A vulture who lived in my tree
was a wonderful creature to see
He lived solely on steak
but kept me awake
every night when he got up to pee
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Category: birds
St Kilda – Island on the edge of the world.
Anyone who saunters through my blog will very soon find that I was, for over 28 years, an Army man, a soldier, a squaddie!
This involved living in all sorts of weird places, in peculiar circumstances, and doing all sorts of things that the average joe doesn’t get to experience.
One of the places I lived was on the remote island of Hirta, in the archipelago of St Kilda. In all I spent over 8 months there, normally on a rotational basis of 6 weeks on, 12 weeks off. You can read a little about it here, and here.
During my time there I don’t think that I ever experienced the superb 4 day block of good weather that Angus Mackie and his group of kayakers did for their trip that is shown here.
This post is not about me but it does show a place that is dear to my heart, and to anyone who has ever been lucky enough to experience it.
Just as anyone who has experienced a true desert will know what “desert fever” feels like, those who’ve been to Kilda will be forever drawn back there, even if it is only in memories!
This expedition report is rather lengthy, and will be hastily skipped through by some, but for a few it will be of great interest. The link at the bottom will take you to a marvellous set of photos and videos. It takes a while to load as they are high resolution, and lots of interactive 360˚ shots. I hope you have time to enjoy them.
A link to a newly updated blog post of “A Superlative St Kilda Sea Kayaking Expedition with Skyak Adventures.”
St Kilda is a place of superlatives!
The remote island archipelago of St Kilda lies some 40 miles west of the Outer Hebrides and not only is it a UNESCO World Heritage Site but it has the highest sea cliffs in the UK, the largest seabird colony in northern Europe and a quarter of the world’s gannet population.
It’s also an amazing place for sea kayaking…!!
I’m Angus Mackie, a professional forester and photographer, based just north of Inverness on the beautiful Black Isle. I’m on the North Coast 500 and am well placed to discover most of the Highlands. The iconic scenery of Glen Affric and the Cairngorms are close by whilst many of the wild and dramatic locations on the west coast are within easy reach.
Mountains, landscapes, coastlines…. As a landscape and panoramic photographer who specialises in 360° photography, I enjoy exploring Scotland and its wild and remote places and have discovered some of the best photography locations in the Highlands over the last 35 years of living up here. With a broad and wide ranging knowledge of the Highlands, I still enjoy finding new locations and fresh perspectives for my photography. The use of natural light to capture stunning scenery at spectacular locations is very much a key factor for my photography.
I’m a qualified Summer Mountain Leader, a Sea Kayak Leader and a UKCC Level 2 Sea Kayaking coach, with many years experience of leading and guiding. I am also a longstanding member of Dundonnell Mountain Rescue Team.
Copyright © 2018 Scotland360° and Angus Mackie.
Twittering Tales #118 – 8 January 2019
It’s time again, for Kat Myrman’s wonderful challenge, to write a story, inspired by her picture prompt, in 280 characters or fewer.
Here is this week’s prompt, and my contribution. In fact, I have 2 tales to offer this week!
Check out all the fabulously creative entries here and, if you’ve never had a go, why not try a story of your own? You may surprise yourself!
Photo by Anasegota at Pixabay.com
Polly’s Revenge – following on from Polly’s Dream
Her mistress was insisting that Polly drank a kale and cabbage smoothie every day.
It tasted awful. She was not going to put up with it.
She’d had some senna pods stored in the cage corner, just in case.
She now mixed all of them in with the smoothie.
They’d soon change their minds!
(280 characters)
The Intern’s error
Each intern was warned – “Do not take petri dish B17 out of the fridge”
Simon didn’t listen!
So, when he was told to take out the samples ready to incubate them, B17 was amongst them.
She had been waiting for 39 years, and now, breathing at last, she prepared to take over the earth!
(280 characters)
Twittering Tales #117 – 1 January 2019
It’s time again for Kat Myrman’s wonderful challenge to tax our creativity. Just take her photo prompt and write a story, inspired by the prompt, in 280 characters or fewer.
Here is this week’s prompt and my contribution.
Check out all the fabulous entries here and, if you’ve never had a go, why not try a story of your own? You may surprise yourself!
Photo by Free-Photos at Pixabay.com
This follows on from my Lundi limerick #16 of yesterday
Polly’s dream
I’m sick of this cabbage and carrot diet. Look, it’s turning my tail feathers green!
Thank goodness it’s Christmas.
Maybe I’ll get some plum pudding, and there’s bound to be some nuts and fruit going spare.
I’m hoping there may be stilton and port left over too.
Now we’re talking!
(279 characters)
Lundi limerick #16
Pernickety Polly, my parrot
ate nothing but cabbage and carrot
She oft shouted out
I’ll not eat that sprout
but get me a nice glass of claret
Song Lyric Sunday Theme for 23/12/2018 – Season
Well, I guessed wrongly!
Having had “Boys”, then “Girls”, I just lost the shirt off my back by betting on “Babies”.
However, it is the season of a baby so I could have gone with my original idea, but I won’t!
I’m not even going to give you the lyrics to this song, you’ll know most of them anyway. So, just sit back, relax, and enjoy a bit of fun. I defy you not to smile a little bit!
I hope you all have a relaxing and enjoyable Christmas, and that the New Year is one with a bit of fun, lots of good health, a modicum of success, the love of family and friends, and some good music!
To view the fantastic opportunity that Helen continues to give us all, to share music new and old, known, and unknown, click here. Thank you Helen.
Lundi limerick #4
Deadrie the Dodo once said,
“Everyone thought I was dead.
I really am not,
although I was shot
through the heart, and the lungs, and the head!”
Flippin’ awesome
What’s not to love about penguins? Check out Kelly’s lovely account of her wander through Melbourne’s Sea Life Aquarium.
Penguins fascinate me. Flightless, skilled swimmers, they are an oddity of the animal kingdom. Fish out of water, or rather, birds out of sky. I admire their resilience, adaptability and noble sense of duty in the face of adversity. Out there in nature, survival is not assured for the entire black and white army – it is only for the fittest and luckiest of its soldiers. These guys live in harsh environments and face prey at sea as well as on land. I can’t bring myself to watch wildlife documentaries, it’s too much reality. Ignorance is bliss – as is a leisurely hour observing and appreciating these beautiful creatures at Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium.
I like to wander through Melbourne’s world-class aquarium every year or so. Sea Life is home to an impressive array of marine life, with the King and Gentoo penguins the star attractions. There are beautiful…
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The fly.
A fly came in and flew around, he buzzed this way and that.
It caused near apoplexy for my parrot and my cat.
My parrot said, “now bugger off”, my cat spoke not at all,
She was too busy flying round and bouncing off the wall.
My parrot said “I did not know that you could really fly.”
The fly, misunderstanding, said, “it’s just how I get by!”
The cat, meanwhile, was leaping up and down across the room.
The fly was sure to get caught soon and then would meet its doom.
I thought that I could help things out, and maybe swat the fly.
The parrot squawked, and grabbed the cat, and said “here let me try.”
The fur was flying all around, the cushions were all scattered;
The dogs walked in and chased the bird, and fly, and cat, all tattered.
Now, dogs, and cat, and bird, and fly, were chasing round and round.
It made me oh so giddy that I fell down to the ground.
I tumbled round and round and round, and slowly I arose,
when very much, to my surprise, the fly flew up my nose!
Very soon the cat arrived, determined to give chase.
She tried her best to catch the fly but merely scratched my face.
The cat was closely followed by the dogs, and then the bird;
The situation really was becoming most absurd!
The outcome of this saga was determined by my wife.
She smacked me on the nose, and thus she ended all the strife.
The fly was done, it was no more, all thanks to our dear mummy;
I sniffed, and swallowed; down it went, it ended in my tummy!
Twittering Tale #76 – The Secret Garden – 7 August 2018
It’s time again for Kat Myrman’s wonderful challenge to tax our creative souls. Just take her photo prompt and write a story, inspired by it, in 280 characters or fewer.
Photo by Kat Myrman 2018
Here is this week’s prompt and my contribution. Check out all the fabulous entries here.
They sat looking at each other across the dusty table, saying nothing. The dried remains of their meal had been pecked over by crows and nibbled by squirrels and field mice. It was no longer identifiable. Nor were the hazy outlines of the lovers, shimmering forlornly in the dusk!
(280 characters)
