Long time no speak, I should really be doing one of these a month but when I’m out and about it slips my mind.
So let’s see it’s been 2 months since my last post so what’s been exciting since then. Well recently I have been out in the hills looking for white tailed eagle nest sites. When I say I’m a lucky boy to get this post, working with eagles is exactly why.
On one hand it’s exhausting, for some reason Uist seems to nearly always be uphill with very little downhill. It’s not a nice steady upwards slope that you can come back down and enjoy. It’s an all day up and down the whole time knowing you have to come back and do the same on the way back! It must be a geologists idea of heaven, I’m often wondering how the glaciers carved out Uist.
On the other hand I have to remember that I am getting paid to do this. It’s no longer a weekday morning driving to Stirling to take a course while I search for jobs. It’s me getting PAID to walk in the hills on UIST and look for EAGLES! How awesome and crazy does that sound? I never dreamt in my wildest dreams that I would move to a remote wee island to work with eagles. Not just any common as much golden eagle either, a rare one. There are only four pairs of white tails breeding here on Uist and these birds have churned out numerous chicks that have dispersed to help drive the reintroduction of these wonderful birds. Of the four pairs, two are in my care and this month we’ve been trying to work out which nests they will be using. Seeing them nesting is an image that will stay with me for the rest of my days. A lot of the work here will stay with me for forever, every SRDP application, every nest found, every survey completed all ticks boxes and makes me feel good about my career.
Jamie Boyle, the RSPB warden out here (and my boss) is like a deer over these hills. I am not unfit by any means but having him leading the way turns it into a real sprint. I don’t know how such a short guy can fly over the heather like he does but it adds to the enjoyment (by enjoyment I mean after you get home and have relaxed).
I’m learning a lot from Jamie. I know it frustrates him that I don’t know as much about birds as I could but it frustrates me too, I want to learn about every single species out here. It’s difficult to read a book about birds and then go out and find them but that’s wildlife for you. The best illustrators in the world can’t capture the shimmer of a golden plover or the iridescence of a starling and so I’ve always been a bit sceptical about reading and learning from a book. It’s slow learning but it’s good and it’s enjoyable. Unfortunately time is something I don’t seem to have right now, we are pulled in loads of directions with our work. It’s an ever changing environment which to be honest, thrills me. I have long said I would hate to sit in an office and be doing the same paperwork every day. For me to one day be out looking for eagles and the next to be sitting in my car watching corn buntings feeding on our experiment trays, I am delighted.
There’s been a great development out here with European funding being pumped into conserving the Machair. It’s over £2,000,000 in funding so it’s a great help. It’s very early days and the staff are just settling in but I am loving working alongside them and helping them find their feet. It’s brilliant to be involved in something so massive and I’m confident that if we all pull together out here that we can make big inroads in keeping the machair safe.
It does mean that reading up on books or filling in expenses takes a back seat but I want to make the most out of every second I am here and if it’s a choice between going out in the hills or filling out forms, is that really a choice?
Away from work is a bit boring, Uist is very remote so I’ve not had much in the way of visits from friends or family but I do get some small joys to help pass the time. Joys which include the dive club so if any of you guys are divers then you must come out and see this place.
We have so many wrecks and good sites around here and not to forget the lobsters and scallops that are everywhere. The Politician, a boat made famous by the old film Whisky Galore, is sunk a mere 10m underwater and only about 10 miles down the road from me. I’m really looking forward to diving her. It’s been great having a goal as well, I’m being trained as a Dive Leader and taking my learning to a whole new level. I think I may have mentioned that in another blog though so I’ll keep off of that.
I guess the other apprentices will be in place soon, I already feel like the last 8 months have flown by so my message to you guys starting out is to get your head down early and work out every little thing expected of you. I wish I had hit the ground running but it never really hit home what was needed until I had already taken on all of my jobs. It’s difficult to find the time to study when you’re working long days and using up all your sunlight.
I don’t know what could happen in the next 7 months but I live by the motto of no regrets and so I will take every opportunity out here so that if there isn’t a job offer out here then I can go home with my head held high and find another post.
Like always, anyone reading this is very welcome to visit me out here, especially the other apprentices. Perfect excuse to visit a part of the world on your doorstep.
All the best!