North from Vinquoy Hill

I went over hoping to see the snowy owl there again but was out of luck. I thought there was a bus from the pier on a Thursday but it turned out you had to pre-book and the driver was off anyway! After about two minutes walking a farmer gave me a lift, going out of his way to drop me where the owl hangs out. We couldn't see it and it hasn't been seen for about a week. I stopped at the Post Office and the nice woman there told me about the bus being off but phoned the person who takes over the run in a couple of weeks who said she'd take me. Wasn't that nice? While walking on the road twice peopled stopped and offered lifts! More nice! I headed along to Mill Loch but only greylags there and I proceeded along to the Stone of Setter and onto Vinquoy Hill and as far as Red Head, seeing several bonxie, buzzards and ravens as well as a wheatear and a chiffchaff. From the Head I could see small numbers of guillemot and razorbill on the water and a single puffin. I headed back via the shore and skirted Carrick House, which took me past the owl area but still no sign. At Mill Loch again and there were four squabbling bonxies and two calm red-throated diver. A nice short-eared owl from the car on the way back to the pier.