The Ringed Plover and the broken wing act
There’s a Ringed Plover on the shoreline of North Ronaldsay, one of the most northerly islands of Orkney: I creep closer to …
Linnets on the wind-burnt Sycamore
There are Linnets on the tops of the wind-burnt Sycamore trees in my garden: They love being up high on bare, exposed …
Sea Pies
Oystercatchers are known as Skeldro, Chaldro, or Shaalder in Orkney. If you think those names are difficult, internationally they are known as …
When I see a Mallimack walk
“I seen a peanut stand, heard a rubber band I seen a needle that winked its eye But I be done seen …
Wren on the coast
The wild North Sea coast of Westray in Orkney is not for the feint hearted on a blustery day. There are Fulmars …
Rare Crossbills on the Links
I get the word that there’s a rare bird on the Island. In fact there are three of them; they are Two-Barred …
The crossing
It only takes an hour and a half to cross the Pentland Firth from Scrabster to Stromness on the Northlink ferry. Standing …
Groatie Buckies
On the table in the Groatie Buckies cafe on Westray, run by Stewart and Marian Groat, is a jar of Groatie Buckies. …
Russian Corks
It’s getting more and more unusual to find Russian corks on the beaches and sea caves on Westray. Here are some sheltering …
Seal haul
In Pierowall on Westray in Orkney, the seals haul themselves up onto the rocks in the Bay. They lie scattered like the …
Edwin and the shipwreck cabin
Westray is a small island and has some really interesting characters; Edwin Rendall is one of them. My theory is that everyone …
Udal Law
The law on who owns what land isn’t as simple as you might think. Living in a country with a name like …
Windows
I love the windows of the old buildings on Westray in Orkney. The stonework is wonderful, the walls are so deep and …
Oystercatcher – forty years ago in my nature notebooks
It’s over forty years since I first saw Oystercatchers and noted it down in my nature notebooks: I was probably on a …
Tentative
Arriving at Einar, the cattle are always keen to see what’s happening. They approach me with tentative noses:
The Bay of Skaill
On a glorious day on Westray this boat on the Ouse on the Bay of Skaill makes a beautiful scene:
Curious wet nose
Westray is a farming and fishing island, with wildlife largely confined to the edges and margins. It is a very productive island with green fields and very healthy-looking cattle.
Here’s a curious wet nose:
A Caution to Everybody – The tragedy of the Great Auk
The Great Auk, Pinguinus impennis. This magnificent bird was made extinct by humans in the 1850s. Were all those feather pillows worth their death?
Green-haired Limpet
I suspect this Limpet has been experimenting with a new hairstyle. That green hair must be quite high maintenance, because the waves …
Colour co-ordinated Gulls
The brown waters of the River Tiber in Rome never seem to be able to reflect the intense blue of the sky …
Razorbills
Looking back at my photographs from 2017 I come across some which I haven’t posted. They are Razorbills. They nest along the …
Bridled Guillemot
Looking back at my photographs from Westray in 2017 I’m struck by this beautiful Bridled Guillemot. It’s a Guillemot, Uria aalge, but …
Identifying Goose Barnacles on a floating wheel
Walking the coast of Westray I can see a yellow plastic wheel floating in the sea among the seaweed and flotsam and …
2017 highlights of a wilder Orkney life
2017 was a wonderful year for wildlife experiences in Orkney. In July the seabird city at Noup Head was a whirling, wheeling …
Cud
The sheep on Westray are hardy beasts. Here’s one with a white face doing what a sheep does best; chew:
Driftwood
There are precious few trees on Westray. Wood for buildings was a scarce material and driftwood was always salvaged by Islanders and …
Hoverflies on the Biting Stonecrop
Biting Stonecrop is a wonderful plant. It grows on the stone walls at Einar, creeping along the stone with small succulent leaves …
Foam and spray
The coast of Westray on any day is invigorating:
Too much for dinner
The seals on Westray always look in such good condition when I see them: I’m hoping that’s because the seas are clean …
Plastic ocean
The coast of Westray is beautiful. Beautiful, but blighted. It’s the recipient of plastic rubbish from across the ocean. There are more …