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August 2017

Sanderling - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Sanderling in the mud

Sanderling. It sounds like it could be a verb as well as a noun. If it’s a verb, then these Sanderlings are …

Blackening Waxcap on the A9 - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

As rare as Witches’ Hats

On the endless A9 as I travel north from Devon to Orkney the lay-by numbers help denote the passing of a day …

Puffin Love - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Puffin love

Puffins mate for life and meet up again every year to have their one egg and baby puffling. Can you tell?

The North Sea - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

The North Sea

The North Sea is magnificent. It’s been the victim of overfishing, suffered from industrial and agricultural runoff, dredging, and dumping of waste. …

Wren - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Out on the cliffs

Out on the cliffs, in the windiest and most exposed spot, where the Puffins are, is a Wren.

Ringed Plover - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Ringed Plover

There’s a bird on the rocks in Rapness Bay. In fact, there are two now: It’s a Ringed Plover. In Orkney it’s …

Rapness Rocks - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Rapness rolling rocks

Rapness has some of the most interesting rocks on Westray. There are lots of rounded red sandstone pebbles. These rocks were dragged …

Stangar Head - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Stanger Head

Walking along the sea cliffs towards Stanger Head and the edges are covered in Sea Campion Silene uniflora: It’s got very distinctive …

Floating Islands - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Floating islands

Looking out across the Bay of Tuquoy we can see a mirage. It might be an island. The shape is constantly changing …

Red Clover - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Wildflower meadow

It’s no wonder the field at Einar is a literal hive of activity with bees. The Red Clover Trifolium pratense is here …

One Foot - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

One foot out of the duvet

When you’re just getting comfortable in bed and you realise you’ve got one foot sticking out of the duvet.

Gannets - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Gannet families

The Gannet chicks at Noup are massive. They are so big and yet so fluffy still. Their main flight feathers are still …

Female Linnet - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

A Linnet in the garden

Einar has a small area of walled garden. It’s grown over almost completely with shrubs and wind-dwarfed trees and where there is …

Mae Sands - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Mae Sands

Much of Mae Sands is so low-lying that it never really drains of seawater. Walking on it looks beguiling, but wet feet …

Chick - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

The Wild Westray

On the West Westray coast there’s nothing between you and America except the Atlantic Ocean. The coast is a fractured and windswept …

Sea Pinks - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Turquoise

On the west coast of Westray, the wild Atlantic coast is full of sea caves and breathtaking horizons. Each inlet has a …

Admiring your garden - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Admiring the garden

It’s beautiful evening sunlight on Westray when we see this Puffin emerge from its rock burrow and stand in the open air. …

Thrift - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Sea Thrift

In August the Sea Pinks, known as Thrift, are often just dried husks on the coast of Westray: Majestic Cliffs In June …

Boletus edulis - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

The quiet hunt

There’s something in the air today in Devon. It’s the merest hint of a dampness and a chill in the air whispering …

Green Pools - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Green pools

Westray’s coastline has magnificent layers of sedimentary rocks. In places there are folds and cracks: A crack in the rocks leads to …

Puffin with Sandeels - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Puffarazzi

The RSPB are running a great citizen science project at the moment. They are calling for Puffarazzi – an army of Puffin …

Curious Steers - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Curious Beef Steers

They always say you can judge a man by the quality of his shoes. You can also identify the type of an …

Flying Puffin - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Flying Puffins

I’m currently without my telephoto lens. It’s being repaired. That means my prime chance of photographing Puffins is going to waste. I’m …