Don’t try that old broken wing trick on me, Sandy Laverock
We’re walking around the north coast of Papa Westray. It’s one of the smaller inhabited islands of the Orkney archipelago. It’s full …
In salutem omnium
Noup Head lighthouse is a major feature of the coast of Westray. Planned in 1895, it was announced in Parliament because, “Her …
Blood-footed Oyster-pickers
There are Oystercatchers on Papa Westray and they intend to let us know that. As soon as we arrive, and walk into …
720 Auks make a mattress
Papa Westray is one of the few places in which the amazing, and sadly extinct, Great Auk bred. People often think that …
A trip on the Golden Mariana
Today’s the day we have a day trip to Papa Westray. We have two choices; a trip on a ferry called Golden …
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 …
The North our home, the sea our friend #2
The north end of Westray is completely different from the south. There are bare cliffs, epic rock features and spectacular waves. Here’s …
The North our home, the sea our friend #1
In Latin, that’s ‘Boreas domus, mare amicus’. It’s the motto of Orkney. Isn’t the sea amazing? It’s the power and the fragility, …
The One Minute Puffin Cure #5
Puffins are hunted by Great Skuas (known in Orkney as Bonxies). The Bonxies patrol the coast and appear, low and fast, unseen …
The One Minute Puffin Cure #4
Alfred Schnabel, the incredible digging Puffin, almost throws himself off the cliffs in his Herculean efforts to dig grass roots out of …
The One Minute Puffin Cure #3
Puffins are delightful to watch. The more you watch, the more you notice. The more you notice the less you understand. We …
The One Minute Puffin Cure #2
It takes an extraordinary amount of time to keep in tip-top waterproof condition when you spend your time in the salty ocean. …
The One Minute Puffin Cure #1
I met a German tourist at the Castle o’ Burrian on Westray in Orkney. He’d just been to see the Puffins. His …
Sunday’s Puffin
And the Puffin that hatches on the Sabbath dayIs bonny and blithe and good and gay.
Saturday’s Puffin
Saturday’s Puffin has a fight at a party.
Friday’s Puffin
Friday’s Puffin laughs loud and hearty.
Thursday’s Puffin
Thursday’s Puffin has far to go.
Wednesday’s Puffin
Wednesday’s Puffin is full of woe.