Today  (January 29th)  is our anniversary so to speak, exactly a year ago we put down some firm roots here on Unst and moved in to Ordaal. I could do a review of the year here but that might be a bit boring to some; so, all I will say is that it's been a very good year. Time for a celebratory dram !

  This last week I spent 3 days working installing a new kitchen for a couple on the island which was a nice change and also as on one of the days it was rather foul outside. The day before (Tuesday), I had to go to Yell so, as I had a bit of time to spare, I went via Fetlar ! The 11.50am ferry goes to Fetlar and then on to Yell - after a 40 minutes stop at Fetlar for the ferry crews lunch break. Brydon had suggested that if I wanted to try for the Whitebilled Diver that is wintering in Bluemull Sound, then it I should get that ferry as it is only a short time to hang about before the ferry departs again. Well, I did get to see the diver albeit at some distance...........

BIG crop !

  ........... and here's what it should look like - taken in Cornwall in March 2007.............

White-billed Diver

  Well like I said, I was working last week so didn't do much photography which as it turned out was a pity as, unbeknown to me, there had been one heck of a swell coming in from the south east on Wednesday night. I had to go over to Haroldswick on Thursday and then saw the result, the shore road had been blocked by stones and rocks thrown up by the sea and was in the process of being cleared by the council JCB. At Norwick there were some huge breakers coming in but alas I didn't have time to stop for long. Up on the top of the beach (which is normally a good 10 or 12 feet above high tide) it was covered in rocks and even a piece of concrete which was about 18 x 10 x 4 inches in size, now that would make a mess of the car !

  On Friday I got 'the call' from Brydon, unfortunately I was unable to phone him back for an hour and then discovered he'd had two Little Auks down at the pier, hopefully they'll be there tomorrow.

  Going over to the pier around 10am, I was delighted to find a 1st winter Little Gull and also a fly past of a Little Auk. When I say flypast, it was at eye level lest than 15ft from me as I sat in the car, what a cracker. Unfortunately it flew off out in to the sound - maybe I could get it on the garden list ? - yes I did. Returning back to the pier again later, I spent a while watching the gulls again and also two Shags that fished just off the pier. By watching the birds behaviour, I managed to get the timing just right for when they dived - if not the placing in the frame...............

  They are all the same bird, I've just cropped them differently. From 'launch' to 'landing' was about a second. I also took quite a few more pictures of the gulls amongst which were two Glaucous Gulls.........

1st winter Glauc'

  Passing by the pier again later, I dropped in to see if the Little Auk had returned, it had but by now the light had dropped off considerably - 3200 ISO sort of lighting ! I still took a number of 'record' shots...................

Little Auk

  It wasn't all birds however and I was glad to be able to watch the mum and full grown cub at the bottom of the field, as they fed on a large fish out on some rocks called Longa Taing which get exposed at low tide. The wind wasn't in my favour and in spite of being 150yds away she could obviously sense someone was around..............

        Robbie