Young Gannet

We were on the way out of the harbour on Saturday when we stumbled upon a young gannet. We crept closer and closer to the bird but it did not fly away. On closer inspection we could not see any damage to the bird, so I don't really know why the bird did not fly away. It did flap it's wings in the water but it did not make any attempt to even take off.  It seemed to be ok and looked in good shape but I'm no expert so if anyone out there can tell anything by the pictures I have taken then I would be grateful if you could let me know.

I asked a local fisherman if he knew anything thing about the birds but all I got was the local nickname of the bird.

"He said, Son, we call them burds the Dunbar Man and ye see meer of them birds nu than we ever did. That's why we call them Dunbar Men because wen we were trawlin and yen past we al noticed it as we never seen many. Plus they al see cal them Googers n all but that's more of a Scots name. Bugger son we were lucky to see one never mind wat ya see nuwa days.

After taking a bit of time to cottoning on what he had told me I realized that I should have never asked as I was stuck there for over an hour. Saying that I got some really good stories which will be with me for rest of my life and then I can pass them on.

Sorry, so back to The Dunbar Man, Googer and The Gannet. Enjoy the pictures.

 

I belive I can fly

After a lot of shots trying to get a Jumpling (Guillemot Chick) doing the famous leap of faith, I was so pleased to finally get a few pictures.

If you ever want to see this or even try to picture the moment then our Sunset Cruise is the best time to see this and June is the best month for it.

The Jumpling of with it's Dad out into the North Sea where it will learn to feed and fend for itself. 

They have been gone for over a 3 weeks now but over the last week or so we have been seeing a few on the way out to the Islands and they have all change into their winter plumage. We have also been seeing Razorbills and I think we still have 1 Puffin and it's chick left on the Brownsman Island, as seen it the other day with sandeels in it's bill and as we watched it fly away we saw it land and go down the burrow. If it still has a chick then it's the last one and it's very late indeed. 
  
 

Big Bully

Over the last few weeks we have been seeing a few Artic Skua's passing through the Islands and a few have been stopping of for a rest but unfortunately to far away for some close up pictures.

For some reason I really like these birds. I don't know if it's because I don't really get a chance to get a good photograph of them or if it's because they a very aggressive bird with a bully like attitude but I'm always chuffed to get a chance to see them never mind get a few pictures.

I have managed to get a few pictures but again they are not very good and a bit to far away.

I do like the school boy bully about them but when I see it I think you little S**T stealing that poor birds food and after all the hard work he has done to get it, but on the other hand you have to admire the Skua for using its brains.

I have a few pictures of an Artic Skua attacking a Tern for its fish, but even though they are bully's it does always pay, as the Artic Skua dropped the fish and the fish swam away.