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This text is a copy of the last fulmar pictures and is included for completeness!)
I’ve tried but failed. I was hoping to keep the number of fulmar shots down but each one I have shows something more about what are to me the birds of the wild coast!
They only come in from the oceans to breed and, as you can see from this image they have rather long legs which make walking (and landing!) hard work – they are designed for paddling. The tube arrangement on the top of their beak is probably to filter out excess salt as they normally don’t have access to fresh water.
This one is nesting at Esha Ness on Shetland’s NW coast, along with many thousands of others and they are very relaxed about photographers getting this close (about 12 feet or so but with a drop of about 200 feet directly between the fulmar and me!!).
Indeed to get much closer would be a folly on my part as they can and will direct a jet of very smelly, oily fish vomit at any one or thing that makes them feel uneasy!!! Be warned!
Thanks for looking
Richard
Tech detls
Nikon D300
Nikon VR 80-400mm @340mm
f7.1 1/500s
ISO200
Comments
hee-hee-hee, are they awesome? now have all summer to play with them! ;)
…and yes, your warning is all but true, R… bu there you go, it’s their defence mechanism, loll!
They are Nat – mind you, it looks as if few others share our passion for the maalie! I could watch them fly for hours both skimming the water with their wing tips and hovering on the up-drafts by the cliffs, using their feet like rudders. So sad to hear that even they are struggling to find enough food now:(
Thanks for looking in N
R
– Richard Ion
Hi Richard, I love birds and am a very keen birdwatcher, This is a great capture. well done.
I’m glad there is another fulmar fan here Dave:) Thanks, Shonah and I are keen too but hopeless! We do like seabirds most of all though, as someone once said, real birds eat fish-)
Thanks for popping in.
R
– Richard Ion
So very cute.
You did a great job here, Richard.
Thanks Geir – glad you like it:)
Richard
– Richard Ion