green Hairstreak butterfly, Merlin and loads of Cuckoos. We returned to Cliad after dinner where we had incredible views of an Otter fishing for crabs then climbing onto a small island where it stood beside a Great Black-backed Gull whilst munching on its catch.

Day 5 Sunday 29th We spent the morning in the woodland at The Lodge, adding a number of species to the list including Spotted Flycather, Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Goldcrest, Coal Tit and Common Redpoll. We then headed west to Feall where the gale force winds forced giant waves ashore and Fulmars filled the air.



Corncrake by customer Norman Crowson



Otter by customer Norman Croxson

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COLL OF THE WILD HEBRIDEAN EXPERIENCE HOLIDAY 17TH-22ND MAY

DAY 1 TUESDAY 17TH MAY Highlights of the ferry journey from Oban to Coll were 3 Black Terns in amongst 100+ Arctic Terns around the islands just north of Lismore, as well as Razorbills, Guillemots, Gannets, Manx Shearwaters and a Bonxie. After dinner at The Coll Hotel our drive to the accommodation at Ballyhaugh took in numerous Brown Hares on the machair at Cliad as well as hundreds of migrating Dunlin & Ringed Plovers.
DAY 2 WEDNESDAY 18TH MAY A 5a.m start took us through the Totronald dunes where Bird's-foot Trefoil carpeted the machair and Mossy Saxifrage was in flower. At Totronald we heard 4-5 different Corncrakes but the poor weather prevented any views. Lapwings and Redshank aplenty were in the fields turned yellow with buttercups, accompanied by a symphony of Skylark song. Late afternoon found us watching Common Seals and Great Northern Divers offshore at Cliad as well as hundreds of migrant Sanderling and Dunlin in full breeding dress. A Little Stint was found amongst them as well as several Turnstone and Ringed Plovers apenty. In the evening, following dinner at The Coll Hotel, we headed once more for Totronald where we had excellent views of 2 Corncrakes before stopping off at Cliad to listen to a calling Spotted Crake.
DAY 3 THURSDAY 19TH MAY The morning session included more time on the machair as well as time birdwatching and botanising in the dunes and shore at Crossapol. Highlights were Great Northern Divers, Little Terns, Great Skua, Common Seals and 5 species of orchids. We spent some time studying bumblebees in a kale and mustard cover crop on the RSPB reserve and were lucky enough to see Red-shanked Carder and Moss Carder as well as Northern White-tailed Bumblebee. The afternoon session took in the uplands of northern Coll where we saw Red-throated Divers and added Northern Marsh Orchid to the 5 species seen earlier in the day. All three species of sundew were a highlight. The drive back to Ballyhaugh after dinner at Island Cafe added a flock of Whimbrel to the tally.
DAY 4 FRIDAY 20TH MAY The morning was spent at Sorisdale and North Shore where we saw Spotted Rock-rose (not yet in flower) at its only Scottish site, Red-throated & Great Northern Divers, Arctic & Little Terns. The afternoon saw us at Feall where we saw very young chicks of both Lapwing & Redshank, nesting Fulmars and a magnificent female Peregrine.
DAY 5 SATURDAY 21ST MAY We spent the morning at Cliad where we had superb views of Great Northern Diver, despite the horrible weather. The machair was covered in migrating Dunlin and Ringed Plovers as well as breeding Redshank, Lapwing & Snipe and calling Corncrakes. In the afernoon we revisited Crossapol where Common & Grey Seals frollicked, Little & Arctic terns fished offshore and hundreds of waders picked through the seaweed.
DAY 6 SUNDAY 22ND MAY We began at Toraston where the sun turned the sea emerald green and we watched Gannets aplenty fishing close inshore. We then headed to the woodland at The Lodge where we watched nesting Grey Herons and were surrounded by calling Cuckoos.