Tag: Razorbill

At long last, I’ve found a window of spare time to present the final bit of my 365 day trek challenge which saw me tackle a trip down and around Whaligoe Steps for the duration of a year! Each and every day since May 1st, 2023, I ventured around this local hotspot and captured my sightings with my trusty camera.

There’s also some sad tidings within this blog entry as I address a car accident which took place on June 1st, 2024.

To recap quickly, here are some links regarding my trek challenge if you’re in the mood for contemporary fauna and flora of the coastline along the northern Scottish Highlands…

Recap for Whaligoe Steps 365… (Parts 1 to 14) – Whaligoe Eye

Recap Magic for a Second Time! – Whaligoe Eye

April Full of Primrose Promise and So Much More! – Whaligoe Eye

Sunshine Blossoms with Petals of Beautiful Cloud – Whaligoe Eye

From April 29th, 2024 up to and including May 1st, 2024… Thank you for your support and kindness on social media during this whole exercise, it’s meant a lot. To my knowledge, I’m the only person to have ever taken on such an experience. It was such a joy to complete, and to share the sightings with you too.

April 29th, 2024: Cute baby rabbit enjoys some early morning sunshine, plus the winding nature of the fifth flight of Whaligoe Steps.

April 30th, 2024: The sixth and final flight of Whaligoe Steps takes you down onto the Bink (grassy platform), and a radiant glare from an optimistic morning sun.

May 1st, 2024: Slight haze in the air during this trek. Below are a couple of fine examples of the birdlife which is settling in at Whaligoe Steps. Shag (Gulosus aristotelis) on the left, and a razorbill (Alca torda) on the right.

Due to the larger numbers of visitors to this area since the North Coast 500 enterprise, an overflowing residential car park being utilised for campervans, motorbikes and cars, plus the fact there’s only one access lane have seen congestion, property damage and other accidents.

On August 20th, 2021, shortly after I began to sort this blogging website for public consumption, a car accident took place at the end of this lane near the phone box. Traffic leaving and entering via this route have to negotiate a few challenges when times are very busy.

On June 30th, 2019, the amazing local coastguard were called in as a visitor had issues down Whaligoe Steps.

On July 12th, 2022, another car incident unfolded within the confines of the residential car park here in Ulbster.

Sadly, as we await the Highland Council’s implementation for their Government-approved £90,000 for extending and improving the immediate infrastructure, another car accident occurred on June 1st, 2024.

Personally, I’ve not witnessed so many police vehicles in attendance, and can only hope that those involved are finding some sort of positivity in the aftermath.

On March 4th, 2021, the Highland Council announced they’d received a substantial tourism investment from the Government, and were reviewing their spending plans.

August 25th, 2022, the local newspaper tipped me off about their announcement to spend £90,000 on the car parking facilities here. The idea was that the Council had five years in which to tackle this project.

Fingers remained firmly crossed folks.

Regarding the tourist-themed conversation here in Caithness, a fabulous author called Gail Anthea Brown has impressed on many occasions with her intelligent and sensitive narrative on all things North Coast 500, and the general impact on this beautiful location. More About Me & Contact · Gail Anthea Brown

I highly recommend subscribing to her email newsletters. The latest example of this articulate expression arrived in my inbox on May 31st, titled “The Golden Goose – tourism and tension in the north”

So success found in tackling three hundred and sixty five consecutive days of treks down and around Whaligoe Steps, but also the shadow of sorrow for those who have experienced accidents in recent years.

Traffic has been steady and at times overwhelming here in recent weeks, so please be careful and aware of the hazards.

It is a modest residential car park, with one small access point leading off the main road. This infrastructure was NEVER designed for the volume of vehicles negotiating it.

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Part 26 sharing a fortnight of daily treks down and around Whaligoe Steps, Caithness, which is an additional blog entry to the ongoing ‘Whaligoe Steps 365’ challenge which began on May 1st, 2023.

From Monday, April 15th, up to and including Sunday, April 28th, 2024, this blog entry hopes to share photographs of highlights captured around this remarkable bit of Scottish coastline, and incorporating wee video clips too.

Previous blog entry – April Full of Primrose Promise and So Much More! – Whaligoe Eye (April 1st, 2024 up to and including April 14th, 2024)

A blog entry was published recapping all my fortnightly trekking experiences, it can be viewed here – Recap Magic for a Second Time! – Whaligoe Eye

By the time I publish this blog entry, I’ll have tackled three hundred and sixty four consecutive days of exploring, documenting and experiencing the region directly relating to Whaligoe Steps.

Above is a clip of an oystercatcher, a seabird that has been challenging for me to photograph since beginning the whaligoeeye.co.uk website. So fleeting when perched on rocks, they hop around, poke the landscape in search of food, but nevertheless seem so restless and camera-shy.

April 15th, 2024: Birds were the highlight during this fortnight, as different species began settling on the ledges and in the North Sea. Below, I captured some razorbill swimming around just off the coastline, plus a fulmar is pleasantly relaxed on a rocky ledge and enjoying some sunshine.

April 16th, 2024: With tides shimmering and the weather certainly calming down, there’s been more nautical activity out to sea. Also below, a pied wagtail (Motacilla alba) skips on the pavement at the top of Whaligoe Steps enjoying some sunny spells.

April 17th, 2024: One of the resident rabbits bathed in the glow of some morning sun, while in another part of this coastal community a pair of fulmars communicate with each other.

April 18th, 2024: After another April shower, primrose and fulmar added their presence to a hopeful and rustic landscape.

April 19th, 2024: Shag (Gulosus aristotelis) gather nesting materials, razorbill (Alca torda) looks out to sea and a dramatic sky of cloud smothers hints of sunnier weather.

April 20th, 2024: The Whaligoe Steps waterfall…

April 21st, 2024: A clip looking out from the Bink (grassy platform at the base of the six flights of zig-zagging stone steps). The North Sea which hosts Beatrice wind farm, located just over eight miles from the mainland coastline.

April 22nd, 2024: Signs that spring have truly landed on Earth. Below, is a sighting of a baby bunny.

In the evening of April 22nd, the moon caught my eye.

April 23rd, 2024: A young seagull checks out the view as marsh buttercups blossom.

Like the night before, moon and clouds danced in the dark skies above Whaligoe steps.

April 24th, 2024: Seabirds put on a show during this particular morning trek.

Black guillemot (Cepphus grylle) beside a rusty relic, eider duck (Somateria mollissima) – female is brown, male with black and white plumage – out and about on the silky sea. Finally in this feathered gallery is the distinctive oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus).

April 25th, 2024: Slightly blinded by the glare of the sun, I was perched on a large rock on the pebble shore looking out across the shimmering sea… Keep watching, there’s a surprise on the horizon.

April 26th, 2024: Temperatures were a little low during this daily trek challenge, despite it being late April. Yet almost despite the chilled ambience, the sun relented. Below is another lovely sky photograph and one of my favourite dandelion sightings.

On this specific Friday morning trek, while I stood on the shoreline perusing the landscape I took the moment to film a panning clip of the shallow cave ending it with a distant shot of the Bink.

April 27th, 2024: Primrose and sunshine during a breezy Saturday morning.

April 28th, 2024: Waves were well-paced on the sea this Sunday morning, plus abundant seabirds still arriving and settling on the rocky ledges.

Beautiful cloud too…

One more blog entry to summarise and complete this epic challenge will be forthcoming, a whole three hundred and sixty five or more days of walking down or/and around Whaligoe Steps.

Changing of the seasons has been most insightful, the physicality of walking up and down the steps has been quite an experience, witnessing the natural highlights and those storms which battered the United Kingdom were ferocious at times.

Above is a close-up of hailstones from the morning of April 25th. Funny how the sunshine has been so present between April showers, yet the temperatures plunged to such low degrees that hail made an appearance.

Thank you as always for your time and support, your kindness and for being You.

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Here we are together, experiencing a daily taste of life around Whaligoe Steps.

This blog entry is thrilled to celebrate the duration from Monday, 26th of June, 2023, up to and including Sunday, the 9th of July, 2023.

A fortnight which provided some results regarding photographic evidence of grey wagtails and curlews, the elusive oystercatcher too, plus some stunning views along the way.

Rabbits are prolific, but not all plain brown wild bunnies. For some reason, this area has a culture of providing many different looking rabbits.

Enough of the introduction, let’s get on with checking out some images.

June 26th, 2023: Two gull chicks enjoy the rays of a glowing sunrise. In another part of Whaligoe Steps, a wild rose tries not to draw attention.

June 27th, 2023: You don’t often see birdlife relaxing with bunnies, but on this particular morning stroll around the ‘Steps, such a thing was caught by the camera. In the other snapshot of life around this northerly part of the United Kingdom coastline, a black guillemot swims rapidly by an unimpressed razorbill.

June 28th, 2023: Whaligoe Steps is made up of six flights, here are two of them. Flight number four goes in a nice straight line downwards, although it’s not in great condition like the first three from the top. The other photograph is what is affectionately called the ‘forgotten’ flight as it’s not as large as the others, and is the fifth flight overall starting from the top of the ‘Steps.

June 29th, 2023: Wild rabbits seem to be commonplace along the top of Whaligoe Steps. I wonder if they’re partial to mayweed? I used to call them large daisies, don’t tell anyone I said that.

June 30th, 2023: Talking of the flora around this area, captured for posterity on this particular Friday morning were some Turk’s cap lilies. Plus in the other photograph, what is called red campion befriending cow parsley. I enjoy the gentle ambience of seeing photographs of flowers blooming.

July 1st, 2023: You know how I said there are six flights which make up Whaligoe Steps, this is a photo of the second flight. It was recently repaired and maintained by the stonemason, Charlie Juhlenski. There’s a plaque in the stone work which is a tribute to his Mum, Etta. In the other photograph during this drizzly morning, I photographed the horizon as you look out across the North Sea. According to some sources online, the North Sea is made up of 290,000 square miles of liquid and life.

July 2nd, 2023: An interesting looking wild rabbit, plus one of the pebble shores. When you stand on the Bink (grassy platform at the base of the zig-zagging ‘Steps), there are three notable areas sectioned off by coastal rock. This marks out three areas.

July 3rd, 2023: I’m so pleased to share with you these next photographs. The local oystercatchers have been quite a challenge as they are either early birds, or they enjoy the rough weather of wind and rain. This has made photographing them tricky. At long last, a fairly decent photo.

The wee brown bird is a rock pipit I believe. I’ve seen two pairs of them hopping about around the pebble shoreline.

July 4th, 2023: Not so early during this particular Tuesday morning, I got caught in a light shower during my trek. A cute bird on the actual Whaligoe Steps, hopping around and enjoying life.

Out to sea, one of many boats which navigate the tides along this coastline.

July 5th, 2023: A thistle full of joy along the side of a flight of ‘Steps, plus a photograph of the Bink in front of the impressive cliff face. You may also note the shallow cave which makes up the third area along the pebble shoreline. The wall incidentally on the right within this image is part of the salt house remains, which are merely a shell of their former glory.

July 6th, 2023: What a stunning sunrise during this particular Thursday morning trek. Caught the sun and silhouettes in quite a spectacular moment. I then headed down the Whaligoe Steps to witness the glow over the North Sea.

July 7th, 2023: It brings me a lot of pleasure to share these next photographs. On the left is the distinctive appearance of a curlew standing proudly on a lonely boulder. To know they exist here is another lovely discovery.

Also captured for posterity during this specific visit down and around the ‘Steps, I caught sight of this beautiful grey wagtail skipping around with another one. Sighted around the first pebble shore.

July 8th, 2023: Star, the resident moggy here at Whaligoe Steps has been great company during my treks since the beginning of May. She is certainly not bored of seeing rabbits and rodents!

For about a week or more, the young shags have left their respective nests and have huddled together on a rocky island in the North Sea. From here, they are sampling life as independent young seabirds.

July 9th, 2023: Another intense but brief sunrise. To see the sun like this is quite something.

The other photograph is another angle of the Bink which takes in a bit of the final flight of Whaligoe Steps. Those flat stones next to the flight of ‘Steps are all that remains of what was a boat winch. In early black and white photographs, a boat winch was evident in that location. Luckily, if you visit the Whaligoe Steps, there’s still a boat winch on display. Situated to the side of the Bink, overlooking the first pebble shore.

All going well, my next blog entry covering the challenge of visiting down and around Whaligoe Steps every day for twelve months, shall reveal photos from Monday the 10th of July, up to Sunday, July 23rd.

Wherever your life is sailing to, I hope that you’re safe and have a positive journey. Thank you for your company to this point, it means a lot. I hope you’ve enjoyed these moments and snapshots of nature and life down and around these fabulous ‘Steps. With a history dating back to the 1600s, they are a feat of engineering and stories.

Take care, until next time…

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Since the 1st of May, 2023, I’ve thus far achieved a visit down and around Whaligoe Steps each day as planned. This blog entry is going to share my daily encounters with the ever-changing palette of nature here on the Scottish coastline, right up in the north of the mainland. From Monday the 12th of June up to Sunday 25th of June… Buckle up!

June 12th, 2023: Our first two photographs representing a warm and sunny day here on the northern coastline of Scotland. Flying seabirds above and pink campion below.

June 13th, 2023: Sea campion (Silene maritima) breaks up the hints of grassy terrain as the sunshine bathes the cliffs…

June 14th, 2023: A warm and mild Wednesday morning witnesses seabirds welcome a new day… Black guillemot found something to laugh about.

June 15th, 2023: Beautiful orchid plays peek-a-boo amongst the blades of grass, whilst on the pebble shoreline I found a stone doing an impression of a Highland Cow!

June 16th, 2023: There are several points of interest here at Whaligoe Steps. Wildlife, natural wonders, history, politics, personalities, landscape, wind farm, etc.

On this Friday morning trek down and around the ‘Steps I decided to capture the greenery which enveloped the landfall. This can be found behind the remaining boat winch, tucked away in a corner before you find yourself on the pebble shoreline.

Also captured for posterity are these fabulous wildflowers. Mayweed and thrift party the daylight hours away.

June 17th, 2023: How about two photographs showcasing the Whaligoe Steps? One shares the sight of the ‘Steps zig-zagging down the cliff. Remember, there are six flights in total. The other snapshot is of the Bink and the salt house remains.

June 18th, 2023: Breakfast for the great black-backed gull.

I found out there are seventeen types of thistle, but when trying to identify this one which grows on the verge of a flight of the ‘Steps, the closest resemblance was a ‘marsh thistle’. Not known for growing in this region of the United Kingdom.

June 19th, 2023: Family of shags which includes two parents and three young ones have been growing up and evolving rapidly. On this Monday morning, I noted it was drizzly and muggy.

June 20th, 2023: During this new challenge, I’ve been presented with quite a series of new adventures. One of which saw me venture to grounds I’ve not seen in many years. The revelation that some rabbit warrens were rife with life and with several quirky characters was fun.

The soft orange glow of sunlight captures the silhouette of a seabird departing a cliff shelf.

June 21st, 2023: This particular Wednesday morning was about the spooky ambience which accompanied the incoming ‘haar’. Some people call it ‘sea fret’.

It’s when warm air passes over the cold North Sea and is most commonly associated with the months of April to September.

June 22nd, 2023: Razorbill ponders life, whilst a trek to the far side of the top of the ‘Steps provided a beautiful sight of another sunrise.

June 23rd, 2023: Rock pipit and three rabbits all take in a sunrise along this rustic coastline of the UK mainland.

June 24th, 2023: Striking blue shades embrace the view over the North Sea, as a wild rose almost goes unnoticed growing in the verge beside a flight of the Whaligoe Steps.

June 25th, 2023: A baby seagull plays hide and seek behind some greenery, as dandelions make a ravishing display elsewhere.

The next blog entry all going well, will take us out of June and into July, 2023.

Changes taking place which I’ve observed include the passing of the primrose, daffodils, eider ducks seem to be in hiding, grey seals too. Family of shags have grown up rapidly, young ones have just left the nest. Rabbits are rife, seabirds are doing well. Offshore, pods of orca have been sighted often along the coastline at Caithness.

Thank you for your kindness and company during this time, it has been a challenge on several levels but rewarding too. I sincerely hope you join me on this unfolding adventure as I continue capturing the images from down and around Whaligoe Steps.

Here’s another photograph of another sunrise I caught during these past couple of weeks…

Take care, sending you positive wishes.

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Since the 1st of May, 2023, I decided I was going to capture images for a daily visit down Whaligoe Steps over a whole year. That’s the equivalent of around 365 visits or more. Thus far, I’m still on target to reach this ambitious goal.

There have been two previous blog entries which showcase some highlighted photographic moments which you can visit by clicking on these two links: New Challenge (Part 1) – Whaligoe Eye and New Challenge (Part 2) – Whaligoe Eye

This next blog entry reveals some highlights selected for May 29th, 2023 and every consecutive day until June 11th, 2023… Nature in all of it’s proverbial glory, rain or shine!

May 29th, 2023: Sunny morning stroll down Whaligoe Steps, met a lovely Canadian couple who made a new friend of Star (the resident cat). During my relaxing expedition I saw a glimpse of a grey seal, in and among soaking up the ambience.

May 30th, 2023: Seabirds were active during this Tuesday morning. The photo above shows a triple dose of male eider ducks mingling with a shag and a great black-backed gull. As I captured the moment of social interaction, behind me was an angle of the shallow cave from a lower location than is usually observed. The pebble shores in this instance are submerged beneath the surface of the North Sea.

May 31st, 2023: Rock pipit on one of the remaining walls still standing for the old salt house on the Bink. I thought I’d share the other photo as it has a puffin hanging out with guillemots as they all go swimming. There’s a wee colony of puffins not far from Whaligoe Steps, and occasionally one is sighted within this inlet.

June 1st, 2023: Above are photos of some striking thrift which is abundant at the moment, plus on this particular trek down Whaligoe Steps, a sighting of two boats passing each other on the North Sea. Due to the calmer waters at this time of year, I’ve observed a lot more traffic using this picturesque stretch of sea.

June 2nd, 2023: Charlie Juhlenski, the Stonemason who worked on the restoration of the first three flights of Whaligoe Steps in recent years, has set up a touching tribute to his Mother Etta. This can be found located at the top of Whaligoe Steps. Next to the plaque is an authentic example of Caithness slab stone which has scribed in yellow chalk – “In 1792, the Steps were built. 230 years old”.

June 3rd, 2023: Razorbill dancing in the North Sea, while a little later during some birdwatching I noticed an oystercatcher exploring some rock.

June 4th, 2023: A dandelion attracts some curious flies, oblivious to the crowd of guillemots which hustle and bustle along some coastal rock at Whaligoe Steps.

June 5th, 2023: The sea during my trek on Monday was so clear and so still, it was beautiful. In my other photo, a close up of mayweed doing an impression of the Three Tenors.

June 6th, 2023: Abundant Cow parsley crowds some thrift. Fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis) enjoying moments of sun, I bet they have quite a view too!

June 7th, 2023: A ‘Cirrocumulus’ cloud formation greeted me on my trek providing quite a beautiful sky. Visibility of Beatrice offshore wind farm was good for a few days, and I took a photo of a seabird between wind turbines. There are eighty-four wind turbines which are just over eight miles from the Caithness coastline. It became operational back in 2019.

June 8th, 2023: Don’t tell anyone, but I have a wishlist of natural wonders I would love to catch in a photograph. Since beginning this challenge, I’ve already exceeded expectations with a photo of a local deer, an otter and now resident bunnies!

Before I fully descended Whaligoe Steps on this particular morning, my periphery was drawn to a white splodge which caught the bright sunshine. It became apparent that this was no seagull, but a rabbit going about it’s business! I believe it’s being sociable with a jackdaw whilst the other photo showcases a more predictable rabbit image which was situated further along the top of the cliff edge.

June 9th, 2023: There used to be more than one boat winch at the base of Whaligoe Steps, but if you visit at the time of this blog entry you’ll only see one. Birdwatching and identifying has taken me on quite a learning journey which I’m thankful for. The photo above is of a pied wagtail.

June 10th, 2023: Black headed gull flies in the beautiful azure skies, while on the ground a razorbill ponders over the magic of sunbathing.

June 11th, 2023: Some beautiful wildflowers to finish this blog entry. During my Sunday afternoon trek, I observed pink campion being radiant despite overcast skies. Meanwhile, a wild rose graces the verge of the zig-zagging Whaligoe Steps…

Keeping my fingers crossed, I hope to be sharing another fortnight with you at some point as I continue my challenge to capture images of nature and events here at Whaligoe Steps each day for a whole year.

Thank you again to those who stop and talk to me, it’s always appreciated and enjoyable.

I’ll keep updating the ‘Postcards’ section as and when I get photographs of visitors. Thank you to those who are happy to share in the moment, it’s appreciated and really communicates a memory.

Until next time, take care and safe travels…

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( Summer is getting closer, photograph of the garden during the afternoon of June 11th, 2023…)