Scotland mostly - through nsl4u

M41 on trials, and then with the mountains soaring in the background - gorse
flashes of rich custard yellow on the hill pasture.
Herring gulls and the wonderful eider ducks....the males cavorting to get
the attention of the sack-cloth, dowdy female, who nevertheless has
attractive charms to encourage many would-be suitors!

Br, Denis.

Labels: Greenock, seabirds, west esplanade

A couple of lucky lunchtime shots again..gulls, jackdaws, and then the macho
Warrior tug boat. The wind was cool and brisk from the east and white
topping the water. The gulls in their glory on the eddies and the jakey with
feathers lifted whilst on the perch at the esplanade rail.
Along came the purposeful Warrior, driving into the swell and creating some
nice bow wave spray.

Another great 15 minutes. Fresh air and re-invigorated!

Br, Denis.

Labels: Greenock, seabirds, west esplanade

Seagulls, ..... of the herring-gull type, matures and juveniles in broon!
Just some fun for 10 minutes, though I need to try harder for the quality.
They took the draught downwind from the north-easterly, and then turned to
come gliding back up the airflows bouncing up off the esplanade wall. No
wonder man has wanted 'to do that'....!

Br, Denis.

Labels: Greenock, seabirds, west esplanade

It was a fun 15 minutes watching the male and female eider ducks paddling
here and there, with the warship and green buoy in the background.
The drakes were there to woo the ladies and take an impromptu 'chance'.....
A herring gull noticed some surface disturbance (a female taking a submerged
bath) and it swooped in and landed very close by; there was no defence, or
aggro..it hung about for 30 seconds then took off again.

The ducks looked grand when rising up and displaying and spreading their
wings; both the males and females did this.

Entertainment in nature....

Br, Denis.

Labels: eider ducks, Greenock, west esplanade

The minesweeper (?) on trials, and a pair of guillemots bobbing and
ducking...!

Nice day again. Br, Denis.

Labels: Greenock, west esplanade

The SD Nimble, and the SD Oronsay coming back to dock after some negotiating tugging no doubt..possibly over Holy Loch or further down the estuary, maybe Hunterston..?
The black guillemot, paddling red footed; the starling grubbing on the seaweed on the esplanade wall....- some not to keen on the squawker, but I love that iridescent plumage..not maybe quite so startling as the mallard male head, or some of the humming birds we see on the telly, but that mix of fleck and lustre in the Sun is hard to beat.
A bright and breezy cool day, but the stress buster from work for 25 minutes - up from the pc and stretching legs!

Cheers, Denis.

Labels: Greenock, west esplanade