Skye diary 2
I had forgotten how beautiful Skye is. It has been almost 40 years since Pat and I hitch hiked here.
Unfortunately the Whale Trip organisers emailed saying they were not running trips due to the weather. That was surprising to me at the time but I was lucky to be able to go on a boat trip from Portree Harbour. The Shags sat preening and drying themselves as we sailed out scanning the hill rising from the shore until we saw a pair of Sea Eagles. Magnificent creatures with wing spans up to six metres they look less impressive when they are perched on rocks above the bay. You only realise how large they are when you compare them with the sheep grazing nearby. Farmers believed the birds took the lambs but in fact Sea Eagles are part of the vulture family so carrion is their food of choice rather than live lambs. Certainly the sheep showed no anxiety so close to them. They pair for life but the female has a young partner: “A toy boy” said our captain. “She is about 19 and he is only 6 or 7. Her original mate probably died.” She was persuaded to come closer when the captain threw a dead fish. That attracted the herring gulls which seemed to encourage the eagles. The female swooped , feet first, to snatch up the fish and soared back to her rock to enjoy her meal. My camera was of no use at all so I just enjoyed the experience with my binoculars. The sea was rough and getting worse. The whale watching boats were probably right. Going out beyond the shelter of the inlet would have been risky. The boat bounced across the waves whenever we picked up speed. I was pleased I had my waterproof coat on and when we got back to shore the boat owner decided there would be no more trips that day.
I drove around the northern part of the island in the afternoon. Every bend in the road revealed a different vista. The sea lochs bite into the coast. Every inlet seemed to have its own Heron, or perhaps it was the reverse. As the tide receded, revealing vivid orange, seaweed carpeted rocks, the herons stood rigid, observing the water for any potential meal.
On the way back to the hotel I stopped to try and identify a bird of prey. It was the shape of a kestrel but too big; too small to be a hobby or to be a merlin. I eventually decided it must be a Peregrine Falcon; a good day for birds.