Monday, 7 September 2020

A day trip to the Outer Hebrides.

 We left Dunnet early on 2nd September for the very scenic drive down the north west coast of Scotland to Ullapool. We booked into our very nice accommodation & then went into the town for a meal at a local pub.

The view from our bedroom in the evening light.

The comfortable ferry to Stornoway.

Ullapool

Well wrapped up!


We jumped on the ferry mid morning on the 3rd September. As usual the weather changed by the minute but we had a pleasant crossing. Sea birds were a little thin but the best were:

Great Black backed Gull



Atlantic Shag

Northern Gannet





1 Great Skua; 5 Arctic Skua; 35 Common Guillemot; 80 Razorbill; c300 Auk sp; 1 Black Guillemot; 1 Arctic Tern; 8 European Storm Petrel; 2 Sooty Shearwater; 10 Manx Shearwater; 190 Northern Gannet; 75 Shag.

Stornoway

Social distancing in the bar!

We had exactly one hour before the ferry sailed back. So just time to nip across the quay & enjoy a pint in the nearby pub.

Manx Shearwater

None of the birds came close.



Arctic Skua


Great Skua



Northern Fulmar


Best birds on the return journey were:

7 Great Skua; 3 Arctic Skua; 6 European Storm Petrel; 1 Sooty Shearwater; 9 Manx Shearwater.

Common Dolphin



The best sighting was a pod of ten Common Dolphins quite close to the ship. It was an enjoyable day out & possibly the only way to see European Storm Petrel on this trip. We enjoyed another nice meal in Ullapool & left early the next day to drive to the Cairngorms.













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