Buzzards, Pink-Footed Geese, and Skye September Clouds

September 2013

5th

 Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo)

 The ferry on its way from Uig (Isle of Skye) to Lochmaddy (North Uist), viewed across Loch Snizort Beag, Loch Snizort, and the Little Minch, with the hills of Harris around 35 miles away in the background.

10th

A sadly rare visit from a male hen harrier 

16th

 Buzzard contemplating life on the garden fence.

17th

Waves of hundreds of Pink-Footed Geese (Anser brachyrhynchus) passing high above in the evening, heading southeastwards, according to Bob McMillan to the farmlands of Perthshire. These are passage migrants (autumn and spring) from Greenland and Iceland and rarely set foot on Skye. They are so high up as often to be heard before being seen, singing their ancient travelling songs like thousands of generations before them.

18th

 A female mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) skimming over Loch Snizort Beag.

26th

 A Hooded Crow (Corvus cornix) with white wings.

29th

 Waxcaps(?) at Uigshader.

30th

 A hole in the sky over Skeabost Forest.

 Clouds and sunbeams together write a poem in light.