The Return of the Gannets

11.1C starting dull and dry. Light rain by early afternoon, more rain forecast. Moderate then light WSW/SE/SSE breeze increasing to S/WSW 23 mph with gusts to 37 mph.

Maeve the Deerhound slept through until the alarm clock.

Apothecary7's day off which will be followed buy two more days off to use up annual leave.
We took the opportunity to have Apothecary7's car go through its first MOT. It passed, without advisory notices, and we had the car back by 9.45am.

At 10 am we got my car and went the ten miles or so South to Southend then followed the road round past Dunaverty beach and Kiel to Carskey Bay. There were some seals on the rocks at Kiel. We walked along the beach at Carskey with Maeve to the far end and came back again. There was a buzzard slowly ranging above the dune grasses at the back of the beach. Towards the far end there were Ringed Plovers amongst the pebbles and sand. Out to sea we noticed the first Gannets we have seen for a good while. Hopefully this is them coming back in from being out at sea through the winter and I will see them more often again. I enjoy seeing them in the channel by Davaar island in Campbeltown loch, soaring in the sunlight and diving.

Coming back along the beach we noticed the Cargo ship Nordic Diana making its way Westwards and the CalMac ferry Loch Bhrusda coming Eastward. I checked later on AIS where I saw Nordic Diana heading out towards Islay, and Loch Bhrusda was in the harbour at Campbeltown.

Driving back past Dunaverty we caught sight of a Kestrel above the dune grasses.

There were three boxes of eggs for sale at Little farm's roadside stall today. I bought a box.

Later Apothecary7 was painting.

Afternoon music ... Runrig, The Big Wheel.

DMC-LX7 f/2.8 1/320 sec. ISO-80 18mm (35mm focal length 180mm)