Quackers! (A to Z challenge)

Ducks quack, geese honk but what do swans do.  Well apparently not quack - they hiss, so there goes  my opportunity to put up some lovely pictures of swans!  And I've settled for some ducks in flight.  Ducks are not the most graceful of birds, especially when taking flight, in fact some of the larger mallards, appear to defy gravity when taking off with their plump bodies.

Mallard in flight

Arran has an abundance of wildlife and in particular birds. For the last 34 consecutive years a bird report has been produced by the Arran Natural History Society (through the hard work of various bird recorders over the years, currently Jim Cassels) and in 2013, 160 species were recorded on Arran.

Shelduck in flight

Now ducks are often overlooked, after all, most towns have a duck pond somewhere.  And most people have at some time lobbed stale bread on some muddy bank.  But here the ducks are in their natural habitat, varied in species, with the beautifully marked Shelducks, Wigeon, Mallard, Eider, Teal, Red breasted Merganser, and other less frequent visitors, they are worth watching.  More on the birds of Arran, including recent sightings can be found here.

Wigeon in flight

Black and white rainbow (and another cheat) (Days 61 - 72)

Some things work and some things don't and I often get some things wrong.  One of them being the first day of Spring, as mentioned in my last blog, was clearly on the wrong day! So lucky me, I get to do it again in this blog. And it may not be the only 'failure' I admit to in this blog. 

Day 61 - Night time photography

On 11th March - Day 61, I ran the last of my night time photography workshops for the year.  I tend to run these in the winter so that its dark early enough to get a session in without staying up all night. We were lucky to have a clear starry night where it was very cold but dry.  I also set my camera up to capture my car with painted light as well as the stars. And  we played with ghosting, light and had a lot of fun.

Day 62 - Bowser comes out to play

After spending the evening out and leaving the dogs at home, the next day Bowser decided he wanted to come to work with me.  This is very unusual for him - he is a true duvet dog (I call him my living teddy bear). He prefers to stay in bed all day and just have cuddles. I should clarify here that its his own bed and not mine! So I rewarded him with a walk on the beach - his favourite place.

Day 63 - Misty cobwebs

Thursday and the island was enveloped in misty fog that hung around most of the day.  I was amazed by the number of cobwebs around - they coated the heather in a tangled mess, all saturated with moisture.  Despite looking hard I could not find any of our 8 legged friends that were responsible!

Day 64 - Rescue helicopter

When ever I see an emergency vehicle, including the rescue helicopter I always think 'someone's having a bad day', and it makes me appreciate my lot.  I can never understand people when they get irate from being held up by accidents, I was always just grateful it was not me. But maybe this only comes from working the sharp end of life for many years.

Day 65 - Greylag geese

On a happier note I am used to seeing large flocks of Greylag geese around Shiskine at this time of year, but I had never noticed them in Lamlash before.  Earlier in the week I had seen 6 Canadian geese in the bay, but on Day 65 I found a flock of about 70 Greylags near to the outdoor centre. They were still there yesterday (21st).

Day 66 - Common Gulls in flight

 I do like photographing birds, especially in flight, where even the most common of birds can look wonderful (well in my opinion)! There are several large flocks of common gulls around the island, with quite a few juveniles mixed in, the odd black backed gull, herring gull and other sea birds.

Day 67 - A testing couple of days

I want a new lens (amongst other things) but am not sure if I can justify it - or really need it; so despite the rain I set off to test a combination of body and lens that I don't usually use to see if that would do the job instead and I could save that money and put it towards a different coveted new lens!! But after setting foot out of the door the rain lashed down and I couldn't really put it through its paces albeit I did enough to be able to cross that lens off my list (and move the coveted lens up a bit).

Day 68 - Pharos through the window

 Another day where it decided to rain the minute I got my camera out, and storms were forecast.  This boat appeared in Lamlash bay, and through AIS  I identified it as the Pharos, which was built in 2007 and is a bouy laying vessel. The following day it was off Lochranza.

Day 68 - Take 2 (black and white rainbows)

 On the same day but a little further round the coast at Brodick, the sun briefly put in an appearance and created a wonderful rainbow.  Curiosity got the better of me and I wondered what a rainbow would look like in black and white! I'm not quite sure about the effects of rain and light and at the moment cannot explain the bizarre ripple effect, so feel free to comment below.

Day 69 - Lunch time convoy

For the next 12 weeks I am making the dash to get the lunch time convoy across the String.  In the mornings I am using the Ross which is a road I love for the scenery even if it's not an ideal commute. The chap was happy to pose for the camera and said everyone was very friendly.  Regardless of our feelings on closure I don't think anyone doubts the roads need repairing!

Day 70 - Baby fir cones

Oh but how this photograph needs colour.  These cute little buds the size of my little finger nail are bright pink with little green tips. Black &white does not do mother nature justice.  So I apologise for the 'cheat' but the colour version is at the bottom of the blog (that's 2 cheats in 72 days - I'm not sure if that's good or bad). Oh and I think today is actually the first day of Spring?

Day 71 - Trees

 There is something about trees and the form they take.  Changing throughout the year, from naked stark shapes to vibrant green and autumnal decay - I am fascinated.  This one seemed to be weeping fine strands, possibly of lichen but I couldn't reach it to see. I reminded me of a blood vessel diagram - no morbidity intended, from large artery to fine capillaries.

Day 72 - Hardy souls

I cannot begin to describe how cold it is today.  The wind is cutting through my fingers as I take this picture, my ears have fallen off and my nose hurts.  I marvel at the crew on both the boats as they must (I assume) be enjoying themselves. As a former winter kayaker, I understand their drive to be out and the pleasure derived from it. Whatever our passions, it is just about getting on and doing it.

The 'cheat' - Baby fir cones 

A mixed bag (Days 31 - 40)

Day 36 - My Valentine Days Picture of Jim

I now seem to be getting into the swing of this and must admit to finding it a little easier with the odd day of sunshine - ok that may be an exaggeration, but it hasn't rained every day and it could be described as positively bright on occasion!

Day 31 - Snowdrops: The flower of hope

Spring is definitely on the way and my snowdrops (a topic I have previously covered) have put on a good show over the last few weeks, the daffodils are starting to poke their heads up and so are the croci.

Day 32 - Heather showing some early colour

Strangely enough my heather has also started to bloom, which I was not expecting until May or June! However these are probably confused plants as I rescued them from a B & Q store last year for 50p as they were essentially dead!

Day 33 - Clouds lift to show the snow capped mountains of Arran

For most of the last few weeks we have had snow on the mountains and when the clouds clear this looks awesome. Inviting and scary all at the same time; Arrans mountains are definitely not to be underestimated in full winter conditions.

Day 34 - A visit to the Business Gateway office

The bad days have seen me catching up with paperwork - a worthwhile exercise as the tax man has now paid me back some money - and I'm starting to get ready for the coming season.  I always find it interesting to see how other people work and am amazed at the different styles of office (good and bad).  Not everyone has a tuba sat in the corner.  But that's what you can find in Derek Shand's office.

Day 35 - Surreal steam

Thursday afternoon was another cold one, and I was running a catch up session for a couple of students where we needed to be outside, so I took the opportunity to grab a shot of the stream before returning home.

Day 37 - North Glen Sannox bridge

Friday the 14th was memorable, and not just for being Valentines day. It started bitterly cold and yet again my students turned up for their outside lesson the last one of a short course where all their skills are put into practice - hard when fingers are frozen to the core! In the final exercise I found some warmth in the Holy Isle Ferry cabin on Lamlash pier where Jim (see above) was good enough to let me photograph him.  Men with beards are very photogenic and this is my favourite picture from the last 10 days. The afternoon brought the island to a standstill with vicious snow storms and howling gales.

Day 38 - Remains of Kildonan castle 

A free weekend loomed and I was frustrated at not being able to get into the mountains due to a leg injury but shorter low level walks, just to the snow line kept me out of trouble and meant that I could take both dogs (Bowser isn't fit enough to do full mountain days).  A saunter up North Glen Sannox followed by a day on the beach at Kildonan ensured I had sufficient exercise and fresh air.

Day 39 - Watson

Monday came round quickly, and with it more of the wet stuff - it's hard to believe we were all screaming drought two years ago. Tuesday and day 40 was fine again in the afternoon, so I decided to take a walk somewhere a bit different to usual and explored a little of the coast around Imachar.  The sea was calm so it was great for bird spotting - albeit the majority were too far away for a photo.  The Eider duck seem to have survived the storms well and large flocks floated off the shore, along with smaller groups of razorbills.  Other divers were there (photo's still being looked at for id purposes) including the Great Northern Diver, Black and Red Throated divers.

Day 40 - Shags at Imachar 

Did I really sneak a colour photo in? (Days 21 - 30)

Another 10 days has passed and the weather is still dominating the news nationally as well as locally.  Ferries have been erratic and on one day the timetable was completely reversed causing confusion if nothing else. But remembering to take a photo is becoming easier, although colour opportunities seem to tease when I'm staying strictly to monochrome! As the days are still short and the weather abysmal the majority of images are captured during my normal working day or routine such as dog walking.  Fortunately, being on Arran does mean that we don't have to pound the pavements as we easily reach forest tracks and paths.

Day 21 - Kings Caves

I do try to vary my dog walks although I have a few set favourites which I know how long they take, how muddy the path is and how messed up the dogs will be when I get them back to the car.  The Kings Cave circuit is one of my regulars and I often go 'camera less' but not when I need my daily piccie.

Day 22 - David looking dry - it didn't last for long!

Friday 31st January brought another bout of terrible weather; I had a teaching class booked for the morning and it required some outdoor photography.  The students were split and took turns between braving the elements and sitting in a hide with blankets.   Fortunately the location provided some shelter and after suffering mild hypothermia we all returned to a warm studio.  The conditions are not reflected in the photo.

Day 23 - These trees are still standing

Now into February, Saturdays effort was fairly woeful and lacked inspiration as conditions remained the same and I got stuck into some decorating, with just a short dog walk for fresh air.

Day 24 - The water is blown back over the top of the waterfall

On Sunday a friend had asked for some help with his PC so a trip over to Kildonan and a walk on the beach in high winds blew any cobwebs away and nearly everything else.  The small Auchenhew waterfall was also fighting the wind with the water being pushed back up the flow.

Day 25 - Sea at Lamlash

More storms on Monday, with high tide around 2.30pm I readjusted my college students timetable a little so we could go out on a field trip to see the waves.  Lamlash was under a flood alert warning, but it is perfectly safe place to see how high the tide would come in.  Roads were closed between Sannox and Corrie (parts having been washed away) but Lamlash stayed dry.

Day 26 - Brighter skies and fresh sea spray

Day 27 - A pair of Shelduck in flight

Tuesday and Wednesday saw more beach opportunities with seaspray and a pair of Shelduck in flight. I am often on the look out for birds and keep up to date with the Arran Bird website.

Did I really sneak in a colour photo?

Day 28 - a snapped tree trunk

Thursday brought another day where the colour of something attracted me to an old broken log stump.  The wetness was reflecting a fabulous blue colour, which was rapidly disappearing as I moved my camera into place as the light changed with the clouds. But it still provided an image for the day.

Day 29 - Diana focuses for a long exposure

Friday again and amazing the students arrived for another session on how to survive hypothermia (this time they had been fully warned that standing in water may form part of the day)!  But I managed to find dry bank sides for their first lesson on long exposures.  Some of their pictures I posted on facebook as I think they did really well.

Day 30 - Simple photo demonstrates multiple composition 'rules'

And yesterday I was actually looking for a photo to demonstrate some of the composition guidelines I plan to teach my college students next week and although I won't be using this one, it reminded me that spring and summer are not far away.

Outer Hebrides - Part 2

Beach on Harris

Moving on from the Isle of Lewis I travelled down through the Isle of Harris to travel across to the ‘Uist’s’.  This Isle of Harris is actually on the same land mass as the Isle of Lewis although the landscape changes and becomes more mountainous. Harris also has some wonderful beaches and the weather made the water look quite inviting! Don’t be fooled, its freezing!

Fabulous wild and empty beaches

A small ferry was required, taking about an hour to meander around the islands to reach North Uist.  The ferry times were disrupted due to the tides and I was glad I had checked beforehand.

Making the Orasay Inn, at the top end of South Uist, my base for a few days, I enjoyed  the remoteness of the island, often not seeing anyone all day, and indulged in fabulous sea food meals in the evening.

Typical South Lewis scenery on a cold grey day

North Uist, Benbecula and South Uist are all connected by causeways with one long road running down them all. I felt like I was playing ‘chicken’ on these roads as they are predominately single track with what I can only describe as ‘passing bubbles’, where the road widens enough for two cars to pass.  Travelling head on at 50mph to oncoming traffic, timing to meet at a ‘bubble’ became second nature very quickly, however disconcerting it seemed at first!

Storm clouds gather

As could be expected at this latitude the sunny weather did not hold and grey misty rain piled in, shutting down visibility and making it feel more desolate. Trying to capture the essence of poor weather can be a challenge but a storm rolled over the hills behind this cottage and I was torn weather to run for cover or get the camera out!

The rain approached as the wild ponies meander through the heather

As the weather wasn’t quite so nice once I reached South Uist I spent some time on the beaches watching a variety of waders including Sanderling and Bar Tailed Godwits. These were in a variety of stages of plumage. I am also sure I heard a corncrake although I never saw one.

Bar tailed godwits

Sanderling

There are a large number of ‘Sites of Special Scientific Interest’ on the island (I think over 50), the two biggest being in North Harris and North Uist.  A further large area is Loch Druidibeg on South Uist.  Here there are also a large number or Eriksay wild ponies roaming around, some of which appear quite tame.

Wild ponies roaming

Not that I saw them, there are still some hedgehogs on these islands after being brought across in the 1970’s by someone to reduce slugs in their garden.  These non natives, wreaked havoc and enjoyed not only the intended slugs but also the eggs of ground nesting birds.  Eventually culls were undertaken but now they are trapped and returned to the mainland. The island are known to be windy (good to keep the midges at bay), but in reality there were only light breezes.

Godwits in flight

Leaving from Lochboisdale across to Oban, a 5 hour sailing, we were accompanied by large pods of dolphins playing in the wash, had a huge Calmac breakfast and vowed to visit again.

Greylag geese migration

The Outer Hebrides - Part 1

In September I visited the Outer Hebrides or Western Isles as they are sometimes known.  I had always wanted to visit these remote islands but never got round to it, so early in the year I made my plans and kept my fingers crossed for the weather.

Ullapool harbour

The islands cover quite a large area and it’s about 130 miles from top to bottom. Split into islands, some joined by causeways and others requiring a ferry trip.  The large majority of the islands are small and uninhabited, including St Kilda’s which is the most remote point of the UK and can be reached by boat trip from here.

The sun shone as we left Ullapool

The islands I visited were the Isle of Lewis, Isle of Harris, North Uist, Benbecula and South Uist. My journey started by leaving the Isle of Arran on the Lochranza to Claonaig ferry and travelling north to Ullapool; stopping overnight in a little dog friendly motel in readiness for the morning ferry across to Stornaway. This is a lovely fishing town with pretty harbour and I regretted not stopping here for an extra day to take in the views.

In the morning the sun shone, the sky was blue and the sea calm for crossing the ‘Minch’.  The ferry takes nearly 3 hours, so plenty of time for a walk around the decks taking in the views. I used a Calmac Hopscotchticket as it works out quite a lot cheaper than booking single journeys. 

Sunset promise

On arriving in Stornaway, I was initially surprised at how big it was, but then there is no easy access to the mainland and the bulk of the population live here.  The combined population of Lewis and Harris is about 20k. Not stopping I pushed on to my first destination travelling across the Isle of Lewis on a single track road to the rugged west coast and the little village of Gearrannan. This really is remote Scotland and I was glad to be well prepared and have all my supplies with me.

Gearrannan blackhouse village

Gearrannan village has been modernised and now has traditional black houses converted into holiday homes, beautifully done, with under floor heating and simple kitchens.  There is also a small hostel. The stone houses are constructed of double stone walls and a thatch roof.  All very eco friendly and more importantly cosy.

My self catering blackhouse - home for a few days

Thatch roof - rabbits ran along the grass edges!

The economy of the island is based on crofting, fishing, weaving and tourism. The most famous destination of the Isle of Lewis being the Callanish stones.  These date from about 2900 BC and are quite spectacular.  There are actually 3 circles, 2 smaller ones being about 2km away but still easily accessible.  The dank grey day did little to encourage photography, but as any traveller knows you have to make the best of the conditions when staying for short periods in any place.  An early start avoided other tourists to ensure clean shots.

Callanish stones

 

Callanish stone

Another place to visit is the Butt of Lewis, supposedly the windiest place in the UK; where fish can be blown onto the dunes in high winds – well not on the day I went.  All was calm!

Coastal views 

The weather brightened and the next two days provided coastal walks with views and lots of opportunity for landscape photography.  The evening sunsets showed promise although they never came to full fruition and it was way past my G & T time before it was really going dark!

Blue calm

I was very sorry to leave this little oasis and I’m sure I’ll be back as I really didn’t get to see everything I wanted.

More sunset promise