Lighthouse in the rain
Noup Head lighthouse on Westray reflected in a puddle of rain.
Letting go of your own shadow
When the plane from Westray takes off I’m just over the wheels and I see us let go of our own shadow, …
Gannets fly past while the sun sets at Noup Head
The evening is idyllic. Sunshine, hail, rain and a double rainbow in just five minutes. The gusty wind means the Gannets are …
Rain Bows
I shout into the wind that I can see rain heading over the sea towards us. I’m wrong; it’s hailstones.
“Write an essay on colour in animals,” they said.
At school I chose to take Geography A Level and due to the intricacies of the timetable, which only one man was …
Finally, the truth about Orkney Skies
There’s a wonderful Orkney Sky Facebook Group which I joined a little while ago. It’s got over 2,500 members and some really …
Roadmire
Running past I see that Roadmire is for sale. It looks amazing in this weather, especially overlooking the Bay of Tuquoy. Roadmire …
For the love of Limpets
All Limpets start life as neuters and develop into males at about a year old. When they get to between 4 to …
Raven over Einar
There’s a Raven perched at the back of Einar. By the time I get my camera it is already in flight. I …
A box of finds
Bones picked clean, floats, driftwood branches and strange objects all collected in a box; I love beachcombing.
Wet bench
Wednesday night is fish and chips night at Jacks Chippy at Pierowall Fish. That’s a source of great excitement to me. I’ve …
Sanderling in the seaweed
There’s a juvenile Sanderling on the rocks. It pitter-patters busily among the seaweed. Suddenly I realise there are a flock of them …
Hedgehog – forty years ago in my nature notebooks
Cars are a danger to wildlife. On the road back from Pierowall there is a Hedgehog corpse. Forty years ago I spotted …
Underwater photography Take 2
Beadlet Anemones are vicious territorial monsters. There are both male and female anemones and each of them can become pregnant on their …
Westray Industrial Show 2016
I love the Westray Industrial Show with a strange and rather bizarre passion. There’s something deeply appealing about the vegetable competition, the …
On a clear day
On a clear day in Westray you can see the Mainland. No, not the mainland of Scotland, but Orkney Mainland.
Dropping my phone in a rock pool
It takes a lot of courage or stupidity (at least what counts as that in the so called First World) to put …
Getting my cap and my running shoes out
What’s the quickest way of dispersing a crowd? Take a collection! I’m getting my cap and my running shoes out to raise …
Westray Sunsets
Tonight we chased the sunset over Westray. First there was a walk along the Bay of Tafts. Then a view of high …
A flavour of the times
Every visit to Westray brings the same anticipation for me; which flavour of Yeo Valley yoghurt will the shop have to the exclusion of all others?
Just in case you thought seals were cute
Common Seals are wonderful and wild animals. This one at Broughton is yawning and showing its teeth perfectly; three front teeth, one …
“Who you lookin’ at?”
The seals at Broughton on Westray are curious.
Two for One offers
It appears that Westray Wildlife will be continuing their two-for-one offers for the remainder of the month. :)
Me, after dinner
It’s the afternoon and the seals are out in force at Broughton on Westray. From all appearances they seem to have had dinner; at least that’s what I look like after I’ve had mine.
Sea Urchin – forty years ago in my nature notebooks
Forty years ago today I was happy with my head in a rock pool and beach-combing in South Wales. Today I’m happy …
Cockles – forty years ago in my nature notebooks
Forty years ago today I was 12 years old and combing the beaches in Tenby looking for interesting finds for my nature …