Wonderful porridge for breakfast this morning followed by toast. Of course it is Scotland so the porridge is made with water. Once outside breakfast, we headed out to explore the village and Abbey. Our plan was to have a packup out but the rain closed in again and so we retreated to the Bishop's house where I am waiting for the latest squall to blow out before walking down to Traig Mohr beach. Hopefully there will be a good sunset tonight.
Eventually the rain finally cleared, temporarily as it happened, and Heather and I set out for Traig Mohr to the south of the village. The ferry came in while we were passing the terminal and made for some good photography opportunities. A few hundred yards later, despite the wind noise, we heard the unique 'craik, craik', call of corncrakes in the long vegetation in more of less the same spot that I photographed them in 2015. At one time corncrakes could be found all over the UK but gradually hay making became more and more mechanised and industrial and the birds couldn't cope. Sadly they now hang on only in Iona and the Outer Hebrides, where the wildlife is more important than industrialised farming.
We soon reached the beach and fell into our usual beach combing routine. Wheatears flitted up the beach ahead of us and several pairs of oystercatchers objected to our presence. Thinking they perhaps had young chicks, we gave them a wide berth and left them in peace. No sooner had we noticed clouds heading in our direction than the strong winds swept a squall towards us and it was time to batten down. As the rain passed through, we were treated to the most magnificent rainbow. Amazing. We had time to reach the far beach and take some photographs in supberb light before it was time to return for our evening meal.
As I write, it is looking less and less likely that a half hour walk to see the sunset at the extreme north of the island will be productive, so it will go on hold for another evening.
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