Day 5

April 15

My day off starts with rain lashing at the cottage windows, but steadily brightens up. It turns into a very sunny day, with strong NW wind. 

I cycle out to the East Lighthouse, where there used to be the first radar in the British Isles, set up by Marconi (as assigned by Lloyd’s, who wanted to know whether the ships they had insured were safely back). Also here is the cave that Robert the Bruce stayed in and met a spider. The story is apparently quite famous. Maybe someone reading this blog knows it and can send it to me?

I cycle back to the harbour and stock up at the Rathlin coop, where I meet Una. She is volunteering at the shop today. Next, I go to the Harbourside Café run by Sally. Una’s husband Stewart is working at the café today and we have a chat. Great to find working wifi here, as well as lovely coffee, crepes and sandwiches. The grilled vegetable & goat’s cheese sandwich is to be especially recommended!

Next on my trip around the island is Rue Lighthouse. I get off the road and lock up my bicycle and take to the track towards Doon Bay, where a group of eiders is swimming (mostly males, but some paired up with females already). 

The track runs along the bay towards the lighthouse and the Smugglers House, which is in ruins now. A seal is drifting around near the lighthouse, and some Irish hares run off when they see me approaching. We are very close to the mainland here, Fairhead is to be seen clearly. Further to the east is the outline of Mull of Kintyre (Scotland).

Getting back to the harbour against the wind is quite a struggle. I pop in quickly at McCuaig’s Bar to get some beers to take with me and enjoy at the cottage with Wendy and Matt.

On the way back I see a carpet of beautiful blue flowers on a bank along the road. I do not know for sure what they are, most probably from the Boraginaceae family. 

Could it be Purple Gromwell (Buglossoides purpurocaerulea L.)?



For the Dutch readers, I include a list of the names of the birds in English and Dutch below. All are birds I have seen this week!

Birds on Rathlin

Kittiwake

Fulmar

Guillemot

Razorbill

Puffin

Raven

Cormorant

Shag

Black-backed Gull

Herring Gull

Oystercatcher

Wren

Rock Pipit

Peregrine

Twite

Gannet

Skylark

Wheatear

Pied Wagtail

Dunnock

Blackbird

Robin

Hooded Crow

Goldfinch

Songthrush

Sedge Warbler

Little Grebe

Tufted Duck

Mallard

Vogels op Rathlin

Drieteenmeeuw

Noordse Stormvogel

Zeekoet

Alk

Papegaaiduiker

Raaf

Aalscholver

Kuifaalscholver

Mantelmeeuw

Zilvermeeuw

Scholekster

Winterkoning

Oeverpieper

Slechtvalk

Frater

Jan-van-Gent

Veldleeuwerik

Tapuit

Rouwkwikstaart

Heggemus

Merel

Roodborst

Bonte Kraai

Putter

Zanglijster

Fitis

Dodaars

Kuifeend

Wilde Eend

Eider Duck

Shelduck

Greylag Goose

Buzzard

Starling

House Sparrow

Chaffinch

Manx Shearwater

Eidereend

Brandgans

Grauwe Gans

Buizerd

Spreeuw

Huismus

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