September 2007
I didn't really get an opportunity to do any wildlife photography this month. Most of my weekends were occupied with other things, such as raising over £1200 for charity by abseiling 200ft down the side of the Royal Liverpool Hospital dressed as an insect!
Highlight of the month, however, was when my trusty abseiling companions took me on a surprise trip to Northern Ireland for my birthday.
Rathlin Island, Northern Ireland
Rathlin Island is home to up to 100,000 seabirds during the breeding season, but by September the breeding cliffs have all been abandoned and birdlife is very sparse. Down at the south end of the island, we stumbled across a group of about 20 Common Seals basking on the rocks.
Common Seals (Phoca vitulina)
Irish Hares were common in the fields, and the pale colour of this albino made it particularly obvious.
Albino Irish Hare (Lepus timidus hibernicus)
Highly cropped, low resolution image. Photo not suitable for sale.
 Albino Irish Hare (Lepus timidus hibernicus)Highly cropped, low resolution image. Photo not suitable for sale. |
 Abandoned farmhouses, Rathlin Island |
Today, there are only 80 permanent residents on Rathlin Island. In the past, however, the island had a much higher population and abandoned farmsteads are scattered throughout the island.
Giant's Causeway, Northern Ireland
Within sight of Rathlin is the world famous Giant's Causeway. The geometric rock formations were formed about 62million years ago when a lava flow came into contact with the sea and was rapidly cooled, causing crystalisation of the basalt.
Giant's Causeway, Northern Ireland
On another weekend, I led a larger group on a walking trip to the Scottish highlands.
Loch Leven, Scotland
Towards the end of the month, I climbed Tryfan, Glyder Fawr and Glyder Fach with a couple of friends on a beautiful sunny Saturday. Despite being a very steep and a tough scramble, or possibly because of it, Tryfan is one of the most popular mountains in Snowdonia.
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Tryfan, Gwynedd, Wales
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