Islay Safari

I started to write you all a report,but then when trying to attach pictures,the site struggled.This new camera takes huge pictures,so I will have to crop a few for you to see.
Ferry trip over

A Manx Shearwater following us across.

Middle of the day,no fear on an island I guess.

Choughs,one of the reasons for the trip

Arctic Tern,pity it was a grey day,just playing with the camera and software.

brilliant pictures x x

Ragged Robin was everywhere

Orchids too.

Pyrimidal I think.

I was told this was rare,but forgot the name,will look it up later(early something or other,I think)

Great Pics TB. Love the shot of the Artic Tern, and the Manx Shearwater. It's great to see Choughs, we have them on Anglesy, but I've never managed to get a photo of them. It does take time to get used to a new camera, and the best way is to play around with them. I think you will find with the software, you will have a photo editor, with that you can resize your pictures for posting. I normaly load them into Windows Photo Gallery, then make a copy of any I want to play around with, or resize with my photo editor. Sorry you might know about that, but I though I'd just mention it, in case it's any help
WS

Just beautiful TB. Loving the Artic Tern and of course the little Reggie the Hedgie The colour of the Pyrimidal is glorious, it's one of my favourite colours. Your new camera is working well for you...........and us

littlewid-x-

Great photos TB - the rare orchid is beautiful.

Lai

Big things..................



and little things............

and cute things


Mum didn't like the look of us and the twins followed suit.

superb photos TB - love the hairy thing!

Lai

More piccies

Had to zoom in to see these,think they're young Sanderlings.


Black Guilliemot.

Not wild but they looked pretty ferocious.

Some really good shots there TB. Nice to see the Deer. Your Camera must have a really good zoom to get those Sanderlings, as well as your eyesight they well camouflaged there. Your right they do look ferocious, especialy the older Billy in front. We have a large herd of wild Goats on the Great Orme near us, but they are all white. Errrr that hairy thing Lai mentioned, you didna drop your Sporan did you
WS

I'm really enjoying your photos TB - all these different birds, animals and the caterpillar (?) Those goats have wonderful coats on them and a great set of horns on Billy.

I found this site http://scotland4wildlifeholidays.co.uk/wildlife-identification-guides which might help with the ID and some of the links are quite good but the caterpillar link doesn't seem to be working.

Lai

whitestarling wrote:Some really good shots there TB. Nice to see the Deer. Your Camera must have a really good zoom to get those Sanderlings, as well as your eyesight they well camouflaged there. Your right they do look ferocious, especialy the older Billy in front. We have a large herd of wild Goats on the Great Orme near us, but they are all white. Errrr that hairy thing Lai mentioned, you didna drop your Sporan did you
WS

The camera is a Cannon EOS 550D and the lens for that shot was a 17-85mm ultrasonic,still trying to work out what everything does.

Being on the west side we got some great sunsets



Not sure,but do you think this is "nessie" on holiday?

A perfect sunset TB - and love the Nessie photo

Lai

Here's "nessie"(the distillary girls named her Mandy as it was she who spotted her first) having her supper(mullet I think,from the warm water outfall at the distillary)

Just catching up on all your beautiful photo's TB. You must have had a spectacular time with such a variety of wildlife and those beautiful sunsets. Thanks for sharing them with us

littlewid-x-

We spent a large amount of time not wildlife watching,quite a bit in the distilleries,but managed to find 82 bird species and 8 mammals,Islay really is quite magical.

This is the Otter on her way back to where we think she has young,we saw her take the same route before and because she was feeding in daylight,think she has very young cubs.Once they are able,mum usually moves her youngsters to somewhere safer.Lot of assumption,but think we are not far away,hoping for news from the distillery to see if any cubs are seen.

Cracking Sunset pic TB, and that must have been a great moment capturing the Otter. As you say unusual to see them out of the water like that in broad daylight as well. Sounds like Nessie's having a great holiday, Mullet, and a wee dram at the outlet, what could be better.
Sounds like a great piece of equipment you've got there as well
WS

Islay sounds like a perfect place to visit for wildlife TB - thanks for sharing all your magical photos.

I love the otter one especially.

Lai

Islay is a rather magical place,a small,very quiet place where you can get a feeling of wilderness,all be it on a slightly smaller scale.
Wild empty beaches,this is Machir Bay.

8th century crosses.

Amazing skies and lots of distilleries,good food(mostly sea food),I don't work for the tourist board,but I might ask them for a free trip if lots of folk go.I would live there tomorrow,but Mandy found it a bit daunting,too quiet I think.

I love the look of Machir Bay TB....give me wild empty beaches any day......better than people filled ones with deck chairs, I love the feeling of a raw beach.

littlewid-x-