Winter Wildlife

We see far more of the local wildlife in winter than at any other time of year. Perhaps it is that they are roaming further afield in search of food, perhaps they venture closer to human habitation when there are fewer people around; perhaps also, with the closing in of the daylight hours, they have less time in which to hunt.

A week ago we saw this luxuriantly bearded fox near Swordle....

....but he didn't hang around.

Walking down to the shop this morning we stopped to watch an otter swimming westwards along the Ormsaigbeg shore. Two others then appeared going in the opposite direction, one larger than the other. When they met, both parties turned around and hurried away in opposite directions. Sadly, the light was so poor a photograph wasn't possible.

We continue to see eagles over Ormsaigbeg. While some are flying along the ridge line of Druim na Gearr Leacainn - we take these to be golden eagles - we're also seeing an eagle fly low along the coast. He's beneath us, so we've been able to see the white tail feathers of a sea eagle.