Isle of May- Jewel of the forth

This autumn I took a new departure, migration watching on an island. I've never been one for super mega rarities, if its got feathers I'll try to get a snap of it! Don't care if its a yellow, red and blue warbler thats breeds on the moon and somehow got to the UK. However, since I was watching out for migrants that were rare I was kind of hoping for some sort 'mega'. On this front I was bitterly dissapointed. The rarest thing we had was a Wood Warbler. However, what an island that place is! Being less than 3 miles from bass rock, the place is constantly passed by Gannets, sometimes very close in...

As well as Fulmars, which even at this late stage in the year (early september) were breeding...

'The May' also has its own breed of rabbits, as years of not being predated has left them all manner of colours and shapes, although black rabbits seem more timmid, prehaps they know they're more obvious...?

Seals are common on and around the island, they breed here in the winter months (about now, in fact)...

As we were in the 'flux' period on the island, there were both summer and winter visitors about, this Purple Sandpiper being one of the latter...

and this cracking female winter is its summery counterpart, on its way south...

Of course some birds just want to be photographed, this Gannet sitting on the path was one of those. What a poser...

And of course there was that merlin from my first post. What a bird, an absolute stunner...!

I'd urge anyone with a spare week to visit this truly incredible place. Late September is best for migrants, but spring-summer is brilliant for breeding seabirds (puffins, guillemots, razorbill, etc.).