Wow, I can’t believe 2009 is here already, the new year seemed to come around very quickly and its now a case of getting ready for another busy season. I spent christmas at home on the mainland but I saw in the new year back on the estate, enjoying the various events that were taking place at the social club.
Unlike most of the rest of the country we have been very fortunate with the weather, the sun has been shining and the temperature hasn’t been too bad and this has meant there has been a fair bit of activity around the estate. The play park has been quite busy with families making the most of the holiday time and there have been quite a lot of walkers out and about too.
Our rabbit shooters have also been making the most of the finer weather and they have been out regularly over the festive period along with some of those who are using ferrets. I have to say they have been doing a grand job as there is definitely a significant reduction of numbers on the machairs at Fivepenny and Eoropie which is no doubt helped by the natural mortality at this time of year, I am under no illusion that we still have a lot of work to do but we are making a positive start.
On the wildlife front there are plenty of birds about, there are still hundreds of golden plover and plenty of lapwings, redwings and turnstones to name but a few, whilst Loch Stiapabhat is busy with Wigeon, Swans and Geese.
Things have been much quieter on the mammal front (apart from rabbits!), both deer and otter sightings have been few and even reports of seals have been less than I expected with only one report of a potentially abandoned pup back in November which turned out to be a false alarm.
I’m keeping my fingers crossed that 2009 will be another good year for wildlife sightings!
