Yesterday Cygnets, today it’s Goslings…

Today is not as sunny as yesterday and there was heavy rain during the night.  The site is beginning to fill up again and there is usually someone new each day.

We didn’t go out until early afternoon as we haven’t got any definite plans.  We stopped down at the jetty but no sign of any birds at all today.  In the field nearby, however, a Lapwing was seriously harassing this Hooded Crow.  Lapwings really are great parents.

Gorgeous colours in this scene…

Down in Castlebay, I noticed a plaque on the wall of the Bank of Scotland that I had never noticed before.

Whenever I look at the main street I always think of the film – it’s changed a lot but most of the buildings still look the same as they did in the late 40s.  No chain stores in Barra (well, apart from the Co-op that is)!

Driving up the west side of the island, I couldn’t resist another photo of the Thrift growing along the top of the rocky shore while the waves thundered in below.

We followed a side road up to the Barra Golf Club.  Here is the tee off for Hole no.1.

Here you can see the greens for holes 7 (nearest) and 1.  How many balls have been lost in the sea I wonder?  Notice the electric fences around each green – to keep the sheep out of course!  There is, however, a gate for players…

I had always imagined that there would be a posh clubhouse but, looking around, we found this instead.

The ‘honesty box’ (a full sized container) was the biggest I have ever seen!  I wonder how often they empty it?  I can imagine the heaps of £10 notes inside!

Going back to the main road we reached the reservoir and caught sight of a pair of Greylag Geese and suddenly realised that they had goslings with them.  Peter hopped out and managed to get these shots.  Please note the proud father on the right in the photos and watch the careful way that the couple introduced their offspring to the water.  Mother first and then the goslings make their careful way one by one down the rocks, watched carefully by Father.  It never ceases to amaze me how animal/bird parents treat their little ones with the same loving care that humans normally do – from sheep with their lambs to birds with their youngsters.  Nurturing in nature truly is a wonderful thing to observe.

You can see the anxiety in the father’s eyes in this photo:

 

As the second gosling hits the water with a splash, it’s father’s turn to follow on.

The result, as you can see from the header photo, is that the little family happily swim off – the first of many such outings.

Tomorrow is our last full day on the island and the weather is set to be sunny all day!