Tag: Seabird

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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Part 22 of my daily trek challenge, where I document each and every day from May 1st, 2023, walking down and around Whaligoe Steps.

Hoping to reach May 1st, 2024, where I’ll eventually accumulate an entire year of visiting the impressive stone steps and the immediate environment around here.

Witnessing the waterfall, broken anchor, boat winch, sunrises, seabirds, Bink, the six flights of steps, snow, ice, rain, wind, pebble shore, Beatrice wind farm, horizons, wildlife, changing of seasons, wildflowers and so much more.

This blog entry is for the fortnight of Monday, February 19th, 2024 up to and including Sunday, March 3rd, 2024.

Feb. 19th, 2024: I mentioned it before, but after this area receiving the impact of two waves of ‘bird flu’ and really depleting the seabird activity and presence here in recent years, it has been a relief to witness the current movements of fulmars and various gulls as coastal life slowly returns to a new sense of normality.

Feb. 20th, 2024: Sometimes the sun is hindered as it wakes to bring in a new day, so consequently an intense band of sunshine is sandwiched on the horizon.

Below is an example of wind turbine silhouettes where Beatrice wind farm is framed within a beam of sun.

Feb. 21st, 2024: Standing on top of a section of cliff known as “Horseback”, looking northwards up the coastline.

Feb. 22nd, 2024: Seabird’s eye view of the Bink and the Salt House, in close proximity to the sixth flight of Whaligoe Steps.

Feb. 23rd, 2024: After a couple of days where the winds and grey skies were plentiful, this particular Friday offered up such a contrasting blue canvas above.

Feb. 24th, 2024: Beautiful sunrise.

Feb. 25th, 2024: During a window of time where the North Sea was calmer and the skies found their harmony, it proved too inviting for fishing boats and other nautical traffic.

Feb. 25th, 2024 – Night: Beautiful moon observations over Whaligoe Steps…

Feb. 26th, 2024: A glaring sunrise provided the backdrop for a silhouette moment with a passing seabird. Not sure if it was a fulmar or a type of gull, but it was a beautiful image.

Feb. 27th, 2024: Today offered up more gusty and windy ambience as I tackled this daily trek. With that in mind, the clip below may suit a muted volume as the weather battered the microphone.

The waterfall was blown in the breeze, a windswept water dance.

Feb. 28th, 2024: Catching some strong sunshine on the boat winch during a lull in bleak weather.

Feb. 29th, 2024: More sunshine adding ambience to some restless waves.

March 1st, 2024: I managed to access the pebble shores on this particular trek, captured an image looking out to the North Sea.

March 2nd, 2024: The Bink is really showing signs from the rainfall and general reception to the past few years of visitors. Rustic and wet ambience.

March 3rd, 2024: The tide was drifting out when I noticed the broken anchor. Authentic in drizzle as it lay peacefully amongst the pebbles and rocks.

The next blog entry sharing my daily treks will hopefully cover Monday, March 4th, 2024 up to and including Sunday, March 17th, 2024.

Thank you so much for your support, generosity of time and kindness. Time is flying by and I cannot believe that March is well and truly underway already. Hints of spring are in the air as new growth pokes through the rustic landscape.

Take care of yourselves, sending you positive wishes only always.

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Part 21 of my coverage regarding daily treks down and around Whaligoe Steps which began back in May, 2023…

This blog entry covers the duration from Monday, February 5th, 2024, up to and including Sunday, February 18th, 2024.

There was snow once again, winds and prolific rainfall, plus outbursts of golden rays of sunshine. Momentary hints of the beautiful sunrises which regularly visit this coastline were observed too, plus most encouragingly, the presence of seabirds like gulls and fulmars gathering on the rocky ledges.

Feb. 5th, 2024: Mild and cloudy trek during this Monday moment. The photograph below capturing the wet and overcast day perfectly.

Feb. 6th, 2024: Seabirds wearing fancy dress costumes, or could they be jackdaws?

Feb. 7th, 2024: Below shows the third flight of Whaligoe Steps carrying the weight of some snowfall.

It was during this trek where I was able to photograph and experience an incoming blizzard which I’ll share…

This blizzard was brief, and quite an experience.

Feb. 8th, 2024: Snow remained prominent as can be seen by the photograph below. Sitting on the tips of the shrubbery were hints of snowfall bathed in the rays of a winter sun.

Feb. 9th, 2024: By Friday, most of the snow had thawed. It comes and goes along this coastline at quite a pace.

The photograph below shows off some restless waves of the North Sea and the condition of the fourth flight of Whaligoe Steps.

Feb. 10th, 2024: Waves had become more dramatic as the day rolled into Saturday.

Feb. 11th, 2024: Over the past couple of months, producing significant quantities of foam has been effortless for the North Sea waves during the consistent storms which have battered the U.K. coastlines.

This link over at National Ocean Service, explains further about sea foam and what it’s all about… What is sea foam? (noaa.gov)

Feb. 12th, 2024: A personal favourite when it comes to recent photographs of the sunrises which grace this stretch of the coastline.

Beatrice wind farm is faint below the radiant glare of the morning sun.

Feb. 13th, 2024: The broken anchor which lays around on the nearest pebble shore keeps moving. On this day, nestled among the pebbles and rocks when the tide was sufficiently out, I took this photograph.

Feb. 14th, 2024: To celebrate the association with romance for this particular day, below is a photograph of a couple of fulmars. They’re related to albatrosses and when they mate, they are monogamous for life.

Feb. 15th, 2024: Wet and drizzly ambience wraps itself around the remains of the old Salt House on the Bink.

Feb. 16th, 2024: Standing on the Bink and looking out across the North Sea to Beatrice and the horizon.

Feb. 17th, 2024: Maybe the clouds ran out of energy or exhausted their supplies of rain… Sunshine grows shadows on the third flight of Whaligoe Steps.

Feb. 18th, 2024: From a distance, you can get an overall view of the Bink and see some context with elements like the Salt House, and the placing of points regarding the zig-zagging flights of stone steps descending the cliffs.

So that brings us to a close, as another fortnight is showcased documenting my attempt at tackling treks down and around Whaligoe Steps for three hundred and sixty five consecutive days.

Above, is a thirty second clip I filmed of the waterfall here at Whaligoe Steps. The sun made the experience look gentle and inviting, although the wind on top of this cliff where I was standing remained present.

The next blog entry on this continuing adventure will share photographs from Monday, February 19th, 2024 up to and including Sunday, March 3rd, 2024.

Thank you for your generosity of time, kindness and support. Take care and know I’m sending you positive wishes.

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Thank you for dropping by this freezing cold, blog entry. If you’re looking for some winter-themed images then you’ve come to the right place. Perhaps you’re simply curious about the coastal location where Whaligoe Steps is situated and wish to see photography showcasing snow covering? Then once again, you’re in the right place.

The fortnight documented below from Monday, January 8th up to and including Sunday, January 21st, 2024, was remarkable for the snowfall and prominent wintery weather. I was caught in a blizzard which was both alarming and comical simultaneously. Just wait until you see a selfie I struggled to capture once I returned to the top after a serene and frozen descent.

Anyways, you don’t want to see my icicles, you want to know how my daily trek challenge is going…

Link to my last episode about this daily trek challenge – New Year for my Daily Trek Challenge! – Whaligoe Eye

Other useful links relating to my daily trek challenge: Recap for Whaligoe Steps 365… (Parts 1 to 14) – Whaligoe Eye

Daily Trek Challenge (Part 15) – Whaligoe Eye

Daily Trek Challenge: Part 16 (Nov. 27th – Dec. 10th, 2023) – Whaligoe Eye

Daily Trek Challenge during December, 2023 – Whaligoe Eye

Now that you’ve caught up, let’s get to this blog entry and what I had the luxury of documenting.

Jan. 8th, 2024: If you were a seagull or fulmar flying over this part of the coastline, I wonder if you’d see this sort of view?

The Bink with a section of the zig-zagging lower flights of Whaligoe Steps, and the Salt House.

Jan. 9th, 2024: After the recent couple of years where bird flu has ravaged the seabird populations, it’s a joy to confirm that there are building numbers of feathered friends returning to rocky ledges once more.

Jan. 10th, 2024: You know by now that I like a silhouette, and I hope this doesn’t disappoint.

Jan. 11th, 2024: Some gravel litters these steps after being dragged by rainfall and stormy conditions above. This is a photograph of the fifth flight of Whaligoe Steps.

Jan. 12th, 2024: This image tickles me due to the posture adopted by the gull in the top left hand corner.

Jan. 13th, 2024: In the early hours I found this image to be atmospheric. Tranquillity in a moment of cold, yet calming ambience.

Jan. 14th, 2024: The trek was evident for really freezing temperatures, and knowing how subtle changes to the landscape had taken place over the past two months, it wasn’t a surprise to find the broken anchor had moved.

Jan. 14th – Afternoon… Later in the day, I ventured down and around Whaligoe Steps for a second visit. A light covering of snow as temperatures held firmly hinting that perhaps more was to come…

Jan. 15th, 2024: Plenty of snow fell and gripped the landscape. The photo below is of the first flight of Whaligoe Steps in the early hours.

Jan. 16th, 2024: Icicles aplenty… The freeze continues.

There is a blog entry sharing images of this day which you can view by clicking on this link – Beautiful January Days of White Satin – Whaligoe Eye

Jan. 17th, 2024: The view along the coastline as it travels northwards from Whaligoe Steps.

Jan. 18th, 2024: A personal fave, I ended up using this photograph in conjunction with a daily poem too…

Solace swoons where mingling matters whisper winter words (#Only8Words)

Jan. 19th, 2024: An ominous ascent from the bottom of the first flight heading back to my home.

Jan. 20th, 2024: By the time I ventured out for my daily trek on this Saturday, the snow was melting considerably and I took an opportune moment to craft a ‘snow heart’ on some grass, located on the Bink.

Jan. 21st, 2024: As the thaw continued, some feathered friends took to the sky in celebration.

I hope you enjoyed this blog, and with just over three months left until I finish my daily trek challenge where I go down and around Whaligoe Steps each and every day for a whole year, look out for further entries as I continue my adventures.

All going well, the next blog will be documenting the fortnight from Monday, January 22nd up to and including Sunday, February 4th, 2024.

Thank you for your generosity of time and kindness, stay safe and take care.

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To research this area down and around Whaligoe Steps, along the Northerly coastline of the U.K. mainland in the Scottish Highlands, I decided to attempt tackling a trek each and every day since May 1st, 2023 for an entire year. This is another chapter providing some highlights of a fortnight witnessing the colder seasons of the year as we creep from November into December…

Nov. 27th, 2023: This particular Monday trek was mostly uneventful as the environment continues to adapt to the colder temperatures, rainfall and windy weather. Below is a photograph of the deteriorating 4th flight of Whaligoe Steps.

Nov. 28th, 2023: Seabirds around here have significantly diminished in numbers due to various factors, I think. One which springs to mind is the recent wave of ‘bird flu’.

Nevertheless, as November approaches December, my treks encountered these feathered friends in frivolous mood and flying around at the top of Whaligoe Steps.

Nov. 29th, 2023: Skies are an eye-catching natural wonder in this part of the world. This moment was captured during my trek on a particular Wednesday adventure.

Nov. 30th, 2023: Aren’t rainbows a lovely sight?

December 1st, 2023: The second flight of Whaligoe Steps…

Dec. 2nd, 2023: Let’s have a moment with the fiery orb dancing with clouds over the wind farm known as “Beatrice”, and the impressively cold North Sea.

Dec. 3rd, 2023: The local landscape during this specific morning trek was being poked by the finger of winter, as the presence of freezing temperatures turned some of the environment to ice.

Dec. 4th, 2023: During my Monday morning stroll along the Bink here at Whaligoe Steps, I was greeted with a sighting of a grey seal.

Dec. 5th, 2023: Blue was the mood for the weather, and the colour of the sky and sea during my trek on a Tuesday in December.

Dec. 6th, 2023: More ambience captured below, as the blue gives way to a soft orange glow on the horizon.

Dec. 7th, 2023: Throughout November, and still relevant to December, was the presence of impressive wave activity on the North Sea.

Dec. 8th, 2023: You’d be forgiven for thinking that the photograph below is a palm tree! Instead, it’s just another silhouette which caught my eye against a grey and ominous cloudy sky.

Dec. 9th, 2023: Around this point in December, I began noticing the return of the seabirds to Whaligoe Steps. Along many rocky ledges in the cliff face, fulmars and some varying seagulls began arriving and getting settled.

Dec. 10th, 2023: If you’re an animal lover, you may be wondering if you’re going to see a photograph of Star again. Well, here she is taking a break from catching rabbits and rodents.

Thank you for your generosity of time and once again for the kindness you share by simply social media support or by visiting this website. I’ve been fortunate to meet some really kind and interesting people who visit Whaligoe Steps, and as my daily trek challenge continues up to May 1st, 2024, I look forward to more encounters to come.

Here’s a link to my previous blog entry relating to the previous fortnight of the daily trek challenge – Daily Trek Challenge (Part 15) – Whaligoe Eye

Until my next blog entry, take care and stay safe. Thank you for being You.

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So far, so good. In my last blog entry I divulged my hopes to make a trek down Whaligoe Steps at least once every day for 365 days. To capture this momentous series of visits I was planning to take photographs of my adventures, and so it continues.

This is another blog entry showcasing some highlights from the past fortnight. Sit back and browse some newly photographed wildlife around Whaligoe Steps to be included on this website, plus some of the usual neighbours and some delightful ambience. Two photos for each day from May 15th to May 28th inclusively.

May 15th, 2023: Below are examples of the wildlife you may spot on a trek down Whaligoe Steps. A wren sings to the backdrop of a radiant sunrise, while the other other photograph showcases a first for this website, at the top of the Steps a roe deer ponders the morning.

May 16th, 2023: A shag (gulosus aristotelis) gives their wings a little stretch and on this particular visit I also noted how clear the North Sea was. The broken anchor submerged adds some nautical presence.

May 17th, 2023: Time for some vibrant colour and a contribution of flora thanks to the beautiful bluebell and marsh buttercup. During this fortnight, both flowers were prominent.

May 18th, 2023: There is a pebble shoreline at the base of the Whaligoe Steps which is divided into three sections. The furthest section has a shallow cave (pictured below), and the other photograph captures Star in full prowling mode.

May 19th, 2023: There’s a healthy quantity of seabirds to spot around the coastline here, and on day 19, I have these two photographs to share. A couple of black guillemot relax beside a calm North Sea, and trying to conceal their location behind vegetation is an attentive gull.

May 20th, 2023: A striking narcissus insists on being photographed in front of a bank of bluebells. In the other photograph, a typical example of the metalwork which is located at points within the local landscape. It was used for nautical purposes, especially during the ‘herring fisheries’ of the late 1700s onwards.

May 21st, 2023: A male eider duck taking a waddle along a grassy pathway along the top of Whaligoe Steps, whilst a little later during this particular morning trek, light filters through the prominent cloud to add textures to the surface of the sea.

May 22nd, 2023: On two trips down Whaligoe Steps on this specific day, different atmospheres were evident. In the afternoon a seagull swoops down only to get a surprise when a grey seal head breaks the surface of the sea! During my morning visit, I photographed a pied wagtail skipping along on the Bink.

May 23rd, 2023: Again I have examples of an afternoon and a morning in a day at Whaligoe Steps. Firstly, during an afternoon gazing at the movement in the North Sea not too far from the salt house, I caught a glimpse of an otter for the first time down here! Secondly, during a morning exploration beneath a soft sunrise, a pigeon of all things hops from one bit of coastal rock to the next.

May 24th, 2023: There are six flights of stone steps which make up the Whaligoe Steps. Here’s a taster of the first proper flight as you descend the cliff face. Once you have negotiated the six flights (at the time of these blog entries three have been expertly renovated and repaired by Charlie who is shown in previous blogs, while the remaining three are to be approached with vigilance due to their worsening state), there is a platform known as the Bink where you’ll find the remains of a salt house…

May 25th, 2023: Rock pipit unaware I was on a shelf of coastal rock above it, so fortunate to get that photo. Some ambience captured during a really bright sunrise…

May 26th, 2023: During these first 28 days of visiting the Whaligoe Steps, I’ve been privileged to share my journeys with the song of a friendly and enchanting wren on several mornings. In the second photograph below, a female eider duck swims eagerly through a shimmering sea confronted by a sunny glow.

May 27th, 2023: I believe this is a cabbage white butterfly clinging in the sea breeze to a dandelion. The other photograph below is a spectacle I’m enjoying as it unfolds, a couple of adult shags nurturing three babies. They give a distinct squeak at random intervals and at this stage are fluffy and gaining confidence of the wider world in the safety of their nest.

May 28th, 2023: During an afternoon visit, took a photograph of the sixth flight of Whaligoe Steps which takes you to the Bink (grass platform). You’ll notice the salt house which is situated behind. The other photo was a delight, as a grey seal relaxed on a section of coastal rock known as the Shoal o’ the head.

Thank you to those who have shared their well wishes for this adventure and challenge, it’s very much appreciated. To date, since May 1st, I’ve already been thrilled to get a photo of a roe deer, an otter, a good photograph of a rock pipit and a pied wagtail, plus the recent grey seal viewing. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that the local nature continues to share some wonderful moments.

Look out for the next entry in this ongoing observation of life around Whaligoe Steps, as I hope to continue capturing images of my daily visits.

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