Why the long face?
I’d like to know why Grey Seals have a long sloping head. What’s the evolutionary advantage? What’s the adaptation for? What does …
Horsetails at Roadmire
The Horsetails at Roadmire are beautiful. Their stalks and leaves are covered in harsh mineral silica. They’re a bit scratchy and hard …
Something’s moving
There’s something moving in the field next to Einar. I can see flower stalks trembling. It’s moving along behind the wall. All …
Sea Rocket
There’s Sea Rocket, Cakile maritima, on the beach at the Bay of Swartmill. It’s a member of the mustard family. This is …
When technology meets Westray
Westray; where technology goes to die. On Westray things that you don’t expect to rust, to rot and to weather, do. Just …
Neighbours
Not everyone can get on. Conflict is inevitable. When we are all packed in too close to one another then tempers are …
Splash!
The seas are magical here. There are exhilarating waves at the Knowe o’ Skea. Out on the skerries, the wary Shags gather, …
Buoys Keep Swinging
Ever since I saw this latch and photographed it, I’ve been wondering. Why?
Uncommon Common Gulls
There’s a young Common Gull, Larus canus, flying past. They are very elegant fliers: Just as we have done for much of …
View from the ferry
The higher the sun, the lower the rainbow. The lower the sun, the higher the rainbow. This photograph must have been taken …
Patterns
The Starlings at Einar make incredible abstract patterns on the wires.
Sanderling #3
Westray has a certain palette of colours. It’s a world of muted blues, greens and purples; of greys and more greys. The …
Pot boiler in the midden
Westray has more archaeology than archaeologists. That means we are losing the most incredible evidence of previous civilisations with every tide and …
Dock
Stumbling across the thick grass behind the bay I see these tall flower spikes. I’m struck by their contrasting colours. And, as …
Sanderling #1
There are Sanderling on Sands o’ Maesan. They are energetic beyond imagination. They work the tideline as if their lives depend upon …
Ruddy Turnstone
There’s a Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres on the beach at Mae Sands. It’s just turned this stone over. They are very smart in …
Colourful smile
Buoy oh buoy, what a colourful smile.
Small, dumpy and short-legged
The RSPB says, “The ringed plover is a small, dumpy, short-legged wading bird.” Read more. That’s not very complimentary, is it? I …
Coiled rope
It would be tempting to think that this coiled rope on Westray is a metaphor. It’s a call-back to the very first …
A life of contrasts
In late summer I checked the outbuildings at Einar for Swallows. Many of the nests were empty. This one wasn’t. It must …
Hook-nosed Seapigs
The scientific name of the Grey Seal is Halichoerus grypus. It means Hook-nosed Seapig. Everyone needs a rest after eating. I was …
I’m a laughing gnome
“Ha, ha, ha, hee, hee, heeI’m a laughing gnome and you can’t catch me.”
Turnstone at the Peedie Sea
Turnstones have a lovely mottled plumage. They always look as if they are in transition to me. Have they decided how their …
Signs
Changing a road system is always a problem. There’s the planning, the time it takes to do the work and then there’s …
Redshanks at the Peedie Sea
It’s only a few minutes after dawn and there’s a Redshank on the Peedie Sea. I can’t quite believe it’s being quiet. …
Dawn over Kirkwall Bay
Arriving off the Aberdeen ferry at nearly midnight gives me a quandary. Is it worth paying a small fortune for a few …
Peering Puffins
If Puffins can’t find an earth burrow, or if they live in a place with predators like rats and stoats, they will …
Charming!
My current mood.
Chin scratching
It’s a real talent to be able to scratch your chin with your foot. It’s fascinating to see this youngster’s dewclaw on …
Jenny at home
There’s a commotion in the bushes. It’s Britain’s noisiest bird in noise per weight; the Wren. My 1935 Outline of Nature says: …