Welcome to my birding blog - first launched 12th March 2012...
Wednesday 5th September 2012
Blacktoft in the afternoon
If I have a local patch at all then I suppose Blacktoft Sands RSPB is my patch; it's my favourite local reserve anyway. On Wednesday 5/9 the light was really nice when the sun shone. There were periods of cloud especially when the marsh harrier was sighted. The harriers are very quiet at the moment. Suddenly the light cleared - as you will see later.
I'll start where I started: in Townend hide where there were greenshanks, green sandpipers, snipe and teal. The greensands were the only birds close enough to photograph. I found the light had a certain moodiness. Perhaps you can see what I mean.
The marsh harrier came quite close. Female or juvenile?
At Xerox hide a young ruff looked quite smart among the wildfowl.
Finally I went to Marshland hide where there were spotshanks, greensands, lapwings, a knot, and greenshanks. One came really close. A birding trip wouldn't be complete at the moment without a greenshank it seems. I try hard to do something diffrent with my pictures of them. The light, as I said, was really nice. Take 5!
An easterly would be a nice idea, don't you think?
27th August 2012- 2nd September 2012
Sometimes the photos just aren't there!
Monday 27th August
The forecast waasn't great but the phalarope was still there, so, damn the weather, I went off to Frampton to see it. Hopefully!
It took about twenty minutes to find it. There were garganeys and curlew sandpipers too but nothing especially close. Remember my cuckoo type photos? Birds you can barely see. Dots in the landscape. Well it's time for one of them again...
Can you see it? No? Oh well, here's a megacrop!
On the way home I called at Swanpool [SK950701] in south-west Lincoln - the local patch of a group of birders. A couple of common redstarts had been reported. Eventually after meeting up with a couple of the birders we had quite a lot of fleeting views of the female.
You don't often get two year ticks as late in the year as this. Another good day therefore.
Tuesday 28th August
Going north. For a lifer and a decent tick as well. Decided to start at Cresswell Pond, the most northerly point of the trip, where I soon spotted the long-tailed duck. It remained, however, well out of reach of the camera. Also present were a pink-footed goose, an avocet, a common sandpiper, yellow wagtails and a little stint.
As for the lifer, a greenish warbler, in spite of four hours' patient waiting in front of the designated scrub [along with about 8 other birders] we never saw a thing.
I called at Saltholme on the way home to see the recently reported spoonbill. It too was beyond my reach but looked great in the big Opticron scope that an RSPB chap had got set up in Saltholme Pools hide. I wandered back and popped into the Phil Stead hide with the camera. A greenshank was close by. I seem to be photographing a lot of them this month... Better than nothing eh?
Thursday 30th August
Old Moor for another red-necked phalarope! Two in a week!! More or less a cuckoo type photo but marginally clearer [?] than the Frampton Marsh bird. Just.
You can easily see this one! Big crop however...
Friday 31st August
Spurn for a seawatch with Barry. The seawatch was pretty quiet. We went to the Canal Scrape hoping for something a bit more interesting. The Hebridean sheep were near the hide.
A juvenile pied wagtail was chomping on a common blue damselfly.
Meadow pipits, looking very fresh and bright, were searching the dead plant material at the water's edge.
A wheatear [white arse to those on familiar terms!] was on the grass or on the barbed wire not far from the hide. Gradually he came closer. Here are some pictures of the bird.
We went down to the car park at Kilnsea. This new information board intrigued me and explained some new wooden posts that have been appearing with a number on and the letters SKEALS.
Spurn, Kilnsea, Easington Area Local Studies Group. There are some nice old photos on the website - do have a look. Hope they don't mind me giving a little taste of what is there.
The Spurn Railway
The Spurn Point Bus
In the overflow car park Barry found a white wagtail.
Next we went and parked at Kilnsea Wetlands. Things were much quieter there than last week. We saw quite a few butterflies that day. This male small white was feeding on thistles.
This reed bunting [I had no idea what it was when I photographed it. The main reason to photograph it was to try to identify it later.] was looking somewhat the worse for wear. Hangover perhaps.
The blog encourages me to take other bits and pieces. This sound mirror prompted a little research.
Kilnsea Sound Mirror is located near Kilnsea, Yorkshire.It is the only listed ‘building’ in Kilnsea.
In World War I the Germans used Zeppelins to make bombing raids on eastern England. In order to have some warning of their approach, acoustic sound mirrors made of concrete were erected at various points along the coast. The Kilnsea sound mirror was probably built in 1916/17. It is in the shape of a half-hexagon, with an inner concave circular disc to amplify sound. It is 16 feet high and 17 feet wide. In front of the concrete disc is a plinth, with a pipe on which would have been mounted a trumpet-shaped 'collector head' which was a basic microphone.
On the western side of Beacon Lagoons sea aster aster tripolium flowers proliferously at this time of year.
Walking back along Long Bank [sea plan earlier] a common darter was almost camouflaged by the mown grass.
Finally we spent an hour at Sammy's Point. There were lots of common blues and small tortoiseshells to enjoy. I was pleased to photograph the shy female common blues too. Enjoy too...
This male looks past his prime!
Male and female.
Barry was photographing a smart looking male common blue so I joined in. I like this image.
Female again.
Walking along the shoreline, a kestrel surprised as it came out of the sunshine towards us. I pointed and hoped. The light was challenging and the focus was slow to lock.
In the horse paddocks we spotted some activity other than the ubiquitous goldfinches. A chiffchaff was bustling about proving hard to identify conclusively. I wanted it to be a greenish warbler! It has a slight wingbar and strong supercilium.
The best thrill was when I found a female redstart in the bushes.
Saturday 1st September
The thrill of finding your own rarity!! I will be brief. I went to Whitburn looking for a Bonaparte's gull. Various searches on the beach and in ploughed fields full of gulls revealed nothing. Eventually I went down to Roker Pier to sift through the gulls there. I found it!
There were no other birders to be seen so I phoned my find onto Bird Guides and Rare Bird Alert. After about 25 minutes birders wrrived and confirmed my sighting to my relief asnd great pleasure. Sorry no camera with me.
Sunday 2nd September
Bridlington cruise - again no camera. The cruise was very quiet although we did see a pomarine skua [tick], great skua [bonxie], pied flycatcher, manx shearwaters but noithing in quantity except little gulls.
Afterwards we went to Old Fall plantation where we eventually saw [Barry was onto it first] the arctic warbler. People had come from afar to see this bird: alifer for both of us.
And so another great day and the end of the summer holiday season, so the old man will be a lone birder more often from now on. Bring on the easterlies, bring on the megas!!
125 Yorkshire; 260 UK; 385 life list.
Sunday 26th August 2012
Not quite the Seven Wonders of the World - but nearly!
We go north-east for an ornithological harvest festival
I picked Barry up at 7.15am. The plan was clear: start with a seawatch at Hartlepool Headland [1]. We had no particular target in mind, just some good birding. The seawatch was very quiet. A few gannets, eider, gulls and terns. A ruff, knot and redshank on the rocks. House martins. Plenty of normal stuff. We didn't see any skuas if others did. Time to move on.
Leaving the Headland we dropped in on the cemetery and nature reserve called Spion Kop[2], on the north side of the Headland. Wheatear and whinchat were seen here - and sparrowhawk too. I photographed the whinchat on a wall but unfortunately it was always looking the wrong way! Still a blog is for the bits you wouldn't otherwise see, so here's a nice sharp image of a whinchat. Looking out to sea.
Next stop: Newburn Bridge [3]. Just to see if there were any birds. Well, it turned into a feast of waders: knot, purple sandpiper, ringed plover, sanderling, oystercatcher and, best of all, a little stint! Here are some of the results.
This sanderling looks very smart.
The oystercatchers took off but came back.
This knot didn't like being disturbed.
North Gare [4] was quiet and we didn't linger and headed for Saltholme [5] where we picked up a good number of species including red-crested pochard and little gull. The Phil Stead hide gave us greenshanks x3, water rail and garganey. There were also many snipe and some dunlin.
The greenshank took off. I'm getting good at these rear view greenshank shots!! Take off!
Cruise.
Landing!
Coatham Marsh [6] was quiet too. Coots. So we headed for South Gare [7]. Bar-tailed godwit on Bran Sands as we approached, along with lots of other waders. Again plenty of usual stuff down on the rocks. A couple of birders were watching something in the brambles. We wandered over. Barred warbler, we were told! This hadn't been on the pager so we were very pleasantly surprised. Just before it flew off we had a good view, much better than the one we saw at Kilnsea four days earlier.
'It'll have gone back to the bomb hole,' one of the birders said. I knew it well as I had photographed Hume's leaf warbler there the previous autumn. I went back to Tiggy for the camera. It was only a short walk then to the bomb hole. A weasel popped up. So, obviously I aimed, hoped and ran off some shots, knowing focus wuld be tricky with so much vegetation in the way.
In the bomb hole the barred warbler performed well beyond the call of duty. I have rarely been so thrilled with a set of images. I know there's often vegetation in the way but not just great poses but who has ever photographed a barred warbler choking on honeysuckle berries? Here comes my barred warbler portfolio!
You can just see the honeysuckle berry disappearing!
Time had gone well and I gauged we could still go home via Scalng Dam and see what there was to see... As it turned out no fabulous sightings but it was nice to have spotted the common sandpiper outside the hide. And rabbits! Oops! That makes 8 birding wonders. Oh well.
It was just another Grand Day Out. Cracking stuff, Grommit Barry!
73 species of birds in a day. No ticks - but who cares?
Saturday 18th August - Wednesday 22nd August 2012
A weekly round-up
After Unst just a few days pottering in the garden, a trip to Spurn [fruitlessly], a trip to Blacktoft and another trip to Spurn. Some nice photos to go with this - birds, butterflies and some konik ponies.
Saturday 18th August 2012
In the garden
I'll start at home. My wife offered to butterfly spot in the garden. She and Barry both have better eyesight than I. She spotted a peacock in a conifer [we're talking butterflies, remember!]. Trouble was it was quite high up. I took one photo on an uncomfortable angle, then climbed on a chair for a more normal shot. The butterfly fluttered by my nose and left.
Note it has a broken antenna. We caught up with it again later.
Later that session I photographed another peacock.
Antennae both entire.
Holly blues are tricky as they rarely stop for more than a couple of seconds and because they land at angles which present unusual issues both in terms of depth of field and in terms of the need to see an osteopath after struggling to get an angle on the butterfly. Oh yes, they never have their wings open when perched.
However with the macro lens you can get some super views...
Finally a speckled wood was quite approachable showing a repeated preference for a camellia bush.
Sunday 19th August 2012
Spurn 1
A Cory's shearwater was reported off Flamborough Head, heading south, as I was on my way to Spurn. When I arrived I went to the seawatching hide where a crowd gathered hoping to see the shearwater as it passed Spurn. We saw arctic skuas [one pale morph very close], whimbrel, oystercatcher, terns... but no lifer shearwater. Well, that, as they say, is birding. I decided to explore the new Kilnsea wetlands.
Birds were few and far between but there were butterflies. I was thrilled with these two species.
Wall [sometimes known as Wall Brown]
Painted Lady
Tuesday 21st August 2012
Blacktoft
My wife and I went to Blacktoft for the afternoon. As ever, I'll let the pictures tell the story. It goes like this: greenshank, konik ponies, spotted redshank, pheasant with chicks.
Greenshank
Konik ponies
'I won, I won, I won!!'
Spotted Redshank
Pheasants
Wednesday August 22nd 2012
Don't wear your glasses to take good photographs!
Spurn 2
Barry and I were undecided where to go that day. It was a toss-up betwen Frampton Marsh in Lincolnshire for the red-necked phalarope or Spurn for a barred warbler. This would be a lifer for Barry. We chose Spurn which was good as we saw the warbler and the phalarope didn't show that day [but did the next!]
I parked at the new Kilnsea Wetlands where we walked to Beacon Ponds. There was a wonderful display of terns and waders. Grey plover looking immaculate, hundreds of redshank, lots of greenshank, ringed plover, countless dunlin and probably a few other choice birds we missed.
'Whimbrel. Coming straight at us!' Where were my glasses? No idea. I saw a blurred shape, half-pressed the shutter and hoped for a decent focus as the bird came over us on an angle. Things turned out so good I couldn't believe my eyes when I started processing the pictures at home.
My old friend Mr. Wall was frequently to be seen along the new mud banks surrounding the flashes.
From the hide we saw a golden plover when a lady from Sheffield came to ask us to help with the identification. I wondered later when we saw it a second time if it was not well.
Meadow pipits were using the mud banks as look-out posts.
At the Blue Bell car park a blackbird was clearly still feeding young.
We called at Sammy's Point but other than shelduck saw little new. In the horse paddocks we saw more butterflies.
Red admirals and common blues.
Finally we called briefly at North Cave Wetlands on the way home. Not sure quite how I feel about this 'great crested grebe preening' photo.
So here's a more conventional view.
See you soon, I hope!
UK 254; Yorkshire 123; Life list 384
Wednesday 8th August - Monday 13th August 2012
The Unst Adventure
Abandoned dwelling, Muness, Unst
I was lucky to be invited to join a small group of young people, led by my friend Barry, spending a week on Unst, the most northerly of the Shetland Islands. Indeed, the most northerly outpost of Britain. We stayed in the hostel at Uyeasound for the week but were lucky enough to visit Fetlar and cross Mainland and Yell. We spent several hours in Lerwick on the return leg. So, let's get on with it! I shall say little of the journey north to Aberdeen. We'll start on board our North Link ferry on August 8th.
Day One: Wednesday 8th August
'Starting gently...'
As we approached the Shetlands on the 8th of August, Fair Isle and then Foula appeared in the morning light.
Fair Isle
Foula
Gannets and fulmars followed the wake of our ship.
This uncropped photo of a sub-adult gannet was taken as it passed over my head. The fulmars didn't get quite so close.
Entering the harbour at Lerwick we saw some eiders and our first black guillemot.
A friendly herring gull landed on board close to me. I backed off to get in focus range.
Kittiwakes perched on part of the quayside. The one on the left is very tyred!
Commotion was caused among the terns as an arctic skua arrived on the quay not far from me. I ran off a series of pictures.
It didn't stay long.
We crossed the Mainland, took a ferry to Yell and then our final ferry to Unst. We had arrived approximately 28 hours after leaving York. Whilst Barry sorted things out the rest of us explored a little. A very distant [much cropped] red-throated diver caught my eye.
Meadow pipits are very common on Unst, although at times the ubiquitous wheatear seemed to be the most frequent bird.
I was lucky to catch this wheatear as it fled. Overall the birds on Unst seem more flighty and nervous than back home - including common birds like starlings and sparrows.
In the afternoon we walked to Muness Castle. I began to get a feel for the island. Abandoned buildings tell a tale of decline and loss. The Jubilee timeline at the Heritage Centre at Haroldswick confirms this ongoing loss culminating most recently in the closure of the primary school in Uyeasound.
The wildlife prospers however and wild flowers in particular thrill any visitor. Mid-August is late for flowers but I was thrilled each day by what we saw so this blog will contain quite a lot of my flower photos - all labelled as far as I can!
Bog asphodel [narthecium ossifragum] and bog cotton [eriophorum angustifolium]were plentiful. Even a few orchids were seen that first afternoon.
Heath spotted orchid [dactylorhiza maculata] leaving Uyeasound on the road to Muness.
I was quite taken with the speed limit sign!
We passed lots of friendly shetland ponies. They come running to say hello. I suppose I'd better include a couple of photos. Here's a youngster.
They come in many colours but here's another brown one. I liked the result.
Strong, sturdy and stocky just about sums them up.
On the walk back we passed turnstones on the shingle beach. Adult and juvenile together.
Day Two: Thursday 9th August
'An unforgettable day...'
The day began for me with an early walk along the shore. The ringed plover seemed more at ease with my presence than other birds.
I then headed uphill towards Dam Loch. Greylags watched me nervously. I turned back and then advanced again crouching below the stone wall to get this view.
I spotted Barry coming to join me. A meadow pipit posed on a house roof. Look at those hind claws!
At Dam Loch a lone whooper swan looked rather sad in the dull light.
Wild angelica [angelica sylvestris] grows everywhere. Some forms are really dark pink. I forgot to photograph a deep pink one at Muness and then I never saw another quite so dark...
On the way back I disturbed some juvenile turnstones but I was pleased with the resulting bifs.
We watched some juvenile wagtails but didn't notice this adult white wagtail [with an attendant wheatear].
A starling was getting a bit too close to the back end of this shetland pony. Any minute now he'll be on Yell!
On the way back an oystercatcher seemed very annoyed about something. But they often do...
For eating seaweed there's nothing like a pair of red chopsticks!
The bird flew off still shouting at us both.
We were to go to Hermaness that day to face the bonxies - potentially a dream come true. First we had to call at Ethel's for supplies. A curlew flew past the shop on the shoreline.
We also called at the most northerly shop in Britain - 'The Final Checkout' - sounds like a great name for an undertaker's! Eventually our minibus reached the car park. These signs had an ominous ring.
Note the negative sales talk for waterproof trousers....
It was an uphill climb. Things always look easier on the map! Great skuas - I'll call them bonxies it's easier to type - were soon apparent if not particularly close to me. I had no idea how close I would eventually be, so I photographed as much and often as possible. There's going to be a lot of bonxie pics!
Soon they were much closer as I climbed towards the first ridge. The rest of the party were now well ahead of me.
Some were on the ground guarding their nests. They are quite well camouflaged until you get your eye in.
A raven passed overhead. Here they play second fiddle to the bonxies.
I reached the north-west corner of Hermaness, facing the Atlantic Ocean. The stacks were white with gannets [and their poo], thousands nesting close by their bitter enemies, the bonxie. Having seen the bonxies down gannets into the sea on Uyeasound channel I was surprised by how close to each other they set up home. Spot the bonxie in the photo below!
Muckle Flugga lighthouse
The view looking south was most impressive.
Here puffins were busily flying around us and below us. Except one.
Unfortunately this adult would fly no more. Words unnecessary.
I wonder what those lambs are thinking.
They are doing what they were meant to do. Life is harsh here. Impressive birds however in every context that we see them. Espying one out at sea from Flamborough Head will never be the same...
A lovely souvenir
Not wanting to face the daunting climb before us, we headed back towards the minibus and, eventually, back to the hostel in Uyeasound. The day had not finished surprising us. A glaucous gull landed on a farm building visible from our lookout in the hostel conservatory. It was passed 9.30pm. Grab camera! The light was rubbish [another shorter word came to mind]. Shutter speeds would be ridiculous. Anyway, here's two of the best of them.
Day Three: Friday 10th August
Damping down a bit
Wet air followed by a bit more drizzle suggested a day focusing on more indoor activities. A wheatear strode the lawns, photographed [through glass] in the dew from the conservatory.
The group visited the Boat Haven and the Heritage Centre and then went on to the Leisure Centre at Baltasound. The area around the centre proved quite rich in bird life. Oystercatchers circled over the playing fields.
At last I got reasonable views of hooded crows. They are numerous but very cautious. Perhaps they think my camera is a gun!
Wallcreeping got me in close to an adult starling.
Across the narrow road from the starling a flower meadow with an abandoned chapel in the background did much to convey the essentials of an Unst landscape.
A great black-backed gull circled the leisure centre too.
Towards the end of a day when we had had several otter sightings - one very early as an adult otter strolled across the lawns outside the hostel. Only Barry and I were up that early. However another evening sighting turned out to be a curious seal who had come to visit the beach area.
Day Four: Saturday 11th August
Fetlar: The delights of Tresta, Papil Water and Kroklahellia
Barry found out that we could go from Unst to Fetlar free of charge and take the minibus. A good deal! So off we set after breakfast on Saturday morning. A blackbird was looking rather bedraggled at the roadside near the hostel.
At Belmont, where the ferries leave for Yell and Fetlar, gannets and arctic terns were busy feeding. 
This tern was emerging from the water after an unsuccessful dive.
The arctic tern's streamers show well here.
Gannets were coming almost straight for us!
So was the ferry.
The waves in the wake of the ferry caught my eye. This is a black and white image. [You'll get the point shortly]
This is a colour photo even if it looks b&w!
This juvenile black guillemot looks like it's swimming on a millpond.
The next image I had fun with.
Now for a bit of a puzzle. On the starboard side of the ferry I photographed a red-throated diver flying past us somewhat distantly.
Nearer to the island of Fetlar I photographed two more divers on the port side of the boat. I don't think they are red-throated at all. I think they are.... Well, someone tell me!! Have a close look. Heavily cropped and quite a way off but head shape and colouring....
Same 2 birds
At Tresta a meadow pipit was on a wall where I thought I saw a wren disappear. I really wanted a shetland wren photo!
Hold on! Here it is!
Then Barry found another one. On a rotting post. It was still there when I went to look.
Ok. That's the Shetland Wren sorted, I hope. Fulmars were nesting close by and really low down on the left-hand side of Trestar beach.
This youngster is in his garden of bladder campion. Doesn't look like it could ever fly!
There were rabbits on Fetlar too.
What's this fellow?
Black rabbits are not that uncommon it seems. It is said they carry the souls of the dead and that white ones carry the souls of witches.
We drove across the island to the Loch of Funzie and walked to the hide to see the red-necked phalaropes. We saw nothing which was unfortunate as they were seen that day on the Loch. You can't win 'em all!
Whilst we waited for the ferry a black guillemot swam near the harbour quay. A shag flew past as well.
And so another great day came to a stop. Time to head back to Unst.
Day Five: Sunday 12th August
The Keen of Hamar and other tales
If the day on Hermaness was an unforgettable experience then our early morning visit to the Keen of Hamar was botanically for me the stuff of dreams, a field of dreams as Kevin Costner would say...
As we walked up to the reserve itself from the small parking area, along the cattle access track, a hooded crow obliged by flying up from an adjacent field.
The first impression of the Keen of Hamar is of a barren, lunar landscape. The more you look the more tiny plants appear. It must be wonderful in early summer. In August it was, as I said, a field of dreams. Some of the plants are not confidently identified. I will post some of the images on ispot to seek further identification / confirmation. So, here begins a botanical extravaganza complete with the plant I most hoped to see in Shetland. You'll have to wait just a little bit longer to see it! We nearly missed it.
By the way, if you go to see the flowers, pick up a copy of David Malcolm's Shetland's Wild Flowers - a super photographic guide published by the Shetland Times £15.99 3rd edition 2012.
This is a mauve form of common scurvy grass [cochlearia officinalis ssp scotica]. Thanks to ispot for confirmation of my identification.
Moss campion [silene acaulis].
Slender St. John's Wort [hypericum pulchrum] - thanks to ispot members for the identification.
Sea campion [silene uniflora]- thanks to ispot members for the identification.
Common butterwort - flower stem remains. Pinguicula vulgaris. Note the trapped dead insects on the leaves.
Shetland mouse-ear - cerastium nigrescens v. nigrescens. I deliberately took photos of both the flower and the leaves.
This may be arenaria norvegica ssp norvegica or norwegian sandwort. Or it may be something else altogether!!
This is [I'm fairly sure] a small autumn gentian - gentianells amarella ssp. septentrionalis - what a mouthful!
A tiny eyebright [euphrasia arctica].
Antennaria dioica? Mountain everlasting. Flowers didn't last!
Here it is. The plant I dreamt I might just see. I realised it might flower a little later in Shetland and this was the place. There was even a plaque marking its location but we overlooked it. You see it's tiny. Not some great spike of floweres 10 inches high but a minute thing about 1.5 inches high. I went back, looked again, saw the leaves. I lay almost flat on the ground. To photograph my first ever frog orchid, coeloglossum viride. Brilliant!!
Barry and I returned to Uyeasound for breakfast. Ironically he found another splendid orchid by the hostel. This, I think, is some sort of northern marsh / common spotted hybrid like the hybrid on plate 76 of David Malcolm's book labelled dactylorhiza x formosa. The plant vigour suggests a hybrid. Very nice.
The group now travelled west to Lunda Wick with its fine beach where the arctic terns display and feed. More great images, I hope.
The church and cemetery were interesting - it seems that wives maintain their maiden surnames on the gravestones. It's not the stuff I normally like to photograph but here's a couple...
There were thistles everywhere.
Above: Spear thistle cirsium vulgare. Below: Creeping thistle cirsium vulgare.
We went down onto the beach.
Lily's boots
Arctic terns were feeding their young nearby. I sat down on the sand and watched.
Passing it over!
On the way back we stopped to see the largest bstanding stone on Unst near Burragarth.
Later that day a short walk from the hostel led to some nice flowering discoveries. The flag iris [iris pseudacorus 'seggi-flooer' in Shetland] had all finished, I thought, until I found a large very marshy stand where just one stem was still in flower - quite a way from my path on very boggy ground. This cropped image is very pleasing therefore.
Ragged-Robin [lychnis flos-cuculi]
Marsh cinquefoil [potentilla palustris].
Finally a daisy dfound everywhere on Unst: oxeye daisy [leucanthemum vulgare].
Day Six: Monday 13th August
The last leg.
And so it all comes to an end. We left Uyeasound bright and early heading for Lerwick. All went very smoothly. We had a good look round Lerwick. Fuel is very expensive I noticed. And I went to Tesco's in Lerwick too!
After some hours in Lerwick we boarded our ferry for Aberdeen at about 15.30pm. The remaining photos were all taken from the stern of the vessel - all except the final picture taken in the harbour.
Common tern!
I tried many times to photograph gannets plunge diving. My efforts have been fraught with difficulty, no, failure! This is what I usually end up with!
Here are some of my efforts that afternoon in Lerwick harbour.
Not bad - pity it's not all in the frame. Uncropped.
Bonxies were in the harbour too.
The last arctic tern.
The last black guillemot.
The last picture. Out at sea following the MV Hrossey.
Thanks, Barry. Wouldn't have missed it for the world.
137 photos
1 lifer [Shetland wren]; one year tick [raven].