Scozmos
Well-known member
September 27th 2023 - I've been over visiting family in Norn Irn and finally got a chance to walk the Black Head path from Whitehead and back. A wild and windy day after the storm, there was seaweed piled up along the shore and that attracted a lot of birds along the prom and. further. There were Pied Wagtail galore, Rock Pipits and more from the car park to the path start. I started by the old open air pool where the surrounding wall acts as a perching place for a few birds, a very obliging Redshank allowed me to get a lot of shots of it.
You can tell by the waves that it was a very windy day, exhilarating I'd call it but not great for hand holding a long lens and camera, that and the sea spray!!!
I left the Redshank to itself and wandered on, as I said there were lots of Rock Pipits and Wagtails around but not many posing for the camera
I thought the young Herring Gull? looked like it was on something!!
Once onto the main path, I didn't see as many birds, lots of Corvids above on the wind and a fair few Gannets out over the sea and then something flashed by on the shoreline. I had to turn back a bit to investigate but ..
A lovely Wheatear female popped up on the rocks next to the path but very flighty and didn't hang around long.
I mentioned the Corvids earlier, a gorgeous Hooded Crow popped up out of a field next to the path and posed on a post for a quick shot.
You can see how breezy it is here by its feathers!
Didn't see much more, not that I could photograph anyway so I carried on a long the path, round the headland, which is fabulous but also aware of the high winds and reasonably rough sea.
On the other side I started up the steep steps, had to stop for a wee breather now and again and glad I did, something caught my eye next to a clump of rocks out in the water so, I waited and watched....
Couldn't believe it was an Otter, swimming through the rough waves, I rested the camera on the railings and started shooting.
Wonderful to watch and I'm always amazed that those people walking by me weren't interested nor did they see this beautiful creature, their loss eh?
It seems like ages but, looking at my photos I watched it for four minutes before it swam around the headland and disappeared.
Beautiful to watch, I mentioned this to my brother, he'd never heard any mention of Otters around there before?
Anyway, onwards and upwards, if you've not been, these are some steep steps up to the lighthouse, I followed it up and round to the path that led back down to the shore again.
There are a LOT of Otter shots but I won't bore you with them here, hopefully you can get out there and maybe see it?
Back on the main path down by the shore and there were a few more birds around now.
This Redshank had obviously had enough of people taking its photo...
I came upon the Wheatear again and managed to grab a few decent shots.
There was quite a bit of activity in the small bay where an old harbour used to be, that seaweed attracting all sorts.
A group of around six Turnstone were foraging in the weed and allowed me to get real close.
They were sharing the food supply with Starlings and Rock Pipits.
I never knew there was a limit to how many images could be added, there you go eh, a part 2 maybe? Not too many left now. You can see the rest here anyway if you want.
So, a last image or two of the Hooded Crows that were so tame, I had to back off to get some of the shots.
I counted many Hoodies, great to see them flourishing here. All in all a great day and a walk I'de recommend if you can get there, bearing in mind, you don't have to climb those steep paths, just walk along the shore
You can tell by the waves that it was a very windy day, exhilarating I'd call it but not great for hand holding a long lens and camera, that and the sea spray!!!
I left the Redshank to itself and wandered on, as I said there were lots of Rock Pipits and Wagtails around but not many posing for the camera
I thought the young Herring Gull? looked like it was on something!!
Once onto the main path, I didn't see as many birds, lots of Corvids above on the wind and a fair few Gannets out over the sea and then something flashed by on the shoreline. I had to turn back a bit to investigate but ..
A lovely Wheatear female popped up on the rocks next to the path but very flighty and didn't hang around long.
I mentioned the Corvids earlier, a gorgeous Hooded Crow popped up out of a field next to the path and posed on a post for a quick shot.
You can see how breezy it is here by its feathers!
Didn't see much more, not that I could photograph anyway so I carried on a long the path, round the headland, which is fabulous but also aware of the high winds and reasonably rough sea.
On the other side I started up the steep steps, had to stop for a wee breather now and again and glad I did, something caught my eye next to a clump of rocks out in the water so, I waited and watched....
Couldn't believe it was an Otter, swimming through the rough waves, I rested the camera on the railings and started shooting.
Wonderful to watch and I'm always amazed that those people walking by me weren't interested nor did they see this beautiful creature, their loss eh?
It seems like ages but, looking at my photos I watched it for four minutes before it swam around the headland and disappeared.
Beautiful to watch, I mentioned this to my brother, he'd never heard any mention of Otters around there before?
Anyway, onwards and upwards, if you've not been, these are some steep steps up to the lighthouse, I followed it up and round to the path that led back down to the shore again.
There are a LOT of Otter shots but I won't bore you with them here, hopefully you can get out there and maybe see it?
Back on the main path down by the shore and there were a few more birds around now.
This Redshank had obviously had enough of people taking its photo...
I came upon the Wheatear again and managed to grab a few decent shots.
There was quite a bit of activity in the small bay where an old harbour used to be, that seaweed attracting all sorts.
A group of around six Turnstone were foraging in the weed and allowed me to get real close.
They were sharing the food supply with Starlings and Rock Pipits.
I never knew there was a limit to how many images could be added, there you go eh, a part 2 maybe? Not too many left now. You can see the rest here anyway if you want.
So, a last image or two of the Hooded Crows that were so tame, I had to back off to get some of the shots.
I counted many Hoodies, great to see them flourishing here. All in all a great day and a walk I'de recommend if you can get there, bearing in mind, you don't have to climb those steep paths, just walk along the shore
