Celebrating Nature

The Cathedral was heaving with visitors just before the service started, some stayed for the service, but other were viewing the big Kirk as if it were a visitor’s centre. So, had to battle my way into St Magnus this morning for the Nature Festival Service, which had been running all week from the 10-18 May.

While I was in church, just before the service started, I spied my former B&B hostess in the congregation and after a quick exchange of news regarding the Sea Tour this afternoon on the MV Hamnavoe from Stromness, it was decided that I would travel with them. The organisers had laid on a welcoming free shot of Highland Park Single Malt, 12 Year Old in a Highland Park peedie glass. The Sea Tour was a rather side to side and up and down experience, that for some was more than they could cope with. walking in a straight line was difficult to do even without drinking. Taking photographs was also challenging too as the Ferry pitched to and fro.

The evening was lovely, once the wind had died down. The big cruise linear had left the harbour and was heading east for Norway, so, caught up with the ship as it past Rerwick Head.

The walk around this little headland, which was set against the WWII defenses of the island. Saw a number of oyster-catchers this evening, which gave me a chance to try and repeat a photograph that I took, in black and white some forty years ago with a 35mm Zenith E camera. In the days way before digital cameras were ever made. In those days I would develop the black & white film myself and print the images I wanted in the bathroom.

Catching these birds in flight and getting a sharp image is more often than not, easier said than done. but I think I managed a reasonable in flight image for today, that I would be proud to look at. The lens on my camera is far better than the one I used 40 years ago, as is the camera, but I am always pushing the boundaries of my lenses to the limit, in order to get the shot I require. Today’s 508 images came down to just this one for my blip of the day.