RSPB Troup Head

I've just came back from some time filming the Gannets of RSPB Troup Head, for the RSPB, to produce a short promotional film of the reserve. We'd planned for me to stay a week, but it soon turned into a two weeks, when I lost my car keys on the cliffs somewhere (most likely off the cliffs somewhere) and had to get a spare posted up.


The extra week allowed exploration of the base camp, RSPB Loch of Strathbeg, and I'm pleased I did, highlights of summer plumage Ruff, Cuckoo, numerous Osprey, Marsh Harrier, Badgers, Roe Deer, and unbelievable views of Otters, showing some new behaviours (for me) as they hunted the Black Headed Gull chicks from one of the islands.


Whilst filming at RSPB Troup Head the weather was surprisingly good! Too good at the start of the week, working wonders with my tan, but proved difficult when filming these big white birds.

I'd only visited this site from the land once before when I was residential volunteering last July, so I had a fair amount of exploring to do. My wandering wasn't a disappointment, finding a few good vantage points allowing me to get closer and eye level with the Gannets.

Being in the presence of such prehistoric and beautiful birds was a privilege, they had let me into their lives. 

Through this proximity and acceptance I gained some full frame footage of behavioural characteristics associated with the Gannet. I'll make sure to post a link once the final film has been produced. For the mean time HERE'S (listen from 1:15:25) a link to my first radio appearance on BBC Radio Scotland, where I describe my favourite habit of the Gannet.

Something that was lacking at the beginning of the week was wind, not even the slightest breeze. This kept the majority of the Gannets on the cliffs, the sea, or below the headland. Only two days of my time at RSPB Troup Head did the wind show its face, pushing the Gannets higher and higher, into my line of sight.

Its a pleasant 10-15 minute walk from the car park to the cliffs, through farmland, and grassland, the latter of which is full of flora. Even the cliffs tops are covered in plant life, with a number of different species, some extending right to the edge.

Thousands of Gannets circling in the air, trying to find their place on the cliffs is a mesmerising sight. I would have been perfectly happy sitting all day just watching them move across this dramatic landscape.

Whilst sitting on the edge of the cliffs, the Gannets would fly pretty close by, although not as close as the Fulmars, who seemed to enjoy getting closer and closer on each pass.

Although filming was my main aim of the stay, I did spend some time playing with ND Graduated filters, and slow shutter speeds. I feel the images below show the true essence of this North Sea environment and how the Gannets exist within it.

On my last day at RSPB Troup Head I went along with Emma Cuthbertson (the warden of the reserve), as we approached the headland it was clear it was going to be good day. Hundreds of Gannets were air born, hanging above the cliffs tops, congregating in areas higher than they had ever done before, the wind was to thank. 

It was this day that I both lost my car keys, and captured my favourite image from the trip. Maybe if I hadn't crawled along the cliff top, towards the edge, to gain this image I would still have my keys. But it was worth it !

You can follow RSPB Troup Head at their blog HERE, and RSPB Loch of Strathbeg HERE.

There also on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE.

Wild-Eye

The first issue of Wild-Eye, a University of Cumbria student magazine, has just went LIVE. You can access it HERE.


(Due to the interactive nature of the magazine it may take a minute or so to load)


An accumulation of photographs, articles and footage from mainly BA(Hons) Wildlife and Media students, but also Animal Conservation students. Paul was the original founder, and he's done a brilliant job putting it together, please give it a look.


Find my article about my time at the Loch of Strathbeg inside.



Today I've mainly been working on an editorial assignment, but once I finished the Tree Sparrows at Red house Farm were on my mind, at least 6 are still present but extremely difficult to photograph. On to the SEO' next, getting some great close encounters with one of the owls. Images can be seen below.

Favourites of the year...

I thought I'd round up this year with some of my favourite photos.


Back in April myself, Ciara Laverty , Rachael Laisney and Steven Williams embarked on a trip to Ardnamurchan, Britain's most Westerly point. Our two week expedition can be re-visited here. Here's a couple of my favourites.


This Pied Wagtail kept me company one afternoon whilst I waited in the hide, for the tide to retreat.






In May I went on a family holiday to Loch Maree, we stayed in a cottage near Poolewe, on the River Ewe, the Lochs seaward outlet. This was the first time we've stayed here, with only one previous visit to Gairloch when I was a lot younger. It didn't disappoint.


This was our view from the cottage.






Renowned for its Black Throated Divers, I was keen to see them, but never expected one to swim past the cottage.




The nearby Ash, Birch, and Oak woodland held Wood Warbler, Redpoll and this Spotted Flycatcher, who visit the garden almost everyday.






June saw me following the local Sparrowhawks. Although I follow this family every year, this was the first time I photographically followed them raising their young.




Unfortunately this was the last image I took before heading off to the Isle of Mull. I'm hoping to follow the chicks to fledging this coming year.



But before I did head off, I bumped into this Dipper, the first confirmation of breeding in the Dene for a good few years now.




And this character in the large meadow at Holywell Pond, in full bloom thanks to the sheep.



On to Mull, with this pair of images, taken on my first day !





Two weeks were spent on the Isle, volunteering with Sea Life Surveys and Ewan. A brilliant two weeks on an amazing Isle.



Oh and I made a mate at the chip van.




The couple of weeks following found me at the RSPB's Loch of Strathbeg as a residential volunteer.




August I was back on patch. The subsidence and rainfall allowed for a perfect wader scrape to form, so I spent my time lying down.








Come October I found myself back at the Loch of Strathbeg, volunteering again but this time to produce a promotional film for the RSPB's Goosewatch events. More to come about this in the near future.










The year rounded off with me when I visited the Desert Wheatear at Newbiggin.





Wish you all a Happy New Year :)

BBC Autumnwatch tonight…

… keep a look out and hopefully you will see some of my footage from a recent project at the Loch of Strathbeg, on Pink-Footed Geese.

Quick one.

Things have been beginning to come in up here as well, a Pectoral Sandpiper has paraded the front of the Visitors Centre for the past few days, along with Ruff, up to 6 Greenshank and a roosting Med Gull. (But their no Holywell Terek)

Today the reserve staff had a brush cutter training course, so after doing the morning tasks, including emptying the Moth Trap, which held, 2 Dark Arches, 1 Burnished Brass, 3 Double Square Spot, 1 Silver Y, 1 Antler Moth, 3 Common Rustic, 2 Large Yellow Underwing, 1 Middle Barred Minor, 1 Common Wainscot, 1 Square Spot Rustic and 1 Lesser Yellow Underwings. I was also asked to observe if there was any Corn Bunting activity in an area of the site, which I found a copulating pair.

So by early afternoon I was free, feeling a bit twitchy I headed for a reported Glaucous Gull site, that one of the local birders had told me about in the morning, and once she realised I hadn't seen one before she said I had to go. Not knowing what to expect, as most twitches for them back in Northumberland resulted in dipping, I headed down to Peterhead. I pulled up in the car park to find a reasonable sized group of Gulls on a sandy bank just below the bridge, it didn't take long for me to pick up the Glaucous.

I enjoyed watching this Gull for a while before heading South, to Black Dogs, in search of the Black Scoter. On hindsight I should have done it the other way round, as when I arrived on the dunes, the realization of the task ahead became apparent. Hundreds of Eiders, possibly thousand, as well as the same amount of Common Scoter cluttered an area of sea just North of Mucar Golf Course, bobbing up in down in the waves the amount of separate rafts made it look like I would be there for a while. Scanning across to the more distant rafts I was soon onto 2 Drake Surf Scoters, and then not along afterwards the Black Scoter, another lifer for the day.

Pleased to see both birds I wandered back to the car quite content, being distracted from these beauties before heading for the reserve.

First Day

Today I had my reserve induction, and began getting put through the motions and morning routine. I'm pleased to see were responsiblele for a Moth trap, I'll keep you updated with our catches from tomorrow.

Mondays are cleaning days, the Visitors Centre, toilets and hides, we also set the Mink trap. After lunch all the cleaning tasks had been finished and we headed over to the Fen Hide to clear the boardwalk area a bit. We were done by roughly 16:00, headed back for tea, then I was straight out onto the reserve.

Tonight I headed for Rattray, and the dunes, 2 miles of wild sea, sand and dunes, I wasn't disappointed. Making use of the reserves pickup truck I headed down the sandy track, parking up and walking through the dunes to the shoreline. The North Easterly wind was pumping out some canny waves, and a light rain made visibility poor, but it was chocker with birds! 60+ Sanderling ran along the beach, along with Ringed Plover and a single Dunlin. Arctic and Common Terns sat on the rocks, joined by Kittiwake, Herring Gull, Cormorant, Shag, Great Black Backed Gull and a lone Grey Heron.

Look at that Tail!

Just off shore 3 Grey Seals were bottling, and a large number of Gannets were diving presumably in a fish bowl just off shore.

Hanging around the area 2 Arctic Skuas flew overhead, one dark and one pale, the pale bird later began mobbing the Heron, with Terns in pursuit.

I did the rounds of the hides afterwards, with 30+ Swift, Grasshopper Warbler and 3 recently fledged Common Buzzards being the highlights.

For some reason the RSPB's computer won't let me reply to comments on posts. So, thanks Johnny, I'm pleased I can continue to keep up to date with my adventures :)

Still Dreaming??

Today was my first day at the RSPB's Loch of Strathbeg, I arrived last night in wet and miserable weather, so was pleased to here that I had free roam today, with my induction starting on Monday. I certainly made the most of my day.

I knew very little about the reserve or the species it held, and other than a quick look last night, its layout was unknown to me as well.

This morning I set out in warm, bright but breezy weather, firstly stopping at the visitors centre, which has an observatory looking out over an area of the reserve, which includes one of its Common Tern nesting islands. Teal, Wigeon, Black-Headed Gull, Carrion Crow, Oystercatcher, Hooded Crow, Lapwing, and Common Buzzard, along with 6 Greenshank, 2 Black-Tailed Godwit and a Ruff were seen here. Moving on at 11:00 I began following the track to the tower hide. Along the way I added Yellowhammer, and Reed Bunting as well as, Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Painted Lady, Small White, and Small Tortoiseshell.

At the Tower Hide, I had my first, of what was going to be many, encounters with an Osprey. Its was feeding on the shorts grass out in front of the hide harassed by a Carrion Crow a few times, it soon finished its meal and began hunting again. It began circling upwards, then hovering over a pool to the right, then all of a sudden plummeted, and caught a fish, this was the first time I had seen an Osprey fish, but it wasn't the last, over the day had had 5 more encounters such as this.

After a while I found myself once again in the visitors centre, not much had changed although I did meet a few of the local birders, who were very helpful. An hour or two past and I headed in for tea.

Tea was done and the other two reserve hides were on the cards, a short drive to the other end of the Loch. First spot was the Bay Hide, which gave good views of the Loch and another Tern platform, a large number of wildfowl were present on the Loch and a Osprey performed for me again. Quite a bit of time was spent in here just soaking up the atmosphere, before I moved on to the Fen Hide.

A Grasshopper Warbler was heard reeling as I made my way past the gate, heading down into the boggy woodlands, and along the boardwalk before reaching the hide. The sunset was reflecting its red light off the waters surfaces, creating a calm peaceful atmosphere, just me and the birds, or so it seemed.

After picking up a lone Whooper Swan I noticed movement in the water, an Otter! which swam straight past the hide. 22:30 and I headed off. Another great day.

There was more images from today, but the RSPB's Internet connection is still at a rate similar to dial up and there's no WIFI, I think I would have been here all night.

Finishing as it began

Today was my last day on the boat, from my two weeks volunteering with Sea Life Surveys. I've had a brilliant time and would like to say a big thank you to Ewan, Jimbo, Popz and the SLS staff for giving me the opportunity, but for also making me one of the team.


It was a 7 hour trip today, headed out in fair weather with a bit of a breeze. Harbour Porpoise, Manx Shearwater, Gannet, Fulmar, Kittiwake, Common Gull, Guillemot, Razorbill, Puffin, Shag and Great Black Backed Gull were seen as we left the sound and headed for the 'middle ground'. Towards the Cairns I picked up a distant immature Minke, proving to be extremely difficult to see. After a few distant views the whale deep dived, and reappeared right on the stern of the boat! Associating with the boat this young whale provide absolutely stunning views four or five times. The best I've seen in my two weeks here.


Approaching the Cairns I picked up a single Storm Petrel feeding, then a Basking Shark was spotted, then another, then another, then another, on first arrival we counted 13 in the vicinity of the boat although travelling through and around the Cairns there was at least 25 in the area. Something unbelievable to see, one of the best wildlife spectacles I've seen to date.


A quick lunch and we were off South as Killer Whales had been reported off Staffa, that would of been the cherry on top of the cake, but unfortunately visibility turned poor and we weren't successful in picking them up, although we did have another extremely good view of an adult Minke Whale, and a great show from a Great Skua and some Kittiwakes.


A brilliant trip to end my time with SLF. I'll definitely be back.


After clearing up, myself and Ewan headed for the chippy, fed ourselves and the Herring Gulls then headed off. For some reason Ewan thought that I hadn't seen enough in my two week stay, so we were soon heading to South Mull in search of Short-Eared Owl and Hen Harrier, I wasn't complaining. We found both, 5 Short-Eared Owls, 2 of which were interacting and a pair of Hen Harrier, just missing a distant food pass by seconds.

Tomorrow I head back to the mainland, spending a day at Loch Garten, before driving over to the Loch of Strathbeg to begin my two week RSPB residential, should be another brilliant two weeks. But before I head off myself and Ewan are booked on the Loch Na Keal White-Tailed Eagle trip, hopefully it will produce some good images, it will be a brilliant experience either way.