NATURE
earth moved
the darkness, the young eagles could only sit and straining to hear, trying to gather your senses. But
stare out, their talons clenching ever tighter into the all was silent. Was it thunder? An explosion maybe?
lichen-covered branches. Somewhere in the same As the minutes passed, you suddenly realize you’ve
wood, a small flock of sheep also hud- been holding your breath and you start to breathe
dled close together for warmth sud- again. The heart rate returned to near normal but
denly scattered in all directions, stum- any return to sleep was a long way off. What
bling across boulders and roots. On had just happened - could it really have been an
the far side of the loch, the cattle earthquake? And what of the eagles now settling
were bellowing loudly - cows search- again back at their roost in the old oak wood? They
ing for calves, calves seeking mothers. couldn’t comprehend the events of the night. The
A flock of greylag geese rose into the fearless, strong eagles had known fear and weak-
air as one as panic engulfed them. But the ness for the first time in their lives - but they had
birds of the night, the tawny owls that had been survived. The cattle were calm again; the loch’s
hooting in territorial disputes, fell silent. ripples had eased and the sheep had settled. Even
Early in the morning as Argyll slumbered away the the owls had resumed their nightly challenges. On
weekend, earthquake hit. Its epicentre was deep in a nearby farm, a frantic sheepdog was still barking,
the earth beneath the roost trees of the eagles. but nothing new there.
The rumble grew to a crescendo; it sent thunder- Argyll had just had a very modest reminder of its
ous waves through the land. High on the frozen violent geological past and we’d all experienced the
scree slopes in the mountains, a shower of ice- unbelievable force of a restless Mother Earth.
shattered rock tumbled down the mountain as a It was just the smallest, tiniest glimpse imaginable
herd of red deer dodged the flying missiles. of what terror and destruction some parts of the
Further round the coast, some rocks made it all the globe have endured over time. Even our little
way down and bounced wildly onto the road. The rumble in the hills had caused a momentary panic
eagles were on the verge of taking flight, but it was in the soul. But for us, the sun came up again on
still dark. Every instinct was telling them not to, it another beautiful, frosty day and the eagles flew
wouldn’t be safe. And yet every tense flight muscle from their roost at daybreak and away into the
was urging them to flee this unseen danger. mountains. Our little bit of the west coast really
A few miles away I was jolted awake from a deep had moved - just a bit - the British Geological
sleep by the rush and roar of the primeval shudder, Survey said it did. For us all, it would be a night to
which shook the foundations. At times like this, you remember.
are instantly wide awake, heart thumping, tense, Dave Sexton, RSPB Scotland Mull Officer
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