A relaxing sort of day…

We awoke to…

It’s Tuesday and the Jack Russell is once more collecting the rubbish…

Wouldn’t be good if his name really is Dennis?

The real binman is in his oilskins – it’s that sort of day.

We are hoping the weather will improve but it’s a good opportunity to do some more work on the the script and the set design.

Today is a good example of never giving up on a day.  Go out and you’re sure to find something interesting.  A familiar trip to the airport café brings forth comfort food in the shape of sweet potato chips with sweet chilli sauce, followed by…

Having told the lovely lady behind the counter that it was my favourite of all the wonderful cakes that the café has, a giant slice awaits me after the chips.

Please note that the chocolate slice is not also mine!

Going back to Bessie in the carpark we are suddenly aware of a giant flock of small birds flying across the beach and landing about 50 yards away on the sand.  They must have been waiting for the windsocks to come down, showing that there were no more flights today.  Peter grabbed the long lens, stepped over the fence and slowly advanced along the beach so as not to frighten them.

Now, these are very small birds, Sanderlings and Dunlins, so don’t expect to be able to spot them in this photo (taken by me in Bessie) but he reckons there were about 300-400 along the shore line.

A small portion…

 

Boyed by this unexpected insurgence, we carried on down the coast and popped over to Vatersay.  Who knows whether these were some of the airport birds but a small flock of Dunlins and Sanderlings flew in here too.  They are such charming little birds.

Meanwhile, in the piles of colourful seaweed, it was sometimes a job to sort weed from bird!

A Sanderling dried off after a quick bath…

… And just look at the intricate patterning on this delightful Sanderling

We were also pleased to see our first Black Guillemot (or Tystie) of the holiday on Vatersay and a rather stately Cormorant.

Back on Barra there was only a slight delay while a farmer moved his cows to a different bit of rough pasture.  The farmer looks suspiciously like the same one who held us up two years ago!

I must mention the header picture before I go.  This has to be the most delightful lamb and mother we have seen so far this year.  Pure contentment.