Vanellus vanellus – so good they named it twice
The scientific name for the Lapwing is Vanellus vanellus. It means fan. Well, it means Fan fan if you’re being strictly accurate. …
A pot boiler
Imagine you have no technology other than fire, stone, wood and bone. How would you cook food, other than directly by roasting …
Tangled roots
Grass looks so unremarkable and is so ever-present in Orkney that it takes something special to shock me into considering it from …
Greylag Geese
Greylag Geese are all over Westray at the moment because the farmers have created the perfect habitat for them: acres and acres of fresh green grass. It must be like waking up and seeing delicious breakfast as far as your eyes can see.
Rainbow waves
At the north end of Westray the Atlantic is unrestrained and waves crash into the coast making blowholes, sea caves and spectacular …
I’m Shy!
The critically endangered Atlantic Puffin, Fratercula arctica. Climate change leading to lack of Sand Eels and marine pollution are the likely causes …
Westray Connections 2017 – The Parade
The Pierowall Village Parade is one of my favourite parts of Westray Connections. There’s something incredibly stirring about the pipes at full …
One day all airports should be like this
Baggage check-in on Westray is not an arduous affair. Having said that, the flight to Papa Westray takes just two minutes, so ten minutes before your flight is still completely out of proportion.
Sanderling in the mud
Sanderling. It sounds like it could be a verb as well as a noun. If it’s a verb, then these Sanderlings are …
As rare as Witches’ Hats
On the endless A9 as I travel north from Devon to Orkney the lay-by numbers help denote the passing of a day …
Puffin love
Puffins mate for life and meet up again every year to have their one egg and baby puffling. Can you tell?
The North Sea
The North Sea is magnificent. It’s been the victim of overfishing, suffered from industrial and agricultural runoff, dredging, and dumping of waste. …
Westray Connections 2017 – the Sunday Session
In the final relaxed Sunday session of Westray Connections we were treated to Wayward, Bad Apple and Stereo Lobsters with a guest …
Out on the cliffs
Out on the cliffs, in the windiest and most exposed spot, where the Puffins are, is a Wren.
Westray Connections 2017 – Taster Sessions around the Village #3
The Graand Owld Byre on Westray is a great venue for music in every respect apart from one. It has super acoustics, …
Westray Connections 2017 – Taster sessions around the Village #2
The second free ‘Taster Session’ of music around the village of Pierowall as part of Westray Connections 2017 is in the Westray …
Westray Connections 2017 – Taster sessions around the Village
Westray is a small island but it’s big enough to have a school and a care home, a doctors and a hotel. …
Ringed Plover
There’s a bird on the rocks in Rapness Bay. In fact, there are two now: It’s a Ringed Plover. In Orkney it’s …
Westray Connections 2017 – Aly Bain and Phil Cunningham
It’s Friday night at the Westray Community School Hall and Phil and Aly (or is it Aly and Phil) are on stage …
Rapness rolling rocks
Rapness has some of the most interesting rocks on Westray. There are lots of rounded red sandstone pebbles. These rocks were dragged …
Stanger Head
Walking along the sea cliffs towards Stanger Head and the edges are covered in Sea Campion Silene uniflora: It’s got very distinctive …
Floating islands
Looking out across the Bay of Tuquoy we can see a mirage. It might be an island. The shape is constantly changing …
Wildflower meadow
It’s no wonder the field at Einar is a literal hive of activity with bees. The Red Clover Trifolium pratense is here …
One foot out of the duvet
When you’re just getting comfortable in bed and you realise you’ve got one foot sticking out of the duvet.
Gannet families
The Gannet chicks at Noup are massive. They are so big and yet so fluffy still. Their main flight feathers are still …
A Linnet in the garden
Einar has a small area of walled garden. It’s grown over almost completely with shrubs and wind-dwarfed trees and where there is …
Mae Sands
Much of Mae Sands is so low-lying that it never really drains of seawater. Walking on it looks beguiling, but wet feet …
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 …
Turquoise
On the west coast of Westray, the wild Atlantic coast is full of sea caves and breathtaking horizons. Each inlet has a …
Admiring the garden
It’s beautiful evening sunlight on Westray when we see this Puffin emerge from its rock burrow and stand in the open air. …