Blackbird on Westray
The light is beautiful on this Blackbird. Aren’t they perky birds? I first drew them in 1977: My drawings may not have …
House Sparrow
This House Sparrow on Westray is part of a sizeable flock. It’s just as much a pleasure to see one now as …
Kittee-wa-aaake
The Kittiwakes at Noup Head are mesmerising. This one is a juvenile, flying freely, far above the sparkling sea below: I love …
Seals and Salmon
It’s siesta time for the Common Seals at Broughton on Westray. It’s a time to let their food go down, let their …
Limpets and gypsum pseudomorphs
A fine day means the chance to walk the Westray coast: The blues are spectacular and the rocks are fascinating In the …
The One Minute Puffin Cure #7
Comical Puffins in golden sunlight on Westray: Recorded using a tiny remote control camera at the Castle o’ Burrian on Westray in …
Collapsed burrows
The headlands and inlets of Westray are covered in spongy tufts of damp grass. Beneath them lie normally invisible tunnels. They are …
Fulmars
The Fulmars look beautiful in this light. They look odd on land because they sit low down on their feet rather than …
The Fulmars of Backarass
We’re walking down past Backarass on Westray. It’s a special landscape of shattered rocks and still pools: The weather is fabulous and …
Pottering Puffins
I’m pottering and decide to have a look at this summer’s Puffin portraits. There are a few I haven’t developed yet. I …
The One Minute Puffin Cure #6
It’s time for another One Minute Puffin Cure. Recorded using a tiny remote control camera at the Castle o’ Burrian on Westray …
Black Guillemot with a Butterfish
It’s a sparkling day on Westray. As we look out we can see a Black Guillemot on the waves. It’s caught a …
Puffincoming!
Looking back at some of this summer’s Puffin photographs I find a sequence I really enjoy which I haven’t developed. How entertaining …
Grass of Parnassus
Scattered across the rough grass behind Rack Wick bay are delicate limpid flowers. They are Grass of Parnassus. It’s a plant of …
Parasiticus
Animal behaviour is happening all around us; curious acts, of ancient origin, repeated in ever-changing patterns. Living things are incredibly complex, but …
Scootie Allan
On our walk around Papa Westray we are excited to see Arctic Skuas. At least we are until they attack us. There’s …
“I’m shy!”
Not everyone wants their photograph taken. Especially when you’re just getting ready to go out.
A floating circus
I’ve heard of a travelling circus. I’ve heard of a flying circus. But a floating circus? That’s a new one on me. …
Biting Stonecrop
There’s a tiny patch of Biting Stonecrop on the stone wall outside my window. I wonder if it was planted there? It’s …
The Kray Twins
There’s a young Great Skua ahead. That spells danger. There must be an adult or two around somewhere and I feel my …
Skua Patrol
Great Skuas eat fish, carrion or other birds. I’ve seen them pluck another bird clean out of the air and head down …
Dull Dunlin day
It’s a dull day today. There’s a sea haar which is muting every colour to an Orkney pallet and reducing shadows to …
Island of contrasts
Walking to the north coast of Westray I’m struck by how diverse the views are. Here are Curlews on the bay with …
Arctic Terns and the desolate north
To the north of Westray the Island becomes more and more desolate. Grass becomes shorter and bare rocks peek out from behind …
Great Black Backed Gull
Great Black Backed Gulls are properly massive. And I mean massive. And their beaks? Massive too. Seeing one call overhead on Westray …
Goodbye Puffins
Here are some of my favourite Puffin outtakes of 2019: Westray has said goodbye to its Puffins for another year. Farewell our …
Mallimack
Along the Westray coast are hundreds of Fulmars’ nests. Their fluffy chicks are a constant surprise while scrambling among the rocks. They …
Watch the baby
There’s a Rock Pipit on the rocks. They occasionally go in the meadows here too, which is confusing, since the Meadow Pipits …
All fingers and thumbs
Did you know birds have an arm-wing and a hand-wing? You can see it well on Puffins when they fold their wings …
Respiratory choreography
Air pollution because of road traffic is something which affects us all. Some people suffer particularly badly. Air pollution kills 7 million …