Christine's walking & birds blog

Tarbat Ness lighthouse is privately owned and you almost feel you should drop your eyes respectfully as you pass it. When you're rich you can buy up land, history, heritage, and views.


Dozens of gannets were diving where the Dornoch Firth meets the North Sea, and three great skuas speeding north-westwards seemed very purposeful - a band of pirates with plunder on their minds.


Two redshanks were resting on the pitted red sandstone platform while others called faintly in the distance.


Rewritten later: Greger went back to the car for a coffee before driving home, and as I lingered, a tern flew in to the shore and landed, standing with just its head showing.


I moved round cautiously to get the tern in profile.


Out to sea rain was falling, grey smudges against the lighter sky beyond; and perhaps it was this weather that had caused the tern to seek refuge on land. I backed away without disturbing it, but wondered if it was okay. Returning to the car, I told Greger that I'd seen a juvenile Arctic tern (which he remembers). It was only when I got home and looked at it on the computer that I started to think it might be common; a southern birder used to breeding common terns but seeing Arctics only occasionally, I feared to err on the side of the more "exotic"; and I plumped for common. Rewriting three years later, I'm pleased to say I got it right first time.

Two stonechats and a robin were on the lighthouse wall, and a male blackcap was seen in the gorse. We left as rain swept over the headland. It had been an enjoyable day out.