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There is a place called hope. Despite the poisonings, the losses, the persecution and the madness, there is a new ray of hope tonight that it is all finally beginning to really work - to really knit together. The project to bring the white-tailed eagle back to the British Isles actually began some 50 years ago. Long before Fair Isle in 1968 or Rum in 1975, there was Argyll in 1959.  The late Pat Sandeman released three sea eagles in Glen Etive but as far as we know nothing came of it. Or did it? Occasional reports of an adult sea eagle drifting around the west coast in a desperate search for another of its kind persisted for many years. In theory one of them might even have still been alive when the fullscale reintroduction project started on Rum 16 years later. Just imagine, after a long, solitary quest the last remaining of the Glen Etive sea eagles rounds a vast headland and spies a distant but strangely familiar silouette soaring over the hills of Mull. After many years of dashed hopes, tangles with golden eagles and dark, lonely nights, our sole survivor is about to be reunited with one of its own. As the adult drifts ever closer, the newly released youngster suddenly realises that the mighty form heading towards it has a yellow beak, a dazzling white tail and eyes the colour of pale sunlight. They soar together, call loudly and talon grapple until finally they drift effortlessly away into a Hebridean sunset. A legend is born. Or...maybe not.

Since Rum in 1975, there has been Wester Ross in 1987, East Scotland and then Ireland in 2007. I had always dreamed of the day when the three populations from west, east and the Irish would all begin to merge. A real sign that the project to re-establish the lost birds to their former haunts was really beginning to work on a national, indeed international scale. And today comes news that it has finally happened. The comeback has really begun. We've had regular visits from our friends in Tayside since 2007. Some have been long stayers, others just day-trippers but most have wandered back east again, as they should. Then earlier this year came news of one of the Irish birds in Scotland. It was seen and reported by a ghillie on the mainland along a remote salmon river. Then last month one of their satellite tagged birds, a pioneering male 'bird L' was reported here doing a huge journey round the north of Scotland and even onto the Northern Isles. Recently, he started his homeward flight back towards Ireland. Some little understood but irresistable force was bringing him home to the hills of Kerry. But it was over the deep sea loch of Loch na Keal in the heart of Mull that the historic reunion occurred. At some point late one autumn afternoon, bird L passed over Mull where we also know east coast birds 5 and 7 were also recently tracked. Nearby was Venus, our 2009 satellite tagged female. He might also have encountered yellow black spot, even Frisa or Skye. Clearly he was tempted to stay; he was amongst friends and he roosted overnight here. Safe.

And so it had happened. For the first time since the early 1800's, populations of sea eagles from different parts of the British Isles were able to mix and mingle again. It was to be a brief encounter for soon he was moving on again, still heading south, stopping off on Islay. But it was a momentous occasion and one we hope will be repeated many times with other birds over the next few years. And where had it all happened?  Eagle Island - where else? As the song says, there ain't no stopping them now.

Dave Sexton RSPB Scotland Mull Officer

Come and see the eagles yourself - Mull's Eagle Hide is still going strong. Call 01680 812 556 to book a trip this winter. 

I don't believe it!  I'm sat inside typing when outside the sky is blue with a few whispy clouds - hubby is out in the garden pruning a hedge in a tee shirt - is it nearly the end of October?  Walking the dog this morning, I had a lovely view of a flock of barnacle geese and a small flock of pink footed geese stopping off to feed before they move on, maybe to the RSPB reserve at Mersehead. 

There is something quite magical about seeing that wonderful "V" formation in the sky.  Have you ever wondered why they fly in a "V" shape?  Flying in a flock can help reduce the energy that is needed for a long flight.  It is estimated by flying in a "V" formation can help save an individual bird between 12-20% of the energy they would need if they flew  alone.  According to scientists, flying in a "V" formation helps birds conserve their energy.  Each bird flies slightly above the one in front of him or her.  This results in a reduction of wind resistance.  The birds also take turns being at the front of the "V" and will fall back when they get tired.  The young, inexperienced juveniles tend to fly towards the back so they dont have to take up the lead position.  Again, it is estimated that a flock of geese can fly 70% farther in the "V" formation than flying alone!  The other advantage of flying in a "V" is that each bird will have a clear field of vision, allowing them to see each other and communicate in flight.  Apparently fighter pilots will use this formation for the same reason.  How clever is that?

With Autumn in full swing and as we creep towards winter, I find it a reassuring time - Mother Nature continues her work year round with the changing seasons, the change in behaviour of wildlife too.  My thoughts turn to Skye and Frisa - it won't be long now before they start thinking of building a new nest.  Heather is still very much part of the family, but in time, she will gradually move away and leave Skye and Frisa to start the whole process again.  With the Scottish schools on holiday, we had a great number of visitors to the Hide and they were rewarded with some beautiful views of our family, either sat on the lochside or just flying against a beautiful blue sky.  Don't forget you can still visit the Hide at Loch Frisa - we are staying open and you can hopefully see some wonderful views of nature - from our white tailed sea eagle family, migrating geese flying over, divers on the loch, down to the beautiful colours of the bracken and trees at this time of year.  Full details here http://www.rspb.org.uk/datewithnature/sites/mull/index.asp 

A reminder of Loch Frisa in the Autumn

Photo - Debby Thorne

Dont forget to encourage family and friends to help protect our Birds of Prey by signing the pledge here http://www.rspb.org.uk/supporting/campaigns/birdsofprey/index.asp

Debby Thorne, White Tailed Eagle Information Officer

Isle of Mull

Well we are being spoilt on Mull at the moment!  A lovely spell of warm, sunny weather - clear blue skies and glass like seas and lochs - just beautiful (although it is definately chilly at night although that gives us some great stargazing opportunities).

Loch Frisa has been stunning as usual and giving us some extra surprises!  We knew we had one otter in the loch but on Wednesday as we were admiring Skye and Frisa sat together on one of their favourite roosts, one of our visitors shouted, "otter".  It was so easy to pick it out as the loch was just flat calm, mirror like - you could see the slightest ripple.  We all turned our binoculars and scopes onto the Loch - not one otter but two playing about in the water - they are such lovely creatures and love to play in the water - a lovely sight. 

Skye and Frisa are still delighting our visitors and quite often joined by Heather with all 3 sat on the lochside -  - I sometimes think of the male, Bracken, that died, especially now the heather and bracken on the hillsides has turned a beautiful russett brown colour.  As Dave has mentioned previously, its been a good year for fledgings with 10 chicks on Mull and 36 across Scotland - just a shame our little guy didnt make it - but that's nature!

The Island is now home to some large flocks of barnacle geese and the odd pink footed (though the pinkies dont tend to stay) - also redwings and fieldfares.

Dont forget if you are visiting Mull, the Eagle Hide is staying open - trips running on Tuesdays and Wednesdays - book through the Craignure Visitor Centre on 01680 812556.  Full details here http://www.rspb.org.uk/datewithnature/sites/mull/index.asp

Elvis the Otter in Tobermory Bay

Photo Debby Thorne

Dont forget to help protect our Birds of Prey by signing the pledge here http://www.rspb.org.uk/supporting/campaigns/birdsofprey/

 Debby Thorne - White Tailed Eagle Information Officer

Isle of Mull

Well we've had celebrity dancing, cooking and ice skating. We've had celebrities in the jungle, up Mount Kilimanjaro and making it to the South Pole (probably the North Pole too but I must have missed that one). We've had celebrity ghost hunting, Love Island, men in boats, wife swapping and finally here comes celebrity birdwatching! Yes folks standby for a new look to Sky 1 in the New Year as comedian Bill Bailey and two teams of yes, you guessed it , 'celebrity birders'  try and get to grips with the fun of finding and identifying birds. This week we've had a large crew from Fever Media here on Mull making the series for Sky. They've been at RSPB reserves and other locations across the UK and we're delighted they chose Mull for their Scottish challenge. With help from our friends at Forestry Commission Scotland and a whole host of other local businesses, the two teams were set tasks by Bill and whichever team saw the target species for the day were awarded points and eventually declared the winners. They sailed across from Oban to Craignure spotting seabirds along the way; they mountain biked down from the high tops to sea level and explored Salen bay in kayaks. Each night they all returned to camp (yes they were under canvas) and around the camp fire they compared their digi-scoped photographs and identified what they'd seen. It was all good fun and they all seemed to enjoy themselves, especially on the last day at Loch Frisa where eagles, of course, were top of their lists. Our Mull teams comprised the team captains stand-up comedian Jeff Green and TV presenter Alex Zane with their celebrities Jayne Middlemiss (think Top of the Pops, Love Island and Masterchef - she won that) and undercover reporter/Dancing on Ice star Donal MacIntyre. The whole exercise has been an amazing logistical exercise for everyone involved and with a total crew of 20+, it rivalled the scale of Springwatch at times. And who won? Well you'll have to tune in for that result. And was it all worth it? Well it's always difficult to assess these things. It may introduce the joys of birding to a whole new audience who might not normally watch these programmes. It might make more people join the RSPB and care about the natural world. It will show the autumn splendour of Mull to millions and just a few might decide to visit next year, come to the hide and fall in love with our eagles. I counted up 12 local businesses from boat operators to camp sites, local pubs to bike and kayak hirers who have all benefited in some way from this late season bonanza. If nothing else, a whole group of folk who might never have picked up binoculars before enjoyed the experience and the place. As the director said 'Cut!' after the last scene, Jayne couldn't contain her excitement at having just watched a golden eagle overhead being mobbed by six ravens. She carried on watching and carried on exclaiming in her broad Geordie accent: "Totally awesome!" And it was.

There's always a great sense of relief when a project like this (which could go badly wrong) goes so well. The sun shone, the rain held off for the most part despite the dire forecasts and all the arrangements seemed to slot into place. There's always relief when the eagles show up on cue although it's never guaranteed and there were some long, nervous waits. And there is always huge relief when the roadshow finally rolls on out of town and onto the next location - this time it's the turn of RSPB's fabulous Mersehead reserve on the Solway Firth where the thousands of wintering barnacle geese are the stars. They really can't miss them! They might all bump into Simon King on his way to that part of the world for Autumnwatch next week. There'll be more TV crews and celebrities than geese at this rate.

Jeff Green, Donal MacIntyre, Bill Bailey and Jayne Middlesmiss try and identify the bird in a digi-scoped photo

Jeff, Dave, Jayne, Bill, Donal and Alex during a break from filming

Debby with her group visiting the hide, trying to act normal!

But back to the real stars: Frisa, Skye and Heather. When the crowds had gone I stopped at a look-out on my way home. Frisa and Skye were sitting on the ground, relaxed, preening and looking gorgeous in the autumn sunshine. And there between them, actually lying down and completely chilled out, was Heather. It was the classic family portrait. There's always a slight pang of sadness wishing Bracken was there with them too. Who knows? Perhaps he was.

Dave Sexton RSPB Scotland Mull Officer

The satellite tracking map on my laptop seems to be down at the moment so I can't see if the latest data has been uploaded but I can report that all is well with our four satellite tagged 'chicks'. Mara is still resident around Loch Sunart and Morvern/Ardnamurchan; Breagha is still in the far north-west and island hopping from Raasay to Skye; Venus is mostly in central Mull around Loch na Keal but Oran has become the first of this year's chicks to really go exploring and has made it to the mainland, not far from Mara. Let's hope they meet up and compare notes and that they all stay safe.

A special thank you to Carrie for the fantastic range of eagle mugs, coaster and key ring.  Ever considered trying out your entrepreneurial skills in 'The Dragon's Den'?  Added to the delicious chocolates from Jillian a while back (which I finally managed to get Debby to relinquish), it's been a great season. Many thanks!

Well I really can't believe it!  As it sit here typing, I am looking at a clear blue sky, the sun is shining and the Sound of Mull is flat calm - the bracken has turned a beautiful rusty colour, leaves are varying shades of yellow, orange and gold.  There are two adult sea eagle sat on the rocks and close by a stag and 4 hinds are grazing.  Autumn has truly arrived and the deer rut has started.

At the hide yesterday, we were treated to the the wonderful sound of the stags bellowing - at one point a handsome stag dashed across the track in front of the hide and as I drove in yesterday morning, I came face to face with one on the track, not sure who was more surprised him or me!

We have had some lovely views of Skye and Frisa and yesterday afternoon, a real treat - Skye, Frisa and Heather flying up the Loch - it was a fantastic sight - as they reached the head of the loch, they all went in different directions - Skye landed in his favourite tree, Frisa did a flyround over the loch and Heather landed on the other side of the loch next to a huge patch of bracken.  That was shortly followed by a beautiful fly past of a pair of golden eagles.  We are still getting great views of our hen harrier family too who enjoy hunting next to the hide.  We are also being treated to views of our otter who trots across the track as he makes his way down the burn to the loch.

And another species to add to our board this week ..... pipistrelle bat!  We had our suspicions that they had been roosting in the roof of the hide but on Tuesday whilst most of us were admiring Frisa sat in the larches, one of the visitors came running in and said "there's a bat out here if anyone's interested" - well of course, we all ran out to see a bat flying around the car park.  It was a particulary still day and the rain had stopped - which in turn brought out our friends, the midges.  The bat was having a grand old time feeding and of course a delight for us to see him in the middle of the afternoon. 

Dont forget, the hide is staying open with trips on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 10.00 and 1.00pm.  Full details at http://www.rspb.org.uk/datewithnature/sites/mull/index.asp

You may remember we were following the Estonian webcam this year - just to say that the webcam is still running and the chicks do appear from time to time so worth keeping an eye on!  Here is the link - just click on "direct stream"

http://www.looduskalender.ee/en/node/2909

Stag and hind - Photo Debby Thorne

We've now changed the look of  this page to allow you to keep track of two new white-tailed eagle chicks from Mull. And now, as promised, we've added some new photos of them so you'll know what they look like - if you're ever lucky enough to see them! Thanks to Katie for sorting that. I love the shot of Oran on his nest greeting FCS climber Nick Purdy. Not a very friendly welcome! Oran and Venus are joining our first two chicks from Loch Frisa in 2008, Mara and Breagha. Don't forget to use the + and -and arrow buttons on the maps to zoom into see where they've been and when. They were all fitted with light weight, solar powered satellite tags to help us study the dispersal of immature sea eagles away from their nest areas. They were fitted by Roy Dennis from the Highland Foundation for Wildlife with help from our tree climber Justin Grant. Our thanks to the private landowners concerned and to Forestry Commission Scotland, their climbers and rangers for all their help on the day. The tags were funded by Scottish Natural Heritage and the data will be collected and mapped by John Sutherland and Sally Fisher from the RSPB's Data Management Unit. The all important analysis of the satellite data will be carried out by Natural Research Ltd on behalf of the Sea Eagle Project Team. Our thanks to them all and to the RSPB's web team for helping us get all this information out to you!

Oran is a fine, dark male chick who fledged from his mighty tree top nest in July. He is named after St Oran who is believed to have travelled through Mull to the Holy Isle of Iona in the 12th Century. We hope that our young eagle will be watched over and kept safe by his Saintly name sake. Oran is doing well so far. He returned to his nest to be fed quite a few times after his maiden flight which is quite unusual. He may be a bit of big baby and uncertain of launching off on his own into the big wide world. Over the next few months we'll find out how he gets on.

Across a few mountain ridges, from another Mull nest flew a beautiful young female sea eagle called Venus. She is named after the Goddess of love and beauty, flowers and Spring. Venus, the planet, is also the brightest light in the night sky and she appears at dawn and dusk as if to welcome the new day and to signal the approaching night. We couldn't think of a better name for our young female eagle. Like Oran, she too is now venturing further afield and is already well clear of her nest area. The parents of both chicks will happily tolerate their offspring around them for several months to come. They may not be bringing in much, if any, food for them at the moment but they will gladly share a deer, seal or sheep carcass with them. The chicks will know to follow along behind their parents in the expectation of a free handout. Soon though they will start to explore on their own and day by day, week by week, the distance between them and the adults will grow and the family bond will weaken. Unlike Mara and Breagha who spent alot of time together, Oran and Venus will soon be tackling life's challenges alone. This time last year, as Mara and Breagha began longer flights away, they seemed to find some comfort or at least reassurance  in each other's company on a regular basis. Life will be very different for young Oran and Venus. We will be watching them as closely as we can but they are wild birds and our role is simply to watch, study, learn and to protect. Our pioneers Mara and Breagha have proven they can survive out there and have now firmly dispersed from Mull. Mara may not be too far away on Loch Sunart but Breagha has ventured further into the north west Highlands. We wonder where the first big flights for Oran and Venus will be to? Will they ever meet up with Mara and Breagha? Stay tuned as we join them all on their extraordinary journeys.

Dave Sexton RSPB Scotland Mull Officer 

The Eagle Hide at Loch Frisa is still open! Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 10am and 1pm. Call 01680 812 556. Come and see us - and the eagles! Last week Debby and the groups of visitors saw the sea eagles AND the golden eagles - and the first red deer stag of the autumn was heard roaring around Loch Frisa so what are you waiting for? Plan your fall trip to Mull now and capture an autumn moment...visit the Holiday Mull & Iona website for details.

Well, September is certainly proving to be a saviour in terms of weather.  We are enjoying lots of warm sunshine and blue skies - you could almost be fooled into thinking it was May or June.  Tee shirts have come out of winter storage and its lovely to feel the warmth of the sun on your face.  Our family at Loch Frisa have been enjoying the warm weather too.  Skye and Frisa are spending long periods, perched on the larch trees in front of the hide, looking so relaxed now the majority of this year's parental duties are done.  They will still be feeding Heather but the majority of their work is done.  They seem to be enjoying some "me" time before the whole process starts again.

The golden eagles have been enjoying this weather too and our visitors have been getting great views as they fly across the hide, trying to steal the limelight from Skye and Frisa.  The buzzards are still a joy to watch - the youngsters now hunting on their own but occasionally taking 5 minutes out to play tag with a sibling!  We still have butterflies and dragonflies around and just occasionally, we glimpse the odd swallow - so we can still pretend its summer.

  Calgary Bay this week - white sand, blue sea and blue skies - Photo Debby Thorne

 After tomorrow, we start a new phase at the Hide.  Previously, we would now be planning to put the hide into mothballs until next Spring but from next week we are going to keep the hide open through autumn and winter, running our trips at 10.00 am and 1.00 pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.  Bookings can be made through our friends at the Tourist Office in Craignure (Tel: 01680 812556).  We are fortunate that our eagles do not migrate and are here all year round so if you are planning a trip to Mull come and see us!  Details of our Eagle Watch project can be found here http://www.rspb.org.uk/datewithnature/sites/mull/index.asp.  The leaves on the trees are starting to turn, the heather is in bloom and the bracken starting to die off - autumn on Mull is stunning - the colours breathtaking and as for the wildlife, well ........ you will just have to come and see if  for yourself!

This Sunday also sees our "Fledge" party at Loch Frisa - a chance to raise a glass to all our chicks and to say thank you to everyone involved with these magnificent birds.  We are meeting at the hide at 1.00pm and the gates at both ends of the Loch will be open - if you are around, do come and join us.

Debby Thorne, White Tailed Eagle Information Officer,

Isle of Mull

The contrast couldn't have been greater. Strength and gentleness personified. Tapping quietly on the office door last week was a big bloke in his overalls. His hands and face were smeared in oil and grease. He had flecks of car paint in his hair and he sounded almost apologetic as he explained what was in the cardboard box he was holding so carefully in his hands. I wasn't exactly sure what I was going to find as I looked inside the grubby carton. He had said that some of the baby swallows in the garage round the corner had fallen or flown out of their nest and this one had landed with a sickening plop in a pool of sticky, black car oil. He 'just wanted to do something to help' and felt really sorry. He liked the swallows, even though they often pooped on his cars and sometimes even on him. He'd gone to the trouble of placing a small cardboard shelf under each nest to catch any unwanted debris.  The swallows were a sign of spring, of the end of winter, of warmer weather, of better times ahead. In April each year as the huge doors of the garage were pushed wide open, the first of the swallows would appear one sunny morning. They would race around the metal rafters, calling in fake alarm whenever he moved from one end of a car he was working on to the other. But eventually, they settled, they accepted his comings and goings and they knew after many generations that they had a safe haven to raise their broods.  

The mechanic disappeared round the corner and was gone. In any other location I would have quickly taken this sad, oil covered little bundle to the nearest bird hospital or SSPCA centre but no such luxury here at the moment. On many islands and reserves we quickly pass any sick or injured birds to those that are trained and really know what to do. Generally, we don't. But we still care deeply and will do all we can to help. So as the barely recognisable fledgling swallow lay on the dirty rag I hit the 'phones and internet. Do you use any old washing up liquid to clean off the oil? No, it's got to be Fairy I'm told. Is it worth it? Isn't it too stressful for the bird and will it survive anyway? Best to humanely destroy it I'm told. Did I know how to do that? As I looked at my pathetic oily clump of a patient I began to think this was probably the only and right course of action.

Then, though it could barely move, it emitted that lovely baby swallow call you hear when you walk into a barn or listen to them gathered on telephone lines, waiting to be fed by hard working parents before they migrate. I knew then that I had to at least try just once to give him a chance. A bowl of warm water, washing up liquid, a towel. I picked him up, my fingers quickly feeling slimey and sticky from oil. In a desperate show of defiance he bit me and I've never been so pleased to be bitten. An hour later after washing each wing feather in turn and soaking and rinsing his clogged breast feathers, he looked like he was beginning to fade. He was wet and shivering and looked so fragile I began to seriously question my own actions. But I could actually see his little heart pounding away through his soggy feathers and bare lizard-like skin. He no longer resembled a bird, let alone a sleek, fast flying swallow. Now I had to dry him and fast. Grabbing Caroline's hairdryer, setting it on low and warm, I switched it on. Working the warmth through his short stubby plumes, his head fell limp and I could feel him giving up the fight. Don't you give up on me now! Once he was completely dry I settled him gently into a clean box and left him in the dark to either recover - or die. Frankly I expected the latter.

The girls came home from school and wanted to know what daddy had in the box this time. I knew we had to leave him in peace at least for a little longer but there was still no movement from within. After another hour, we dared to peep inside. He very nearly escaped in a flurry of unexpected energy as he saw the light and a chance for freedom!  He wasn't completely out of the woods but I knew now his only real chance of survival was to get him back to the vicinity of his nest. Livy and I rushed him back round to the garage, made sure he was well away from any oily hazards and looked around to look for his old nest. Three other young swallows - perhaps his brothers and sisters - were sitting on the rafters and were calling. Another one was still in the nest. Suddenly that one called, then another and our little guy called back. We looked at each other. The mechanic emerged from under a car and we knew what we had to do. I was half expecting to have to climb the ladder myself and find a safe spot. But no. He wanted to do it. There was no point in going too near the nest as the remaining fledgling would probably just jump, perhaps before it was ready and we'd have another casualty on our hands. So our little guy was placed high in the rafters on a wide ledge and there we left him. We retreated out of the garage as he began to call loudly for food and an adult swallow swooped in with panic alarm calls cursing our presence and with absolutely no gratitude for all our efforts! 

I'd like to give you all a cast-iron happy ending but in truth I can't - but I can give you a hopeful ending. I think we gave him his best chance. Was it right to put him through all that cleaning stress? I honestly don't know; it was a personal judgement in a split second. I kind of think we had to at least try and make it up to him after causing his beautiful slate blue plumage to become so soiled. I mean, swallows have a hard enough time of it anyway don't they? They migrate thousands of miles through drought and deserts to bring joy to our British summers. And when they do make it all the way to Mull they get greeted with one of the wettest summers on record and then one baby swallow gets covered in horrible, thick black oil. I think we owed him.  Will he make it all the way back to Africa this autumn and then back here again next spring? By the Law of Averages, probably not. But maybe, perhaps, possibly, he will.

As we left the garage, our swallow was shouting loudly for food and will have been fed. We said our goodbyes and Liv's eyes filled with tears for one tough baby swallow she'd only met half an hour before The caring bloke in the oily overalls was back under his car but I noticed he'd cleaned up the pool of oil. One swallow of summer somewhere up high in the rafters had been given a second chance. I think he deserved it.

Dave Sexton RSPB Scotland Mull officer 

Lennon and McCartney

Well Skye and Frisa have certainly been spending a lot of quality time together now that Heather seems to be fending for herself quite nicely.  Most days this week they have been together either sitting on the same branch or just a branch apart.  On one occasion, Skye slightly spread his wings, just touching Frisa who was sat next to him - they are such sociable birds and seem to just enjoy each others company.  On another day after a heavy bout of rain, Skye was sat on a branch with Frisa sat just above him.  They had just dried off from a shower, when the heavens opened again.  Skye looked up at Frisa and she looked down at him, as if to say "oh not again, I've only just dried off".  It was really comical.

Heather is still around but getting more and more independent and it seems mum and dad are happy to let her  explore on her own and look for food which she seems to do pretty well.  This week, we were visited by Roger and Justin the guys who do the ring tagging.  They were over to clear out the nests and in the Frisa nest found remains of greylag geese.

  Skye above and Frisa below

 The Golden Eagles still pay us a visit as well as both the male and female hen harrier.  Our young buzzards are a delight to watch, learning how to hunt from one of the parents who is always nearby keeping an eye out.

We are putting the finishing touches to our new satellite tracking page for the two chicks that were satellite tagged this year - the names have been chosen - keep tuned and all will be revealed shortly!

Another piece of news is that the Hide is going to remain open this year through the Autumn and Winter.   We are lucky in that our birds do not migrate so you can come to Mull any time of the year and see them.  From the third week in September (beginning 21st) trips will run on Tuesday and Wednesdays, still at 10.00 and 1.00.  Anyone wishing to book a trip can do so through our friends at the Tourist Office tel 01680 812556.  Here is a link to our page http://www.rspb.org.uk/datewithnature/sites/mull/index.asp.   We are happy to accommodate visits from any birding groups throughout the autumn and winter.

I took this photo of Loch Frisa this week.  It was a beautiful still day and the water was like glass.  There is certainly an air of autumn about - the leaves are beginning to turn and it wont be long before we are treated to the stunning reds, russets and oranges as the leaves change colour.   

And finally, as soon as we know the date of the Blue Peter transmission we will of course let you know!

Debby Thorne

White Tailed Eagle Information Officer, Isle of Mull

We haven't seen much of the sun lately but in one break in the deluge I watched Frisa and Skye relaxing and unwinding after their busy summer. I gently pulled the landrover in, switched off the engine and rolled quietly to a halt. Frisa was to my left high in the sitkas; Skye was on my right in a larch. I panned from one to the other just enjoying them as they preened their soft plumage in the brief warm, sunny spell. Both looked regal and composed and somehow proud of their achievements this year. Somewhere nearby Heather was perched safely out of sight, probably drying off too. She was leaving her parents in peace, for now at least. As the sun's warmth penetrated their soggy feathers for the first time in days, first Frisa and then Skye half opened their broad, mighty wings and allowed them to droop a little. They just looked so chilled out. They deserved this moment. Then they went one step further, something I've never seen before. I thought I noticed Frisa's eyes were closed. I zoomed the scope in but they were open again. Then slowly but surely like someone after a heavy meal, her eyes closed completely and her noble head tilted slightly to one side. I looked across to Skye and he was doing the same! It was siesta time; I felt quite honoured that they felt so relaxed with me just 100m away that they could completely switch off. As I watched Skye, he did what people do when you watch someone drifting off on the train. Every now and then, as he snoozed, his head fell forward  and he'd then jolt himself upright again, eyes wide open for a few seconds as if he'd been awake all along, only to slowly doze off again in the late afternoon sun. I looked back to Frisa and sure enough she was doing the same. They both just seemed overwhelmed by the stresses and strains of the last few months; maybe the heady cocktail of  sunshine, warmth and the scent of spruce was just more than they could resist. It was certainly working on me! This afternoon nap business was catching.

As the sun slipped lower behind the trees, that slight chill which tells you it's no longer high summer, rippled through the larches and both birds gave themselves a good shake and a ruffle of their feathers. I don't know if they roosted there that night; I had to head off but I left with a sense of peace and calm. For birds which sometimes have to face such severe conditions in the wild, which can show such strength and at times such gentleness, I'd witnessed another new side to them: chilled, relaxed 'empty-nesters'. They both half-watched me drive off down the track and they were alone again - together in their domain.

Dave Sexton RSPB Scotland Mull Officer

Many readers may have seen news reports this week of the tragic canoe accident on Loch Maree involving a father and his son. The man involved was Mike Madders with his seven year old son Daniel. Mike worked here on Mull in the 1980s when the first sea eagles settled on the island before he moved to Islay and latterly Poolewe. Mike wrote the 'Birds of Mull' with Philip Snow and 'Where to Watch Birds in Scotland' with Julia Welstead. In addition to his expert knowledge and studies on birds of prey in the UK and abroad, he was also a successful businessman. He founded and was a Managing Director for the environmental consultancy and charity Natural Research Ltd which is working with us on the satellite tracking project.  A full tribute to him appears on their website (link on the tracking page) and in the numerous news reports about the accident.

I first met Mike in 1984. We were new recruits to the RSPB and were about to be despatched on a secret mission to a mystery island. Sea eagles, recently released on the Isle of Rum, had started to be seen regularly on Mull. There were the first tentative signs of nesting and the year before, the first eggs had been layed. In March, we were briefed by Roy Dennis at his Highland home and then we both headed west with our new boss Roger Broad and boarded the ferry bound for Mull. Our base was Hazelbank Cottage in Lochdon near where one pair was being seen. We were both instantly captivated by Mull and could sense that we were both lucky to be part of conservation history in the making. On our first evening we headed to Ardnadrochit where Sheila served us our first (of many) home cooked meals. Sheila had been one of the first Muileachs to report the new and unusual big eagles flying over the house and as we ate dinner looking out of the window and out across the loch we knew one could fly by at any moment. The magic of Mull and of my time working with Mike on this historic project had begun. Within a day or two we had made our first major discovery of an active sea eagle nest a long way from Loch Don. I recall Roger saying when we 'phoned in that night for some guidance: "Well, you two seem to be doing pretty well on your own!" I guess for two rookie sea eagle field workers we weren't doing too badly for our first 48 hours on Mull. Forging new and long lasting relationships with the local farmers which continue to this day, we watched the nest round the clock come rain or shine. The male of the sea eagle pair was only four years old so still immature; the female who in later years would become known as 'Blondie' was mature but their breeding attempt was unsuccessful and they incubated way beyond the normal 38 days. Mike and I were back in 1985 to continue where we left off. This time our base was Eastcroft in Lochdon but our sea eagle pair had moved again to a new nest in a remote part of central Mull. Our eagle watch began again in mid March and we were joined by our colleague Keith Morton to conduct our continuous nest observations in what was noted at the time as one of the wettest summers on record. We would do 24 hour stints, relieving each other in the early evening. I recall Mike emerging foot by foot (he was over 6ft) from our tiny, leaking RSPB-issue tent. We would exchange notes on what we'd seen, he'd pack up his cooking kit, Earl Grey tea and favourite bag of muesli and stride off back down the track for a much needed bath at Eastcroft (hoping Keith had remembered to switch the hot water on). I would then crawl into the damp interior of the tent on the shore of the loch and settle down for the long night ahead. I think Mike had made friends with a wood mouse as there was always one keeping me company in the tent. One night it ate through my pack and consumed some of my sandwiches.

Fast forward to a rare dry, sunny April morning. I called Mike on the CB radio and the now legendary message crackled back at me: "I think we're both daddies". And that's exactly how we all felt. Blondie and her mate had hatched and were feeding the first sea eagle chick to be raised in Scotland for 70 years.  And the rest really is history but we can reflect and remember and say 'we were there'. The famous chick fledged and so began a dynasty which continues to this day with our very own Frisa who was raised by Blondie and her mate in 1992. From those exciting, pioneering days with one chick on the wing, we end this season with a record 36 chicks fledging in Scotland including an amazing 10 chicks on Mull alone. A fitting legacy for Mike.  He helped get them to this point.

I can see him now striding like a stag through the drizzle across the Mull hills, wellies and torn waxproof jacket on with faithful pointer Merlyn at his heel, off to check another eagle eyrie or one of his favourite hen harriers.

Our condolences to all of Mike and Daniel's family, friends and colleagues at this time.

Dave Sexton RSPB Scotland Mull Officer

NB. Comments received on this blog are much appreciated but won't be published.

As I type this blog, the rain is falling hard and fast - our house sits on a slight incline, and the rain is running down the front path forming a small river, then turning into a mini waterfall at the front door step!  It has rained everyday since last Tuesday - not just drizzle but heavy, persistent rain while a lot of the UK has been basking in sunshine and hot temperatures.  To test the power of positive thought, please can our readers send some dry weather our way.  Just relieved we dont have any chicks on nests. 

As you can imagine, our birds have been hunkered down for most of the week.  Heather came out and gave a spectacular flying display in between one of the showers - she has gained so much confidence in her flying - not so many wobbles as she glides and turns.  Skye and Frisa are still staying close to her, keeping an eye on their youngster.  Half Pint and his sister have being practising short flights too, with Mum and Dad not very far away.

Our young buzzards have been keeping us entertained at the hide this week - we have two families who have fledged and we are getting some great views of them practising hunting, diving and how to land in a tree.

 As I returned from a short visit to Oban yesterday afternoon, I had some great views of diving gannets - they are really amazing to watch.  As we were pulling into Craignure and I was pointing them out to my daughter, she said "never mind the gannets - what's that?"  Two dark fins were protruding from the water "That my dear is a basking shark" I replied.  We are very lucky to witness such wildlife on our shopping trips!

Gannet - Photo Debby Thorne

We will keep you updated on news but in the meantime, I am off to build an ark!

Debby Thorne

White Tailed Sea Eagle Information Officer, Isle of Mull

As we reported a while ago, Mull suddenly seemed a slightly emptier place recently when Mara and Breagha, our two satellite tagged youngsters from 2008, both left the island for the first time. In the last year, one has gone on a fly about and then returned and then the other has gone and returned and they continued to spend alot of time together here. So now, for both birds to have been gone for so long is, well, a bit unsettling. It shouldn't be of course. We should be celebrating the fact that we still have two fit and healthy juveniles, now over a year old exploring their new world. But with all the sickening news this summer, of the poisoning of a golden eagle in nearby Glen Orchy and then the sad loss of Alma on another sporting estate in the Angus Glens near to where poor White G met his fate, it just kind of makes you feel uneasy to say the least.

But let's concentrate on the good news. Breagha in particular has had a grand tour of the famous Flow Country of Caithness and Sutherland, at one point flying near to our brilliant nature reserve at Forsinard. She then made her way back down the west coast a short way and seems settled in the dramatic Kylesku area for the time being. She's made the occasional day trip to Loch Maree but has headed 'home' to Kylesku to roost. Of course she has hopefully many more years of wandering and exploring yet before she finally settles down on a breeding territory. I'm sure she'll be back to pay us a visit before too long. Meanwhile 'little' brother Mara is just across the water from here on Morvern and Ardnamurchan. By all accounts he seems to have made friends with some guys at the local fish farm (I wonder why?).

So what of the Mull 'Class of 09'? Well our 10 chicks are now all fledged and flying well but are still near their nesting area and being fed by their parents. We're lucky that we have a host of people across the island, both residents and visitors, who keep an eye on things for us and send in regular reports. Soon we hope to be introducing the two new Mull satellite tagged chicks to you all. We have another male and a female from different nests on the island and both are doing well. Once we have everything up and running for the website and the data coming in regularly, we'll be launching them to the world! Standby for that exciting moment. Meanwhile, we will continue to keep a close eye on the data for Breagha and Mara on their big adventures and hope, above all, that they keep themselves safe and out of harms way. Bon voyage!

Dave Sexton RSPB Scotland Mull Officer

We always get a warm glow as we finally board that ferry and begin the voyage home to Mull. It had been a long, stressful drive north on crowded motorways after a hectic fortnight of visiting family and friends in London and Wales. At one point trying to walk down Oxford Street with a great tidal wave of humanity coming in the opposite direction to us, we felt like we were about to be picked up and carried back the way we'd come. Progress was slow and thoughts of striding the empty hills of Mull kept flashing through my mind. London was fun for a day but it was like an alien habitat for us now. At least in Wales, we did find a nice mountain to climb - the Sugarloaf - with splendid views across the Brecon Beacons. Regular texts from Debby kept me in constant touch with how our sea eagle offspring were faring. At Loch Frisa, Heather was clearly doing just fine and I longed to see her up and about and flying strongly with Frisa and Skye. If only Bracken could be there too...

But of most concern to us all was how Half pint and her big sister were doing. They were the last eaglets to be still in the nest when I went away. All the others were safely on their way but their nest and eggs had been delayed this year by the atrocious weather back in March and April. In fact they were some 10 days later than normal. The text message while I was down south which told me the nest was now empty was a relief in some ways but also worrying. Eventually both chicks were heard but some days later only one chick was being seen. Visions of my discovery of Bracken and of a chick last year dead under their nest trees flooded back. Needless to say, Half pint's nest was first on my list to check after unpacking the car and essential things like picking up the guinea pigs and chickens from Debby!

On the first visit, sure enough, there was only one chick sitting in a tree nearby. Both parent birds keeping watch. Where was the second chick? They should all be together. Finally yesterday, the heavy rain showers paused sufficiently long enough to enable me to get back out there to check once more. Once again, an adult on duty but this time no chicks and all was strangely quiet. No gulls alarm calling. Even the frantic oystercatcher didn't let out her usual explosion of alarm calls as I slipped and skidded my way across the seaweed covered rocks at low tide. The adult sea eagle just watched me go by, no sign of any alarm calls from her. I took my time along the shore line, stopping every few metres to scan the trees in the hope of finding the chicks perched there. Still nothing, still silence. Then I started to find feathers and down stuck to the tops of bog myrtle and sedge. The more I moved along the strandline, the more feathers there were. I started to be concerned as to what I was about to find. Until I discovered what could only be described as a grand eagle dining table! A large flat topped rock covered in prey remains of seaduck, shag, fulmar, gull...what a feast there had been. Clearly this is where the adults had been delivering prey to their newly fledged chicks. I think we all saw each other at almost the same time. There sitting on a rock some 50 metres away was one of the chicks looking big, sleek, smooth and strong. A little further on sat Half pint, now the same size but not quite with the same beefy, robust stature of her big sisiter. For a few seconds she kept peering down at large clumps of bladderwrack and grappling with them as if playfully attacking some future prey. What complete and utter joy to see them both, alive and well, after the long worrying months of incubation and hatching all those months ago. Both flew well and strongly a short distance along the coast and perched professionally as if they'd been doing it for ever. The adult - looking a bit moth-eaten now as her post-breeding moult sets in - came across, located them and circled once to be sure they were safe and then returned to her tree. They were well on their way. Half pint was now a full pint! Soon they would all be off across the Sound of Mull and our work would be done for now. On my way back, I glanced up at the battered and tilting nest which had worried us all so many times this season. It won't survive the winter that's for sure. I wonder where the adults will settle next year and where will Half pint be by then? We wish them all well in their next trials of life.

Dave Sexton RSPB Scotland Mull Officer