Friday 2nd July: St Abb’s Head

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 On the last day of our holiday, we crossed the border into Scotland and visited the scenic promontory of St Abb’s Head. The weather was fantastic and the scenery and views spectacular, much more reminiscent of Cornwall than the flat, rolling sand dunes of Northumberland.



Mire Loch

 The cliffs were lined with birds - as well as the usual suspects from Northumberland of auks and Kittiwakes, there were good numbers of Gannets loafing on top of the rock pillars. We were able to get exceptionally close to some of the birds and a nesting Shag with young was a particularly pleasing find. It was also good to study the herring gull chicks, as we are used to seeing much bigger juvenile birds. They were extremely well camouflaged against the guano covered rocks.

Herring Gull with offspring

Gannets and Guillemots

Razorbills

Shag and family

Also of note today was our first ever sighting of the Chimney Sweep moth, a rather lovely day-flying species which was very abundant at this location

Chimney Sweep moth


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