Deerness

Pink-footed geese against Copinsay. A beautiful sunrise today but the sun disappeared almost as soon as it appeared behind thick cloud, the wind rose and the rain came down (or across!), making the walk less than comfortable. Extra is a distant ermine. Stoats aren't natural to the islands but are coming in, perhaps in hay imported from the mainland, and could have a dramatic impact on the ground-nesting birds here like curlew, merlin, hen harrier etc., species which are struggling across the UK.