I had two Wild Tiree tours on Saturday, the first being a morning session with Corncrake as the target species. We started at 9.15 and had seen 4 Corncrakes well between Hynish and Mannal in the first hour. Other highlights of the morning were Little & Arctic Terns, Great Northern Divers, stacks of migrant and breeding waders in summer dress, lots of Oystercatcher and Lapwing broods, Grey & Common Seals, and a huge Basking Shark.
The afternoon was a more general wildlife tour. We began at Loch an Eilean where lots of young waders were seen as well as both forms of Early marsh-orchid, Heath spotted-orchid and loads of Butterwort in flower. We failed to see Corncrake in the heat of the afternoon but heard plenty. Arctic & Little Terns fished offshore at Hynish and later at a bumblebee-filled Balephetrish. In the dunes there we saw five species of bumblebee - Moss Carder, Garden, White-tailed, Red-shanked Carder and the rare Barbut's Cuckoo Bumblebee. The dunes are now turned yellow from the abundance of Bulbous Buttercups, Lady's Bedstraw and Bird's-foot Trefoil.
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