Winterspring

I have one of those mobile phones that is rubbish at taking photographs in low light conditions, or more likely, my phone has one of those owners who is rubbish at taking photographs generally. Either way, a few weeks back, trying to capture the Merry Dancing of the Aurora Borealis was a challenge for both man and machine. I'm afraid this is my best effort and does little to convey the beauty of the spectacle, the otherness of the moment, or the body tingles it engendered (although that could just have been the cold, it was flipping freezing). 

As March reluctantly released its grip of Winter, a work trip to Westray brought some light relief. I bet this didn't make Radio 2's traffic bulletin.

Parked by Pierowall Bay, I spotted a gull that wasn't quite a gull, my first Sandwich Tern of the year, with its punk hair-do and chrome yellow tip to its black beak.

 

From the same vantage point, but out of a different window of the van, I also watched a Curlew foraging in the shallows. I think it found a crab?

April brought better weather and the first weekend of Bag The Bruck, which this year runs over three weeks. Megan and I helped out with the RSPB's beach clean at Waulkmill Bay on the Saturday, where most of the plastic pollution was rope, cord and string. This isn't entirely  unexpected with offshore trawling, inshore creeling and a plethora of fish farms.

The following day, was Orphir Bay with the Orkney Field Club, where there was still plenty of fishing debris but with the added joy of some domestic refuse. This could've been from anywhere in the Atlantic or simply washed out of a nearby cliff where it had been buried decades ago.

On both days, we were joined by a lady I didn't recognise as part of the Field Club. In conversation, it turned out that she was here on holiday and was staying nearby. Now that is impressive dedication to the cause, wombling on yer hols!