Adventures on Skye:Part one

We had been travelling for about two hours and all was going well. It was a Friday lunchtime that we had left home in Suffolk for what was to be a family holiday on The Isle of Skye. We would be staying at a friends cottage at the very north end of the island and I was actually looking forward to the drive up, even though it was to be a long one. Then it started to rain. So for the next twelve hours thats what it did untill we eventually reached the cottage at three o'clock the following morning! Sleep was needed.

Allthough it was to be a family holiday of course I had my camera gear with me and planned to grab every opportunity to do some photography. Top of the list for me was the descent likleyhood of being able to photograph Otters.For the first couple of days we took it easy just driving around and sightseeing. It was good to be back as it was five years since I had last been. My wife and boy had never been, so it was all new to them. There were the usual Buzzards about to keep you interested and also good numbers of young fledgelings especially Wheatears and Meadow Pipits. We had also seen some Red Deer and a Roe, plus I had also seen a Golden Eagle, but at a distance.

On the Tuesday we decided to go to Loch Garten which in itself was quite a haul covering jusy under four hundred miles there and back! But it was worth it as we saw about half a dozen Red Squirrels and three Ospreys. But my main lense decided to play up and some of my pictures reflected that, though I did have a couple that were pleasing enough. I think the highlight for my wife and boy though, was stopping off in the Nessie shop at Loch Ness on the way back! Though I have to admit, I did rather enjoy it too!

On the Wednesday evening I decided to drive right down to the southern end of the island to Elgol to see if I could find any Otters down there. I had just gone through the main town of Portree and was back out into open country and forestry. All of a sudden there was what could be best described as a barn door flying straight down the road towards me! It was of course not a barn door but a White-Tailed Sea Eagle. As luck would have it there was a place at that very spot to pull into, which I quickly did just as the Eagle tipped back over the trees at the side of the road. I jumped out with the binoculars to see if I could see any sign of it.

As soon as I was out of the car it then came back up over the trees and continued along the road. All of a sudden it set its wings and landed in a conifer tree right on the side of the road about 150 metres away. I grabbed the camera, crossed the road and jumped into a ditch that ran up the side of the road. I cautiously made my way up the ditch towards where it was sitting. At the first clear sight of it I took a few shots. I did not have time to get the tripod out of the boot so was having to hand hold as steadily as I could but I decided to try to get closer. Amazingly I managed to get to within 50 metres of it! It had seen me long before that but remained tolerant of me.

I was then able to watch it for a couple of minutes through the binoculars before it took off and went right across the glen, to then settle on the hillside scaring the living daylights out of some Sheep in the process! Incidentally I was able to see that it had I think, green wingtags. It was quite an experience to get so close to such a big bird of prey and a real privilege. I then carried on to Elgol but had no luck with seeing any Otters. I had been extremely lucky with the Eagle but would I be so lucky with the Otters.....?