As I type, Winter has arrived in Orkney, with sub zero temperatures, a dusting of snow and a personal preference for hibernating on the sofa. This change of weather was preceded by a weekend of gales and we had to spare a thought for any Grey Seal pups on a west-facing shore who will have had a miserable time of it.
Shortly before our trip to Aberdeen, we visited the pupping beaches at Burwick in South Ronaldsay. We counted nearly 100 pups in various stages of maturity: from recently born; through the "white fluffball" stage; to moulted into a sea-worthy black pelage and about to take the plunge towards independence.
Here are a few photos of the day:
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| Pupping beaches |
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| A recently-born pup |
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| A suckling pup, piling on the pounds |
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| A mum (on the right) warning off another mum who has strayed too close to her pup |
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| It's a wonderful bit of coastline |
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| Distant sun rays over mainland Scotland |
The walk also provided a bit of ornithological interest with a big flock of Barnacle Geese, a couple of Woodcocks and a Hen Harrier.
This annual pilgrimage always feels special. It is all too easy to take year-round seals for granted, but they are a significant part of the islands' wildlife (predator and prey) as well as culturally important for the myths and legends which surround them.
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