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argyll

  1. Pure folly

    Pure folly

    Above the town (and castle) is Dun na Cuaiche, a folly built in the 17th century. It was a climb too far for me though. We finally left Inveraray and headed to the top of the loch for lunch at the Oyster Bar. A very good lunch it was too. Also spent a fortune in the farm shop there, coming...
    • delia todd
    • Media item
    • argyll dun na cuaiche inveraray lochgilphead
    • Comments: 9
    • Category: Landscapes
  2. Must keep these feathers in order

    Must keep these feathers in order

    The last 'bird' picture from Inveraray. We were wandering along the front when this Herring Gull settled on the sea wall right in front of us, quite unconcerned by the presence of so many people in the area. Obviously just needed to get on with his grooming LOL.
    • delia todd
    • Media item
    • 2018 argyll fuji finepix hs50 herring gull inveraray larus argentatus lochgilphead may scotland
    • Comments: 13
    • Category: Britain & Europe
  3. Ringed

    Ringed

    Whew!!! At last I found a Ringed Plover, I was beginning to give up. The camera seems to have really struggled to focus due to the distance and contrast..... don't they blend in well! Gorgeous though, my all time favourite wee wader.
    • delia todd
    • Media item
    • 2018 argyll charadrius hiaticula fuji finepix hs50 inveraray lochgilphead may ringed plover scotland
    • Comments: 12
    • Category: Britain & Europe
  4. Aray Bridge

    Aray Bridge

    This view is taken from the other side of the town and shows the narrow humpback bridge over the River Aray, from which the town is named. You can see traffic queuing on the other side, due to traffic lights, there's no room for two vehicles to pass each other. Time for a cup of coffee!
    • delia todd
    • Media item
    • aray bridge argyll inveraray lochgilphead
    • Comments: 12
    • Category: Landscapes
  5. Jack in the green

    Jack in the green

    Another species that seemed to enjoy this stretch of beach.... suppose the feeding was good after the tide had gone out. I didn't really have to wait too long for my sister, but seemed to have made good use of the time LOL
    • delia todd
    • Media item
    • 2018 argyll corvus monedula fuji finepix hs50 inveraray jackdaw lochgilphead may scotland
    • Comments: 15
    • Category: Britain & Europe
  6. Beach comber

    Beach comber

    On the journey home, we both headed up Loch Fyne to Inveraray. I've been through this small town many times but never stopped with time to explore. Pauline had some business to attend to in Lochgilphead first, so I hung around the sea shore for a while, to wait for her. First up was this Feral...
    • delia todd
    • Media item
    • argyll feral pigeon inveraray lochgilphead
    • Comments: 13
    • Category: Britain & Europe
  7. The next generation

    The next generation

    This group of Eider with their ducklings sailed past the hide, still a little distant for my wee camera but I think there are three females with about a dozen little ones. Always good to see the next generation, isn't it. Is it me... or can I see a croc in the background? LOL
    • delia todd
    • Media item
    • 2018 argyll common eider fuji finepix hs50 kilmartin lochgilphead may moine mhor oban scotland somateria mollissima
    • Comments: 15
    • Category: Britain & Europe
  8. Guarding the flanks

    Guarding the flanks

    Just after the Eiders, we came across two families of Canada Geese, this is one of them. I don't see these too often over on the east side of Scotland.
    • delia todd
    • Media item
    • 2018 argyll branta canadensis canada goose craignish fuji finepix hs50 lochgilphead may oban scotland
    • Comments: 12
    • Category: Britain & Europe
  9. Not too co-operative

    Not too co-operative

    She wasn't any closer to us than her hubby, and wouldn't turn her head so I could get any detail! Some birds just don't deserve having their pictures taken, do they!!! Taken in the same place as yesterday's male.
    • delia todd
    • Media item
    • 2018 argyll common eider female fuji finepix hs50 loch of craignish lochgilphead may oban scotland somateria mollissima
    • Comments: 10
    • Category: Britain & Europe
  10. Black and white in the blue

    Black and white in the blue

    Normally, when you return along the same road (no choice), it goes more quickly than the outward journey. However, our drive back gave us more views and birds than we'd seen before. As someone once said to me "we see the other side of the rocks" - which had me in fits LOL. Got this...
    • delia todd
    • Media item
    • 2018 argyll common eider fuji finepix hs50 loch of craignish lochgilphead may oban scotland somateria mollissima
    • Comments: 12
    • Category: Britain & Europe
  11. There's always one

    There's always one

    .... well either she refused to look at me or where she was going.... or couldn't take her eyes of the boys. Another lovely species at Ardrishaig..... and not only a trip tick but a Year one too.
    • delia todd
    • Media item
    • 2018 ardrishaig argyll common eider fuji finepix hs50 lochgilphead may scotland somateria mollissima
    • Comments: 14
    • Category: Britain & Europe
  12. Black Guillemot

    Black Guillemot

    Our last day, a good one, though the weather didn't play ball for us sadly. We were off on the ferry to Mull for a morning wildlife tour. The Black Guillemots kindly came nice and close to the ferry that morning, so a got some decent images. Don't they have lovely red legs!!
    • delia todd
    • Media item
    • 2016 argyll black guillemot cepphus grylle fuji finepix hs50 may oban harbour oban holiday scotland
    • Comments: 25
    • Category: Britain & Europe
  13. Bluebell Bank

    Bluebell Bank

    Bother... I meant to give you a link to the Beaver project at Knapdale in my last picture, so I'll do it now: http://www.scottishbeavers.org.uk/visit-knapdale/ I was asked if I hadn't seen any birds on this trip. Very few, and coniferous forests aren't the best of places to try. I did hear a...
    • delia todd
    • Media item
    • 2016 argyll bluebells fuji finepix hs50 hyacinthoides non-scripta kilmartin may oban holiday ri cruin scotland
    • Comments: 19
    • Category: Wild Flowers, Trees, Shrubs, Fungi
  14. Pesky Eider

    Pesky Eider

    Would you believe this Edier (who was pretty distant) wouldn't lift his head? Och well, I tried! He was over by an island that shelters the little bay.
    • delia todd
    • Media item
    • 2016 argyll common eider crinan fuji finepix hs50 may oban holiday scotland somateria mollissima
    • Comments: 19
    • Category: Britain & Europe
  15. Razorbill

    Razorbill

    I couldn't decide if they were a pair or just a couple of guys hanging out. The sharp eyed amongst you just might be able to spot the water droplet at the end of the bill on the one on the right. Sadly nearly at the end of the island pictures now.. but a long way from finishing the day...
    • delia todd
    • Media item
    • 2016 alca torda argyll fuji finepix hs50 exr lunga may oban holiday razorbill scotland tresnish islands
    • Comments: 20
    • Category: Britain & Europe
  16. Eider

    Eider

    I'm rather surprised it took me so long to come across one of these big ducks!!! This one could have made up for it by being a bit closer and slightly more side-on for the first image of a year and trip tick. However, that's birds for you, isn't it. I hope I didn't miss commenting on your...
    • delia todd
    • Media item
    • 2016 argyll common eider fuji finepix hs50 lunga may oban holiday scotland somateria mollissima tresnish islands
    • Comments: 18
    • Category: Britain & Europe
  17. Razorbill

    Razorbill

    This one was a bit awkward, as he was above my head on the cliff. This, again, was the only picture where his head was in profile - the rest of them he turned his head away.
    • delia todd
    • Media item
    • 2016 alca torda argyll fuji finepix hs50 exr lunga may oban holiday razorbill scotland tresnish islands
    • Comments: 18
    • Category: Britain & Europe
  18. Guillemots and Friends

    Guillemots and Friends

    Remember the jagged rocks picture I showed you the other week? Well this is the same one from but taken from below. I'd no idea until I downloaded the picture that the Guillemots had spilled right down below the rocks too! I think their friends are Kittewakes, but there may be other species in...
    • delia todd
    • Media item
    • 2016 argyll common guillemots fuji finepix hs50 lunga may oban holiday scotland tresnish islands uria aalge
    • Comments: 18
    • Category: Britain & Europe
  19. Swimming Razorbill

    Swimming Razorbill

    With the lovely sun, I can't understand why there's absolutely no sign of his eye on any of the pictures (different angles too)! Wonder if his eyes were still closed after swimming? .... not sure I really think that though. I think these are my favourite alcid after Puffins. But he didn't...
    • delia todd
    • Media item
    • 2016 alca torda argyll fuji finepix hs50 exr lunga may oban holiday scotland swimming razorbill tresnish islands
    • Comments: 18
    • Category: Britain & Europe
  20. Razorbill View

    Razorbill View

    This is the view i had over the little inlet (really too small to be called a bay, I suppose). The Herring Gull was under the opposite rock face. There was plenty coming and going, and I just managed to get this Razorbill in the shot. I'd be looking just about due north with the main puffin...
    • delia todd
    • Media item
    • 2016 alca torda argyll flight fuji finepix hs50 exr lunga may oban holiday razorbill view scotland tresnish islands
    • Comments: 18
    • Category: Britain & Europe
  21. Guillemot Rock

    Guillemot Rock

    Away beyond the Fulmar that I showed you yesterday, I could see a tumble of rocks with jaggy bits. Even my bins couldn't make out what was going on, so I took this picture. It wasn't until I downloaded it that I could see there were birds, but had to blow it up to make out what. Eventually I...
    • delia todd
    • Media item
    • 2016 argyll common guillemot fuji finepix hs50 lunga may oban holiday scotland tresnish islands uria aalge
    • Comments: 16
    • Category: Britain & Europe
  22. Razorbill and friend

    Razorbill and friend

    He looks like a big daddy, doesn't he. I'd not realised there was such a difference in sizes between these guys. I'd walked along the cliff a bit by this time. Forgot to say earlier... but both these species are Year and Trip ticks
    • delia todd
    • Media item
    • 2016 alca torda argyll atlantic puffin fuji finepix hs50 exr lunga may oban holiday razorbill scotland tresnish islands
    • Comments: 25
    • Category: Britain & Europe
  23. Willow Warbler

    Willow Warbler

    After taking the view, I turned my attention back to the wire, which now had a Willow Warbler sitting on it. Again, not the best of back-lit images, but I don't have many in my Gallery (actually my very first, digiscoped image remains the best effort so far for this species!). Also in the area...
    • delia todd
    • Media item
    • 2016 argyll fuji finepix hs50 isle of seil kilbrandon church may oban holiday phylloscopus trochilus scotland willow warbler
    • Comments: 17
    • Category: Britain & Europe
  24. Sandpiper

    Sandpiper

    This guy was so distant, I wasn't too sure what it was until I had it up on the screen. Early May they were just arriving into the country after their winter holiday. Although we'd seen one on Mull the day before, I wasn't expecting to see one on Coll for some reason.
    • delia todd
    • Media item
    • 2016 actitis hypoleucos argyll arinagour coll common sandpiper fuji finepix hs50 may oban holiday scotland
    • Comments: 17
    • Category: Britain & Europe
  25. Black Guillemot again

    Black Guillemot again

    The bird of the harbour and my holiday was this guy. Surely the most famous and easiest of the Scottish ticks for anyone visiting this country!! LOL. He's so sweet, you just can't resist taking a picture. This afternoon, he came a bit closer than yesterday's record shot. As I was there two...
    • delia todd
    • Media item
    • 2016 argyll black guillemot cepphus grylle continuous fuji finepix hs50 may oban. sports mode scotland
    • Comments: 20
    • Category: Britain & Europe
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