Sanna Magpie

Many thanks to the Raptor for this picture of a magpie at Sanna.  Magpies aren't supposed to be resident in this part of Great Britain - see the RSPB distribution map, here - but this one has been around for a while, coming into people's gardens to be fed.  The Diary carried a picture of a magpie in Portuairk some time ago, and wonders whether this is the same bird.

On the subject of things black and white, there are reports of badgers being seen on the north side of the peninsula in places such as Portuairk and Ockle.  While Ardnamurchan is within the distribution range of British badgers, we've not heard of one at this end of the peninsula.

The Ardnamurchan Volcano: a New Theory

Many thanks to Rob Gill and Tony Thain, both of whom live at Achnaha, for drawing the Diary's attention to a BBC news item, in which some recent research on the Ardnamurchan volcano is featured.  In brief, the researchers show that the volcano was centred on a single magma chamber rather than the three which were suggested in the original work by the British Geological Survey.

The BBC news item is at  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-25680078 and Rob has provided a further two links, the first of which gives details of the research, at http://www.nature.com/srep/2013/131008/srep02891/pdf/srep02891.pdf, while the second gives a graphic display of the crust beneath us, at http://www.nature.com/srep/2013/131008/srep02891/extref/srep02891-s3.avi

Achanaha, shown in the photograph, lies almost at the centre of the extinct volcano.

Many thanks indeed to Rob and Tony for the story.

Rob's business website is here.

Contrasts

Skerries break the surface on a calm but grey day off Sanna, with a slow swell coming in from the west.

Photographing the waves from Ardnamurchan Point, with the tops of the swell coming in from the southwest being blown off by a stiff southeasterly wind.

Early morning over the Sound of Mull, looking southeastwards from Ormsaigbeg, and....

 ....much the same view at much the same time, but on a different day.

Late afternoon, looking across the marshes at the back of Kilchoan Bay towards Mull, with Glengorm Castle visible to the left.

Many thanks to Rachael for the first three pictures.

Raasay

CalMac's Raasay approaches Kilchoan this morning to pick up passengers for the 11.45 sailing to Tobermory.  Rubha nan Gall lighthouse can be seen at right, and Rubha na Leip at the entrance to Tobermory Bay.

And here she is returning from Tobermory on the 3.45pm sailing, the sea being a little heavier under a stiffening westerly wind.  The winter sailing schedule is ideal for a trip across for lunch, for the Tobermory shops, and for services such as the hairdresser.

Sea Eagle Fly-by

How very lucky we are to be able to look out of an upstairs window and watch a sea eagle fly past the house.  This one - it may  be a juvenile, and it's probably over here from Mull - was flying west along the Ormsaigbeg coastline this morning.

Sightings of sea eagles have increased as the winter has progressed.  There were three over Mingary on Tuesday - see Mingary Castle blog here - and Tom Bryson reported one sitting on Glas Eileann on the far side of Kilchoan Bay in his Craigard Croft blog on the same day - see entry here.

While it's great to see so many of these majestic birds, like all good things there's always a down-side.  Sea and golden eagles don't make good friends, and there have been reports of sea eagles knocking golden eagles to the ground.  This rivalry is probably spurred at this time of year by hunger.  The stalkers on Ardnamurchan Estate are reporting sea eagles queuing up for the gralloch, the entrails left on a hill after a deer has been shot.  And the local crofters remain wary of a bird which can do considerable damage to their flocks.