Birds, boats and brides (Days 211 - 220)

Day 211 - Oyster Catchers at Lamlash

It's been a busy 10 days with lots of workshops, private tuition and commercial work to fit into my schedule and I have to admit that it's not been easy to grab a photo for this project some days, despite having a camera in my hand most of the time!

Day 212 - Highland games

Saturday morning of the Highland games and a family portrait shoot had to be finished ready for delivery, so no rest for me and then it was off to the games where the sun shone and the wasps swarmed!  

Day 213 - Using the hide

I'd put the hide up on Friday for a private lesson and it was still up on Sunday, albeit a little worse for wear as one of the poles had snapped :0(  Last year I had built a new feeding station that is more natural and I wanted to see if the birds were using it and how it worked out photographically, so I grabbed half an hour with my camera. It needs a few modifications but the birds like it and hopefully it will attract more than chaffinches next time.

Day 214 - Whiting bay in the wind

Monday night class and it was very windy so we went to Whiting Bay in the hope of capturing some cresting waves.  No such luck, the sea was calm even if the flags were dancing in the wind.

Day 215 - West Side Coast line

I had snapped this in the morning, not intending it to be used but it turned out to be the only shot of the day that I could use for this project - not my finest work!

Day 216 - Turnstones

Another day and more workshops.  This is one of the shots I got from lying on the beach as they were behind a rock (photo of me in action taken by a student is my facebook page banner). Beautiful birds.

Day 217 - Ormidale

 The Ormidale in Brodick, the venue for a wedding this weekend and the weather forecast is bad, so another reccie to work out what lighting I'll need for inside photo's.

Day 218 - Moving the bed 

I decided to move my bed to try my room a different way round - not easy as it's really heavy and there isn't much room. I now have a hole in the plaster - oops!  But I have a plan on how I want my room.  Now I just need to sell the bed base!

Day 219 - Not a dry eye in the marquee

Big wedding day and it was wet and windy.  As the marquee flapped at Blackwaterfoot the rain stopped long enough for the Bride, Claire to be piped in without getting soaked.  The ceremony was beautiful, music, tears and laughter (and the odd bark, as the dog came too).

Day 220- Sorry boys!

Disgruntled dogs as they wait outside in the rain for me to get my boots on and take them for a walk.  I had given up trying to tie my laces with them bouncing around.

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 

A red squirrel's tail

Here's a tale about a red squirrels tail.

Introducing Stumpy the red squirrel

I am very lucky to have red squirrels visit my garden on a regular basis along with many wild birds, voles, mice and some other less desirable wildlife.  I spend many an hour watching out of my window and have placed feeders in strategic places, where I can see them but the wildlife feels safe to visit - and is also safe from predators such as cats and more exotic hunters such as the sparrow hawk.

Stumpy's tail

Mr Blacks tail

Like a lot of people I give some of my visitors nick names.  I cannot understand why this is frowned upon, arguments being that 'we' are projecting human personalities and traits upon wild creatures or become too involved and attached.  Well I disagree and find it a really useful tool to help me identify different members of the same group and also invest into their welfare.

Stumpy in the box

A full sized tail 

So let me introduce Stumpy.  Now you may notice that it is not a flattering name albeit apt, and that tends to be the nature of how I name my wildlife.  Well that's apart from Scary Fred, the 8 legged beast that occasionally visits my living room, and I know is likely to be female (because of her size) but I digress.

Lack of a tail does not seem to affect Stumpy balance

So Stumpy is one of a group of 4 red squirrels that visit daily, especially at this time of year.  Stumpy is at least 3 years old as this is the 3rd winter of visiting my feeder and he is very easy to identify due to his stumpy tail.  The first time I spotted him I did not have a feeder in place and as he never stayed still or in full sight I was not sure about his tail, but the last couple of years he has sat happily on the table giving me ample opportunity to compare his tail with that of Mr Black, and Red - two of my other regulars. The fourth squirrel, Flash, named for the very bright white flash on his front and the speed he moves is a less frequent visitor and rarely sits on the feeder.
 

Stumpy defends the feeding box

Stumpy's tail does not seem to impair his ability to survive or move in the trees.  Tails are primarily used for balance but they are also used to keep warm in winter by wrapping them around the body when sleeping and also in summer to keep cool, as the squirrel pumps more blood into the tail to help dissipate heat.  Neither does it make him subservient to the other squirrels and he defends the table should another visit at the same time.

Meet some of my other 'named' visitors....

Fat Controller

Mr White

The love birds

All photo's copyrite of Arran in Focus

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