Puffin

Today was more like late autumn than late summer. The skies and seas were grey and there was a cold northerly wind blowing.

I went up to Birsay and was cheered by the sight of the puffins on the cliffs. They'll be heading off soon to spend the winter far out to sea. How amazing is that? More shots here.

Lots of flowers pretty well gone now but still plenty of sea campion, cats-ear, purple loosestrife and others. I walked from the hide at The Loons to Marwick, then along to the Fishermans Huts at Sand Geo where I had my coffee and on past The Spord, Erens Geo, Axna Geo, Nebo Geo and round the Knowe of Verron and Skail Bay where the wee bus picked me up at Skara Brae.

On the way back it brightened up and the wind in the barley produced the effect, in the sunlight and cloud shadows, of rippling on the pelt of an exotic green mammal.