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Photography Group One 1st May 2024
Ten of us met at the roadside Car Park in Finstown on a day with little wind and some low cloud but with the sun trying to get through. We set off to the Community Garden where we found lots of lovely colourful flowers out as well as tree buds bursting forth. The Burn was a great source of images.
Jocky Wood was painting a new picnic bench with the appropriately titled Wood Stain! He does a great deal of the work on the garden as well as his own just up the hill opposite.
Six of us then headed for Binsgarth Woods.
The track was muddy in places but the spring flowers were out all the way. There was Pink Purselaine, Wild Garlic, Wood Anemone, and the invasive Salmon Berry. Since the tree leaves were not blanketing the light, one was able to get good photos close up. The Burn had lots of interesting tree roots and hanging tyres and ropes from the kids' dare devil antics. Then it was back to the shop for rolls and along to Tom's house for a cuppa and a nice piece of cake. Thank you very much for that Tom and all the stories too.
The next meeting will be going to Westray on Wednesday 29th May for the day. Arrangement will be made nearer the time.
All in all a lovely morning, taking time to look at the flowers and listen to the Wrens, Willow Warblers, Chaffinches and Robins singing in the woods.
Keep clicking.
Walking Group One 25th April 2024
Five hardy souls collected today at Happy Valley for the first Hill Walk of the year .The temperature was cool with a North Easterly wind blowing and a hint of rain on arrival.
Off we set heading towards Russadale Quarry, spotting a Buzzard on the way.Turning into the footpath we remained sheltered from the wind all the way to the top of the hill.
The sun was out at the Quarry and a Greenshank was feeding at the edge of the Lochan. Then it was up the Peat road to the summit with spectacular views across Stenness and Harray Lochs, plus a view of the Closed Road beyond the Watch Stone. On the other side we looked over the Flow and down towards the Oil Platform and South Ronaldsay
Then it was back down after a stop for a snack and finally a walk around Happy Valley itself. The Daffodils planted by James and others were looking lovely and the Bluebells are days away from opening. Then it was on to a well deserved lunch at the Pier Cafe, having walked 4 miles and gone up 800 feet (and down again )
The next walk will be on Friday 24th May and hopefully more hills and views.
Keep moving.
Birdie Group - Feb 2017
by David Appleton - 17:08 on 15 February 2017
Twelve of us met at the Standing Stones of Stenness, initially causing the Ranger to think there was a large turnout for her guided walk which was starting at the same time. After noting the large number of seals basking on stones in the Loch of Stenness we went first to the bird hide at Barnhouse on Harray Loch. The calm, dry conditions offered easy viewing of mute swans, greylags, widgeon and lapwings with a few goldeneye ducks and a Slavonian Grebe as a bonus.
As we prepared to leave the hide and start our walk the sun appeared and we were blessed with a beautiful sunny, warm day to the extent that several folks were shedding layers during the morning. We walked at the edge of Harray Loch past the Ness of Brodgar before crossing the road to follow the shore of Stenness Loch and returning via the Ring of Brodgar.
Amongst the numerous tufted ducks and mallards were teal and mergansers. Also spotted were a few shelducks and at least one shoveller and a pair of stonechats flitted from reeds to fenceposts ahead of us. Some of our number also heard a skylark whilst others saw a grey heron take flight.
In total we collectively noted 25 species, many in good numbers, whilst enjoying easy walking and the best weather of the year so far.
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