Isle of May - Puffins

Puffins (Fratercula arctica)- the most colourful of the seabirds with their brightly coloured bills and bright orange legs.

 

Good to see them with their beaks full of sand eels - food for the chicks, also known as pufflings. The parent birds raise a single chick in underground burrows.

Trip to the Isle of May

Beautiful warm day on Wednesday with light winds and the May Princess was full as we left Anstruther Harbour. We were overtaken by the RIB 'Osprey' as we neared the island.

Also saw the RIB from the Sea Bird Centre in North Berwick.

 Approaching Kirkhaven on the island, Stevenson's lighthouse prominent.

 The May Princess tied up at Kirkhaven.

Stevenson's lighthouse and the new visitor centre in the foreground.

 The path up to the lighthouse.

The remains of Scotland's first lighthouse. The beacon was first lit in 1636. In 1816 its beacon was replaced by Stevenson's lighthouse.

A Colourful Bank of Poppies

A colourful bank of oriental poppies (Papaver orientale)  at the side of the road leading to Lundin Golf Club.

Keil's Den Bridge Rebuilt

It's been a while since we walked up through Keil's Den to the bridge at the top which carries the road over the Keil Burn. The last time was in 2012 and at that time part of the side of the bridge had collapsed.

The bridge has now been sympathetically rebuilt in the same style and there is a plaque on the bridge to mark the date in 2013.

A picture of the spot taken in 2010. Unfortunately the seat is no longer there. I think it simply rotted away. It would be good to see it replaced as it's a lovely spot.

On the way home, looking back to the den, with Largo Law in the background and cows peacefully grazing in the meadow.

Loch Garten and Loch Mallachie

There is a delightful short walk near Boat of Garten that links Loch Garten and the smaller Loch Mallachie going through mature Scot's pine and birch woods.

 The above four photos are all of Loch Garten and the two below are of Loch Mallachie.

A giant ant heap beside the path near Loch Mallachie.

Some Speyside Birds

At RSPB Loch Garten the best views of the osprey nest, eggs and adult birds  are from the webcams at the visitor centre. The above photo shows the osprey nest. Can just see the head of the adult bird in the middle of the nest.

A siskin on one of the feeders at the centre. Looks like it contains black sunflower seeds.

Great spotted woodpecker on another feeder.

A heron taken from the Heron Trail, Milton Loch at Boat of Garten.

Spot the treecreeper in these last two pictures, taken on the Speyside Way  between Aberlour and Craigellachie.

Red Squirrels at Loch Garten

Have seen red squirrels before on several occasions but they were either too far away or too quick for a photograph. However, on holiday in Speyside last week, at RSPB Loch Garten which we were visiting to see the ospreys, it was a bonus to see red squirrels on the peanut feeder.

Lucky enough to snap two red squirrels!

At Ballindalloch Castle a red squirrel is a blur as it dashes across the path.