Another flighty bird!!

Today fellow blippers I has it all worked out!! My plan was to offer a dose of 15th century Scottish history courtesy of a visit to Blackness Castle, sitting right on the Firth of Forth, a few miles West of South Queensferry.

Built in the shape of a ship - and often referred to as 'the ship that never sailed' - it's been a Royal Castle, a State Prison, and a Garrison Fortress.

In late Victorian times, it became the main ammunition depot for Scotland and was decommissioned after the First World War and turned into a visitor attraction.

Having been there before, I know exactly what photographs I was going to take and even selected the shot for today's blip!!

However, the sun suddenly broke through and, as I looked in the direction of the Forth Bridges, spotted an small bit of land jutting into the sea and - a bit offshore - a rocky outcrop with lots of seabirds.

Access was via a very small area of beach and I was soon 'on site' and clicking away like mad. There was another photographer there as well and we spent some time chatting.

However, when we went to head back, the tide had come in and the beach had disappeared!! My photographer colleague was wearing wellington boots - but it was far too deep for me and my hiking boots.

I had to jump a couple of walls to get back to the castle grounds, mightily relieved and with my dignity (almost) intact!!

Anyway, when I got back and scanned through the images, this was the one I selected.

Having done a very quick Google search I THINK it's an Oyster Catcher. I really must brush up on these things at it could all get very embarrassing!!!!