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Hi Dave it is good that no matter how much you see of wildlife there is always something new to see.I Suppose like you say after hectic time they are taking the chance to relax,perhaps a bit like when your children leave home and perhaps they were hinting to all the Eagle Watch team to chill out as well as both Frisa Skye and Eagle Watch team will soon be all at serious work again,amazing how quickly it all starts again for these large Eagles.Hope the team get a nice break they deserve it but I suppose they also enjoy the thrill of helping these great birds and perhaps take the chance when less tourists in winter to enjoy Mull just for the residents.I feel sure that Skye and Frisa know you and Land Rover with them so to speak and quite comfortable for you to be close.

Another of those very special 'magic' moments Dave. Thanks for sharing it.

Dave - what a lovely sight for you and for all of us avid followers, another 'good news' story.  It really is amazing how you learn new things all the time - I witnessed our new unringed female Osprey at Site B, RW doing exactly the same thing this summer; a juvenile feeding himself on the nest and she kept letting her head drop.  You hit the nail on the head when you compared it to us dropping off on the train - I've done that, how embarrassed do you feel when you wake up with strangers watching you!

Lovely story Dave, I felt myself relaxing and nearly nodding off as well at the thought of them chilling out.

Thanks for sharing that wonderful time you had with Skye and Frisa.

As usual fantastic report Dave. I had a fantastic time with birds on bank holiday monday, after a drizzly Sunday we left in cloud which by 11.am had turned to clear skies and too hot, typical weather for this country I changed twice whilst out for the day. With my husband we visted RSPB Arne peninsular which sticks out into Poole harbour in Dorset, about 12 miles from my home in Bournemouth. We had visited there last year however, half-way round on one of the walks came across an elderly couple whoes husband was having a posiible strok or heart attack. There were few around and the RSPB  warden had managed to get his truct into the field next to the remote path so my husband did his first aid and helped the man back in the vehicle to the ambulance in the car park whilst I walked back so abondoned our walk (my husband is St John's ambulance trained). This time after him joking about taking a first aid kit with us, we went to talk to an RSPB volunteer about the sighti9ngs of serveal osprey who were resting on their migration and the vounteer pointed out which walk was the one to do with the best chance of seeing one. I said to my husband that it would be amazing, so near to home as I had been to two sites in Scotland a few weeks ago to see them. However optimisically we started walking along through the pine forest and then on the track over open heathland which reminded us of Loch Garten, with our Purbeck hills beyond.

All of a sudden I looked up to see 2 large birds of prey circling high above me, not sure what they were as they were below a dark grey cloud and the light was strange as the clouds were just starting to clear. I took out my binoculars and followed one until it got too small. My husband watched the other then a third briefly appeared. I thought by the shape they were osprey but because of the strange light could not work out their white underparts. We then spotted others with binoculars and scopes to their eyes. Further on we reached the hide above the inlet of water where the tide was just starting to go out. After watching many geese flying like min concords, gracefully and looking over to where ospreys had been spotted sitting/fishing we walked along the track and sat and had a picnic looking towards the trees from where the ospreys had flown off too. With a mouthful of sandwich, I quickly said to my husband, "binoculars, quick" and a little above the trees were two ospreys flying in circles. This happend twice more on my walk and although I could not see them as close as I would have like to see all of their colourings/pattern I was so happy to see them near to where I lived.  As we left the car park two sika deer ran into the bushes. Unfortunatly on the way home I spotted 2 young foxes and a badger on a duel carridgeway that had been killed which was a bit upsetting. Thanks Sooty for the tip about the local ospreys.

JILLIAN-I think Dave's nature story-telling is rubbing off on me.

What a magical picture you paint with your words Dave.  Thanks for sharing it with us.  Frisa and Skye deserve a little "me time" after the work of bringing up young.

what a great moment for you Dave. How wonderful to see.

Thanks for the report

Glad they could feel relaxed after the year they have had.

How lovely Dave.Last year the cameraman at LG zoomed the webcam onto EJ doing exactly the same! She was obviously nodding off or 'power napping'. Either way she had an excuse - getting ready for a few thousand mile flight a couple of days later!!

thought i'd posted earlier but perhaps i didn't press the right button!! just wanted to say thanks Dave, not for the first time your blog brought a lump to my throat and a tear to my eyes. your words paint pictures, i hope that one day i will be able to make the journey to Mull and see these beautiful birds for myself until then thank you for the images you draw in my mind X

Thanks for that Dave, you have such a way with words. It made me feel calm and relaxed, and that does not happen often with me.

Wonderful!!

Lovely, reassuring sight for you, Dave - like the 30-40 sparrows sun-bathing on our hedge today and dozing in the sun. They were all quiet for once, babies included! Do I see that Breagha has moved from the lochans near Suilven to the An Teallach area near Dundonnell? Perhaps she is mountaineering in between visiting fisheries...? Let us trust that she and all raptors will learn to recognise poisons. Have you all seen www.rspb.org.uk/.../illegalkilling2008_tcm9-225981.pdf  On a happier note - enjoy your trip, whenever it is, Sooty & Sweep!

Reply: Mex thanks. Yes Breagha is moving about in the Dundonnel area and we all hope she's safe there. Regarding your thoughts a while back that a Times piece seemed to suggest all was rosy in Scotland, we have recently issued a press release about the situation here which got good coverage. Maybe Simon B will pick up on that. Thanks for your continuing efforts to keep this isue highlighted. Dave

Hi Dave just a small comment to thank Mex for best wishes for our trip to Mull.

Dave, thank you for that wonderful picture in words!  I think you should write a book (in your spare time!!). I could feel the sun, and the peace there at Loch Frisa.  So glad those wonderful birds are happy and relaxed, and safe.  I just hope all other birds of prey will keep safe.

For Sooty :o) and for Dave, three things: first, I do hope Breagha will find 'our' sea eagle's favourite fish farm on Loch Ewe! Secondly, you will find that a pertinent comment has appeared, disappeared and now miraculously re-appeared at the end of Simon B's online article.  Thirdly, I presume that the press release you refer to is thescotsman.scotsman.com/.../Birds-of-prey-killings-.5587084.jp  There are some very colourful comments after it. I don't know how the other bloggers feel, but I don't feel able to engage in that debate, it being a Scottish paper and the Scots being well able to respond on this as a local issue - and they are doing (though some of the comments are very, very silly). Interesting that I had been told of the problem of Highland estate-owners importing gamekeepers and managers from Yorkshire specifically - and this article again names N Yorks as one of the two worst counties in the UK for crimes against birds of prey. Hmmm. My mother in the North East has been telling me for years about the wildlife crimes going on in the Yorkshire Dales and Moors that are reported in the excellent Northern Echo. But there is a tendency north of the Tees not to cross that river lightly and I was brought up to see anything beyond Co Durham as Down South, so I hope I won't upset any Yorkshire folk reading this - apart from the criminal element amongst their gamekeepers, that is! Kind regards to the rest of you!

Dave/Debby -  Any news on a date for the Blue Peter show when they were in Mull? Thanks

Reply: Nothing yet although I'm told they are now working out when it will be on so we may hear soon and we'll keep you posted. Dave