Triplets!
The significance of our finding a female Polar Bear on the Spitsbergen ice with three cubs did not seem that remarkable until the ships captain’s address at the end of the cruise. He told us that in twenty three years of guiding his ship through the summer pack-ice he had never seen a female Polar […]
There She Blows
I have never classed myself as a whale fanatic but all that changed on the Spitsbergen cruise when we twice encountered Blue Whales – the largest creature ever seen on Earth! At more than thirty metres long and coming close to the boat it was an incredible experience to watch them blowing and breaching unconcerned […]
Polar Bear and Ivory Gulls
Since concentrating on digital still photography over the last five years I have always longed to return to Spitsbergen with its Polar Bears and Ivory Gulls. Holding me back of course is the high cost and popularity of the Polar Bear cruises. Whilst on Islay last month an opportunity arose to join one of the […]
Islay’s Water Birds
No visit to Islay is complete without a look at the many water birds that occupy its beaches, seas and lochs. During our recent three weeks visit we came into contact with many of these and I have included a selection in this weeks gallery. Click here While on Islay I had the chance of […]
Memories Of Islay
In the last few weeks my Islay blogs have concentrated on the special birds that attract visitors to Islay such as Corncrake or Hen Harrier. Summer on Islay also brings many other birds which birders generally term “little brown jobs” and this weeks photo of a Sedge Warbler would certainly fall into that category. The […]
Catch – The Hen Harrier Food Pass
Prior to digital photography it was almost impossible to capture on film the moment that the female Hen Harrier is fed in mid-air by the male. It is the ultimate challenge for anyone licenced to film breeding Hen Harriers and I have already spent many fruitless hours trying to capture the ultimate picture. This year […]
Sunbathing Corncrake
After Tiree, Islay is the second best place in Scotland to see Corncrakes. By visiting Islay in May you have two big advantages, one being the male Corncrakes have just arrived and are keen to find a mate and the second being the vegetation is only just growing so they can be seen more easily, […]
Osprey Bonus
What a phenomenal week we have just had on Islay with more than one hundred hours of unbroken sunshine and little winds. It always amazes me how you can go out early in the morning with one thing on your mind and then unexpectedly capture photos of something else. That’s exactly what happened last week […]
Late Boxing Hares
Most visitors to Islay in May would not expect to see Hares boxing. However, it is not unusual for Islay’s Hares to box up to June and this activity was a bonus during our visit. Up to a dozen came together in the corner of a Barley field and although some distance away it was […]
Home Sweet Home
To you and I this weeks photo might look like a rotting tree in the middle of a wood. For a Goosander it is just what she has been looking for as a nest site and a place to lay her eggs. There have been very few photos taken of the female Goosander coming and […]