Golden Plover, Tiree

In order to spend six hours on Tiree today I had to leave home at 4.30 am and I will not get back until well after 11.00pm.

However lots of things made the trip worthwhile - a good surgery, a meeting with some of the Community Councillors, chats on the boat, cheerful company, the sun shining (though the wind was cold) and a wonderful visit to the RSPB Reef Reserve to see , amongst other things, flocks of golden plovers pirouetting across the machair.

Thanks Jack and John for hosting a visit by the Species Champion for the Corncrake , which I have been for the last four years. Alas I was just a week or two early for the return of the Corncrake themselves, held back by the persistent north winds !