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 place. Walking along it I’m looking at my footing when I glimpse up and see a face looking at me. Can you see it?

The ability of humans to see faces, even in peripheral vision, and know they are being watched is so acute it’s almost an extra sense.

There’s one eye of a camouflaged chick in the distance. I train my telephoto lens on it as it hunkers down:

It seems to have the idea all youngsters have: that if you hide your face, nobody can see you:

It’s fledged from the nest; but where is the nest? It’s nearby:

What an amazing site for a Herring Gull to build a nest and raise its chicks:

It’s time for us to walk on so we can leave it in peace. I glance back and I can’t see it at all.

It will soon be a magnificent bird soaring along the coastline: