Natural highs and lows

Yesterday afternoon's walk saw a bit more in the way of wildlife than the previous few days. Birds were noticeably absent, but the Winter light brought some pleasing illumination to the hardy remains of a few wild flowers. I think this is Self-heal, shorn of its purple flowers This is definitely an umbellifer, but my woeful plant ID skills couldn't muster a guess as to which one This walk was over and around Midland Hill in Orphir. To the west, the view was of a panorama from the north of Hoy, across Graemsay and over to Stromness. Within this panorama, I then managed to pick out a few interesting landmarks. The Brig o'Waithe, where the Loch of Stenness flows out into the Bay of Ireland. As good a place as any to try and spot an otter The Hall of Clestrain, birthplace of Dr John Rae, surgeon and explorer The Northlink ferry Hamnavoe berthed in Stromness The two lighthouses of Graemsay, Hoy High and Hoy Low Cuilags, at 433m, the second highest hill in Hoy The lookout point o...

Christmas Eve was a frenetic day of sorting out television reception for several customers. It was almost as if there was going to be something worth viewing! But before all those antics, there was a mindful moment watching the dawn. From this vantage point (balanced on a folding chair, leaning out of the toplight of the dining room window), sunrise is marked by Ward Hill in South Ronaldsay. Christmas Day's dawn was much more relaxed! On Boxing Day, there was a bracing walk along clifftops at Birsay in the northwest corner of mainland Orkney. A brisk easterly wind scudded clouds across the sky and patches of bright sunlight would briefly appear in some distant vista.   One of the many geos eroded into the coastline Noup Head in Westray The Kitchener Memorial on Marwick Head Later today, there's another walk planned, which will hopefully feature more in the way of wildlife, rather than just panoramic landscapes.

It is time for a bit of balance on NaHAL, after all those stormy posts of gale force winds and crashing seas. Today was calm, clear and wonderfully lit by a low Winter sun, the sort of day that reminds you why you live in Orkney.  In the afternoon, there was nothing else for it: forget festive shopping; say "No!" to chores; grab outdoor gear and immerse oneself in the spectacle. A few minutes' drive brings us to the Brodgar isthmus, the Neolithic landscape nestled between Harray and Stenness Lochs. A few other folk are taking the opportunity for some fresh air, but the car park is practically empty. Almost sacrilegiously, we bypass the four thousand year old stones of the Ring and head along the path that hugs the Stenness Loch shore, our eyes darting across the water's surface, hoping for a glimpse of an Otter, whilst our ears tune in to the bird calls which are emanating from the landscape: Curlew, Raven, Long-tailed Duck, Red-throated Diver, Wigeon and Meadow Pipit...

As we reach the end of 2021, I am reflecting upon a year when the weather has been anything but normal. The previous Winter wasn’t particularly stormy, then Spring was cool and dry, Summer was hot (by our standards!), and Autumn actually lasted longer than 24 hours, with the added bonus of some welcome colour to it. As I write, we’ve already had several storms of this Winter and the early December snows appeared on time. That much, at least, is usual. The birds which visit the county to breed in Spring and Summer, and those which use Orkney as a pitstop on their journeys to Southern Europe and Africa, are now long gone. Our Winter visitors have arrived: Redwings and Fieldfares tseep -ing and chack -ing their way through the shorter days; Long-tailed Ducks and Little Auks adding a frisson of excitement to our coastal walks; and Whooper Swans, Pink-footed Geese and Barnacle Geese grazing in the fields. Around our shores, the Grey Seal pupping season is now on the wane for this year, th...

There's been more weather than just named storms around here of late. Following Arwen, there was an anonymous blast of equal measure, and then we had the tail end of Barra. Mercifully, a planned work trip to Shetland did not coincide with any of these, but the North Atlantic still had an impressive (and nausea-inducing) swell during the return voyage. A couple of days later, I happened to be on the north coast of West Mainland and, even then, the seas were on the wrong side of 'lumpy'. Phrases like "refreshing" and "blowing the cobwebs away" may have been deployed. Don't worry, there were fortifying quantities of homemade cauliflower and broccoli soup available upon returning home.

Not been out much of late, although a walk around the bay yesterday yielded a vista of retreating and lightening horizons. Such views captivate me. Looking across to Hoy from Houton Bay However, there has been much staring out of the window at the comings and goings under the bird feeder. It is time well spent, for patience has its rewards. Firstly, a Blackcap...   And then a Brambling, It appears that the next storm will not trouble Orkney unduly, passing to the south. Stay safe down there!