Eyes to the skies

Previously on 'Natural Highs and Lows'...

"What WAS going to be my 100th bird species of the year?"

As Fortune would have it, the next day saw a trip to the island of Hoy, a place of frequent pilgrimage in less virus-laden times. With all the restrictions on movement, my last trip had been in... hmmm... August, some eight months ago. That day I saw my last dragonfly of 2020 and it will be a few weeks yet before the first damselflies of 2021 are on the wing.

But this post is about birds, hopefully.

Aboard the Hoy Head, as she gently nosed out of Houton Bay headed for Lyness, the sky was blue from horizon to horizon. The waters of Scapa Flow were barely troubled by a wave. The view back to Houton and its old seaplane base was idyllic, although later that day the hill to the north would be ablaze as a fire got out of control.

The loose aim of the day was to see White-tailed Eagle, by any measure a cracking bird to mark a century of species for the year (please note that this is only an achievement in my head, serious birders had smashed through the hundred barrier in January). The plan was to park by the road to Rackwick, keeping eyes peeled and fingers crossed. During the four hours we were there, an eagle showed itself for about half a second, a period of time significant mainly for the fact that I was facing the opposite way and didn't see it.

However, there were many compensations. I had never seen so many Hen Harriers in a day, with lots of territorial or courtship interaction between birds.

At one point, a smaller raptor was very indignant at the harriers' presence and had a full-on tantrum, mobbing one of the larger birds. This was a Merlin, always a pleasure to see and a worthy 100th species.

The valley through to Rackwick is a splendid habitat. Bonxies (Great Skua) and Ravens cruised back and forth along the hillsides, Emperor Moths fluttered to and fro over the heather, whilst Meadow Pipits, Stonechats and Wrens sang from their respective vantage points.

Just before leaving, a Peregrine falcon was spotted high up in the sky. We weren't the only ones watching it, as this Wheatear was keeping a beady eye on the predator too.

Later that evening, whilst sitting outside with a beverage and making plans for a return visit to Hoy, an unmistakable twittering overhead heralded my first Swallow of the year. What a day!