Sanna Wet-Weather Walk

We've enjoyed over 30mm of pure Kilchoan sunshine over the last twenty-four hours so the hills are sopping and, with rain continuing this morning, didn't seem much fun for walking, so we repaired to Sanna again for a short constitutional. When we arrived, and as we walked past the mission hall, it was raining.

There was far less weed and other flotsam along the beaches than we had expected after yesterday's strong southwesterly - which was disappointing as strong winds in summer often wash in interesting objects.

With the rain continuing the burns have carved deep canyons where they run out across the beaches. This is at Port na Tuine where the burn's waters rarely come across the whole beach.

Then the sun came out, making the white sands of the beaches glow, but this flash of light and warmth didn't last and....

....it rained steadily as we walked the rest of the beaches. We found the Sanna burn running the colour of good whisky, staining the waters of bays at the northern end of the beaches....

....while this dunlin looked lost and alone amongst the ringed plovers and oystercatchers.

In the machair dunes the sun came out again. Two juvenile wheatears were feeding amongst the wet grass stalks. It seems no time since their fathers arrived to perform the displays that would decide which won the choice breeding grounds.

On the way home, approaching Achnaha, in another sudden patch of sunshine....

....a rare snow goose passed heading north. We've seen a snow goose once before, a couple of years ago - Diary post here - feeding contentedly in a field with greylags. Why is this one heading north in such a very determined manner?