1 Mull Eagle watch The protection of Mull’s White tailed Sea Eagles involves the local Wildlife Crime Officer and Police force, Scottish Natural Heritage, Forest Enterprise, RSPB, Isle of Mull Bird Club members and many local Mull residents and visitors. You can play your part by reporting any suspicious activity or vehicles. Tobermory police 01688 302016 Craignure police 01680 812322 Oban police station 01631 510500 The Isle of Mull Bird Club holds meetings from October to April, usually in the Craignure Village Hall. Field visits and off island visits are held during the winter & summer months.The club is open to all ages and to off island members and all are made welcome. Codes of conduct and the law. White-tailed Sea Eagles. Please be aware that White-tailed Sea Eagles and Golden Eagles are protected by law against disturbance of the birds or habitats. The Eagle watch has been operating successfully for several years now with the full co-operation of the Mull community and of visitors to the island. There are many areas around the island which afford good opportunities to watch the eagles and indeed many other raptors, and there is also the Sea Eagle hide at Loch Frisa which is open daily from early spring to late autumn, and for two days a week throughout the winter months. Corncrake. are successful on Iona, due in part to the co-operation of local farmers and Corn- crake friendly farming practice. They are only just beginning to establish themselves on the mainland of Mull, and are therefore very sensitive to even minor disturbance. Please do not walk through iris beds in an attempt to 'flush' birds to get a better view. This is illegal and is considered as disturbing nesting birds, as indeed is playing a tape of Corncrake calling to attract birds. Watching and patiently waiting is the best strategy. Photographers. A special plea to photographers to respect other visitors watching the birds and to use their field craft skills to get their photographs without disturbing nesting birds. Do not attempt to get too close to nesting birds during the breeding season. Help to protect the birds you so enjoy watching Alan Spellman 9 Bird watching area notes Loch Spelve-Croggan NM6927: A very large sea loch which provides shelter for all three Divers in autumn & winter. Also Common Eider, Mallard, Red breasted Merganser, occasional Goosander, Goldeneye and Common Scoter have been recorded. Oystercatcher and Ringed Plover breed on its shores. In autumn Ruddy Turnstone & Golden Plover are found in the fields and on the shore line. Common Gulls nest on the shore, Shag and Cormorant regularly fish in the loch as do Razorbill & Guillemot and Black Guillemot. In winter around the fish farm there are often both Glaucous and Iceland gull. Rock Pipit, Meadow Pipit, Skylarks and Pied Wagtail and Grey Wagtail nest along the margins throughout the summer. Also Common Sandpiper and Wheatear. From Ardura there is an Oak woodland for nesting Redstart, Spotted Flycatcher and Wood Warbler, also Tree Creeper. It was here that a Pied Flycatcher was first seen (May 2002) and a few boxes have been installed in the hope of encouraging them to return, so far without any success. Croggan NM7027: is a good site for Otters and is a vantage point for sea watching the Firth of Lorn where Porpoise are often seen. The ‘Narrows at the entrance to Loch Spelve are strongly tidal and often hold fishing sea birds on an incoming tide. There is scattered oak woodland along the south shore which holds both Redstart and Wood warbler. Loch Buie NM2460: A large south facing sea loch, holds a variety of species including all 3 Divers in winter. Raptors include Sea Eagles and Golden Eagles, regularly seen here, also Peregrine & Ravens. Gannets and Shearwaters with Fulmar and other gulls are often fishing in the bay. Usually good for Otters & often excellent for Dolphins in summer. Splendid views on a clear day towards Islay, Jura and Colonsay. Ardalanish Bay NM3718: has a beautiful beach, (perhaps the best on the island) it’s the best place to see Sanderling in spring and autumn (occasionally in summer) also Ringed Plover, Dunlin & Oystercatcher. All three Divers can be seen in the bay at different times of the year. The farmer creates excellent habitat for smaller birds by farming organically and Twite and Linnet feed in small flocks in autumn. Skylarks and Meadow Pipits are numerous and gather in winter flocks before migrating south. Rock Dove (true birds) feed in the fields. A few Jackdaws with Rooks which come over from Iona, and Hooded Crows are usually present. There is a small reed bed which holds nesting Reed Bunting and it’s a likely habitat to hold Water Rail. Reed Warbler has also been recorded here. Nesting Snipe and Lapwing can be found on the edges of the reed bed and in August there is a field full of Grass of Parnassus plus many other wild flowers including many varieties of orchids. Chough were in the area until recently, it’s worth listening & looking out for these birds which breed on Islay and Colonsay which are not very far away, so they could be back anytime. 19 Mull & Iona Species List 1 Red-throated Diver Gavia stellata scarce breeding and winter & passage migrant. On larger sea lochs in winter, Loch Scridain, Loch Buie & Loch na Keal & Calgary Bay. Also in winter often found with other divers and in summer months also on smaller fresh water lochs. Breeding on lochans, high in the hills Breeding pairs come down to into larger freshwater lochs in summer months to feed. In winter, frequently all three divers can be found together on larger sea lochs and in the Sound of Mull. Black-throated Diver Gavia arctica scarce in summer, more frequent in winter and on passage. The last confirmed breeding record was in 1972. However there is some more recent information which suggests probable breeding at an undisclosed site on Mull. On larger sea lochs and in winter, they are occasionally found with other divers. Loch Buie is especially good where all three divers can often be seen together in winter. Occasional birds are seen in summer months in full summer plumage on some of our larger lochs: Loch Scridain, Loch Spelve, Loch na Keal, Loch Frisa and Loch Assapol (near Bunessan), 2010: summer plumaged single birds were recorded at Ulva Ferry, Lochs Tuath, Scridain, Buie, and Loch na Keal. A ‘pair’ spent some time on Loch Frisa during the summer months. 2011, a pair were present in June at an undisclosed location which is encouraging & qualifies as ‘probable breeding’ under BTO atlas criteria. Great-northern Diver Gavia immer autumn. winter and passage, Birds arrive in late autumn and depart in late spring are often seen in summer plumage and various stages of eclipse to winter plumage. Up to 30 birds have been recorded on loch na Keal in winter. Occasional juveniles remain throughout the summer. Often with other divers on sea lochs and in the open sea; Loch Scridain,] Loch Buie and Loch na Keal are the most productive sites, however winter birds are regularly seen in the Sound of Mull, Salen Bay, Calgary and Caliach Point. Fewer birds are seen in Loch Spelve. White-billed Diver Gavia adamsii vagrant. Occasional birds are seen out at the sea usually in early spring. Calliach Point, Loch na Keal. Loch Scridain & Loch Buie. The two years 2000 & 2003, single birds were reported during May. 2007 A summer plumaged bird seen from the boat, on a trip to Staffa on 3rd May. 2009 March 1st, An adult at Laggan Bay, & later, on Loch na Keal, and again in May at Laggan Bay. 2011 6th March a single bird on Loch na Keal. (David Woodhouse/group) illustration by Su Gough 28 Mull & Iona Species List 10 Common Buzzard Buteo buteo resident. common breeding. Our most numerous raptor found all over the island. Regularly seen sitting on tops of telegraph poles looking for prey items. Rough-legged Buzzard Buteo lagopus very scarce in Argyll. Reports have been received in winter months from Pennyghael area. However no sightings have so far been confirmed, 2011 1st May, a bird was reported over Lochdon A photograph would help to confirm any sighting. White-tailed Sea Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla scarce resident breeding. - successful re-introduction, Birds found their way to Mull and bred for the first time in 1985. Becoming established. Scottish bred birds raising young of their own. Several pairs breed on Mull at well protected sites. A hide at Loch Frisa is open to the public and there are other sites which enable excellent viewing without disturbance to the birds, at Killiechronan and Glen Selisdeir. Also at Grasspoint and Lochdon. 2011. 11 chicks successfully fledged making this a record year. Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos resident breeding species. Mull has a good healthy population of Goldies, if you regularly scan the horizon, sooner, rather than later, you will see Golden eagles. In Spring Golden Eagles are often seen in the company of White-tailed Sea Eagles. Glen More and Loch Buie, Calgary and Ulva Ferry will all produce Golden Eagles. Osprey Pandion haliaetus summer visitor and spring and autumn passage. Migrating birds regularly stop off to feed and rest, at Lochdon, Loch Spelve, Frisa & Scridain. 2011 the first bird of the year was over Aros Bay on 10th April. Also fishing Lochdon and Duart Bay in June. Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus common resident breeding species. Found in many areas and increasing where there is suitable habitat.