A summer of islands

One of the many fanatastic things about living and working in Orkney is the chance to get to visit amazing islands, each with their own individual character. Sometimes places where not many people get a chance to visit. Earlier this year I visited Hoy, Westray and Papa Westray. At the beginning of May I got the chance to go to Copinsay again.... a beautiful day, great birds and a rather slippery walk out to Corn Holm and Black Holm, with a chance to see the rare oyster plant. A magical place.

Looking back to Corn Holm and Copinsay from Black Holm

The bay infront of Copinsay House, looking towards the Holms

Black Holm from Corn Holm with the Mainland behind



Oyster plant

Since then I've visited Swona and Pentland Skerries both very different islands, now uninhabited. Swona is green with small cliffs and a slightly eerie abandoned village. Pentland Skerries is a flat rock covered in grassy hummocks - difficult walking! It also has a lighthouse. Both with seabird colonies. However, I don't have any photos as my camera needed a new memory card ...

I have have been to other islands since then and am soon to go to more but more about them later...

A walk near home

A walk from what is home at the moment takes you past ...

....The Earls Bu - A relic from when Orkney was part of the Viking empire. You can then continue onwards...

..along the north coast of Scapa Flow, where you can look over to South Ronaldsay, Flotta and Hoy ...

... then you past through a hidden gem of a tiny Orkney woodland and then head homewards ...

Internet connection

I've now got internet connection at home - which will mean hopefully a few more postings and a few more photos ...

More snow ....

Eastaquoy in snow

The view across to Hoy

Christmas and New Year!

A few more photos - this time from Christmas and New Year. Guess which is which?

A few ferry photos

A few photos from a ferry journey south for my birthday. Not all crossings are always this calm.....

Stromness

The Old Man of Hoy

Two posts for the price of one

Well I've only got two and a bit weeks left on Papa Westray (where did the time go!), so here are a few more photos of birds from the reserve.

I had to dodge this fulmar (and it's chick - it's the fluffy blob that the adult is sitting on!) when going to one of the study plots. And I do mean dodge, fulmar spit a very nasty fishy oily mess at you if you get too close!

I have also had to dodge bonxies (great skuas) when out on the reserve surveying. This one was having a go at me, it was quite justified as I was looking for its chick!

I'll try and put another post up soon just before/or after I leave Papay.