We drove up to town on Thursday the 7th September to visit my mum and start some planning for a holiday we are taking together with my sister later in the month. Not a bad drive up, the weather was good, the road busy but steady and we were up in plenty of time to take mum to Nairn for a wander and light lunch.
We walked along the shore and back via the "green roadie" in the evening, there was thunder and lightning forecast so we didn't stay out as the sky darkened, I've been caught out before.
Storm passing over the Black Isle
I wandered out to film the storm passing over the Black Isle but hand held in the wind and rain, it wasn't worth sharing, sadly.
September 8th
My usual habit is to get up and make the breakfast, toast and coffee then head out for a wander somewhere nearby, this morning, I drove along to the fort and decided to walk around the surrounding shoreline, see what I might see.
How many Starlings do you see?
When the puddle is just too crowded
A bunch of Starlings started bathing in a shallow puddle in the car park and looked like they were thoroughly enjoying themselves, it was getting hot already.
A Meadow Pipit stood by watching them then jumped in itself.
Meadow Pipit and Starling by the puddle/bath
Meadow Pipit bath bombed!
It was 09:15 and getting quite hot already so the puddles were in big demand
House Martin family bath time
Lots of House Martins and Swallows flitting around, hard to tell them apart when they're whizzing past your head, feet, everywhere. The Meadow Pipit meanwhile had found it's own wee bathing puddle.
Bathing Pipit
A family or large group of Linnets caught my eye at another puddle but I moved too much for them and they were off.
A glance at the other puddle and a Goldfinch had landed to take its turn.
Goldfinch considers it
Goldfinch going for it
There's something uplifting about watching birds having a bath, they just seem to have a ball.
Time to wander on and I always like to stop, look around, see if I'm missing anything.
I looked back towards the town itself and noticed a band of mist along the hills.
Looking Southwards from the Fort George shore
A beautiful warm morning, I have the "big boy", camera with long lens fitted another camera with a standard wide to zoom lens and a pair of binoculars, well you never know right? On along the shore to the point and the tide, slowly going out has revealed the little sandy beach, a couple of gulls by the edge.
Sleep with one eye open
Keeping an eye out
I'm not particularly good at gulls, there's no such thing as a Seagull, there are many types of gull and many of them look very similar! They're a very maligned bird but that's our fault, I remember when I was a young lad, yes, I can still remember, I only ever saw or heard gulls near or on the sea, we've ruined them by leaving food waste around for them or, even worse, feeding them!
Young gull afloat
Young gull flying by
That look
I just loved the look back towards me in the second shot above.
Almost directly across the water from here is Chanonry Point, where everyone gathers for shots of the performing dolphins, please don't tell them you get great shots over this side too!
Cormorant airing its wings
I scan as I walk, keeping an eye on the sea, the sky, the surround ground and up on the fort walls, my poor neck! Round the corner to the beach and a silent, peaceful walk, there's no-one else here. I can only go so far today, it's Friday, the red flags are up on the ranges and I can hear the distant pop of gunfire so, back round the way I came, maybe tomorrow.
Not even another footprint today
Back towards Chanonry Point
Two Towers
I could probably spend all day sitting round here but we have other plans for our day. I walked back around, nothing really leaping out at me, scouring around me as I walk when I notice a line of Swallows? sitting along a rooftop. The sun is behind them so I decide to snuck round to the back of the building, see if I can get a decent shot!
House Martin youngster on roof tiles
The sunny side of the roof was covered in House Martins and Swallows of all ages and they didn't really react to my presence ....... yet!
House Martin youngster on the eves
Keeping one eye to the skies
The young birds just sat looking around or staring down at the strange object pointing at them. Most of these shots are only cropped to centre or tidy them up a bit, the birds really were this close!
Look into my eyes
Beautiful wee birds and such a pleasure to see them so steady and spot close but, they started taking off one by one, as always. I did spot this tiny wee bird up on the rooftop, looks like a recent fledgling to me.
Last one, I promise, just such a pleasure to get shots like these.
So, I headed back to the car, I always try to keep an eye on my time, not to fill the day and leave everyone else sitting waiting.
Pied Wagtail foraging
Off to Lossiemouth today, who knows what we might see?
