TWO HEADS ARE BETTER THAN ONE

The next trip out was to Dunnet Head,the most northerly point of mainland Britain,and Duncansby Head the most north easterly point.The former is an RSPB reserve with limited viewing of the sea cliffs but there is plenty of stuff flying by.On the way  one of the pools near the lighthouse was home to three red throated divers,and on the telegraph wires nearby was a small flock of twite.

RED THROATED DIVER

TWITE showing pink rump

TWITE in song
Moving on to Duncansby Head via John O Groats or should it be Grots,much better views of the seabird colonies here and special views of arctic and great skuas patrolling the cliff edges.

GREAT SKUA

GREAT SKUA

OYSTERCATCHER taking food back to its nest in the lighthouse garden.

GUILLEMOTS on the lower ledges.

LOOKING SOUTH FROM DUNCANSBY HEAD

RAZORBILLS tend to use the higher ledges.

PALE PHASE ARCTIC SKUA

ARCTIC SKUA

FULMAR CHICK.
And for those of you who like lighthouses........

DUNNET HEAD

DUNCANSBY HEAD.

PUFFINS GALORE

After getting to know the dogs and the immediate area I ventured a bit further afield and went to the puffin stacks on the border between Caithness and Sutherland,since my last visit there a couple of years ago numbers appear to have increased quite well.

PUFFIN STACK

PUFFIN

As well as the puffins there were razorbills,guillemots,black guillemots,shags fulmars,kittiwakes,bonxies,and the usual gulls to be seen here.

RAZORBILLS

Also of interest on the way to the cliff edge were heath spotted orchid,bog asphodel and a new butterfly for me a large heath.

HEATH SPOTTED ORCHID

BOG ASPHODEL
On the way back to Kirtomy I called at Armadale bay,where this buzzard was seen circling overhead.

Also there on the beach were four ravens,several ringed plovers and dunlinand a couple of common sandpipers

BUZZARD

RINGED PLOVER doing broken wing impression.

DUNLIN on the rocks

MEADOW PIPITS were very common all over the area

NORTHERN MARSH ORCHID.

TAKING THE HIGH ROAD

I am back from my month in Scotland where I have been house and dog sitting for an old friend.Ileft on Saturday july 2nd and made it to North Berwick by mid afternoon ,my intention was to take a boat trip to the Bass Rock,home to the worlds largest gannet colony,just missed the 3o clock boat,the 4o clock boat was full and for the 5o clock Iwas the only taker so it was no go.I left the home of the Scottish sea bird centre cursing my luck,but worse was to come,got to Dunkeld on the Tay found a B&B paid the bill up front and strolled into town to replenish my wallet and have a couple of pints.The Bank of Scotland ATM  crashed with my card inside,not a good day ,however had enough for a pint,wrote the B&B a cheque got my cash back,so had enough to get to Thurso.

BASS ROCK from the shore

Before heading north I spent an hour at Loch of the Lowes reserve where there is an Osprey nest site,the birds had nested ,laid three eggs but none had hatched this year.Both birds were still hanging around and Iwas lucky enough to see the male bird fishing.

DIVE DIVE DIVE

LEAVING THE WATER FISHLESS

There were also several red squirrels at the feeders as well as the usual birds.

That is a taste of things to come there will be plenty more soon.