One of the attractions of Islay to the wildlife enthusiast is that you can never predict what wildlife will present itself to you. One minute it is a gathering of Black Guillemots, a passing Hen Harrier carrying nesting material, groups of Roe Deer, but best of all a pair of Shelduck with 22 young. www.facebook.com/gordonyateswildlife
On the 13th June last month I had a brilliant four hours in my hide on Islay filming a female Hen Harrier as she flew to her nest with prey. It is something I have done before under Special Licence from NatureScot and is a privilege I have always valued. It was only when I got home and checked my diaries that I found on the 13th June 1973 I filmed my first ever Hen Harriers nest on North Uist. In those 50 years I have spent many hours filming 65 pairs of Hen Harriers which must make me the most experienced Hen Harrier photographer in Britain!!
Sadly the Hen Harrier today is under more threats than it was in 1973 and I would urge every reader of my blog to do what they can to help in its protection.
Our 117th visit to Islay was blessed with unbroken sunshine and a max temperature of 28C! For a wildlife enthusiast Islay has everything to offer and it was good to see the great variety of Waders still present when we arrived. Sanderling and Turnstones were bound for Greenland and some were now in summer plumage. Snipe were displaying and Common Sandpipers seemed to be found on every hundred yards of coastline.Redshank and Curlew were also present in good numbers and now all had young to look after. www.facebook.com/gordonyateswildlife
Last month I drove through the fog on the high Pennines to reach that special place in Yorkshire where the Black Necked Grebes breed. I had been before this spring but failed to find any pairs with young but all that was about to change. Not one but two pairs of Grebes had three young each and I settled down on a public footpath for a magical hour of filming – they were superb!! www.facebook.com/gordonyateswildlife
While I was filming the Kingfishers recently a party of Dippers came within camera range. I could only see one juvenile, but there may have been more, and the male was already in song and contemplating breeding for a second time.
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On the 24th May 1973 I sat for six hours in my hide, in the Forest of Bowland, photographing my first pair iof Kingfishers at the nest.It was a magnificent moment and I enjoyed every moment in the company of Britain’s most colourful bird.
On the 24th May 2023 I was in my hide, less than a mile from the earlier site, and once again I was enthralled by the comings and goings of Kingfishers. In those fifty years I have repeated the experience at least thirty times for you can never get enough of those halcyon birds of summer. www.facebook.com/gordonyateswildlife