FROM DRAGONFLIES TO ORCA, ORKNEY NEVER DISAPPOINTS

From a delicate dragonfly darting along the edge of the Rackwick Burn, to the mighty power of a pod of orcas on the hunt in the seas around Orkney, wildlife comes in all shapes and sizes around the islands.

If you set out with an open mind, just hoping to see birds, animals and insects in their natural environment, you are bound to be rewarded, no matter the season, and no matter the weather.

Going out and about looking for something specific can be harder, and often a chance encounter for just a few seconds is enough to spark a memory which lasts forever.

This has been the case with me on many occasions, and such encounters stay long in the mind . . . my advice would be to keep your eyes and ears open, and if you are inclined, always have a camera to hand to capture the moment.

Speaking personally, enjoyable and memorable encounters include photographing gannets at Noup Head in Westray on a beautiful summer morning. The black and whites of these solan geese are a stark contrast to the bright blue sea and sky.

The electric blue coloured dragonfly on Hoy, I caught a fleeting glimpse of for a few seconds, as it landed and quickly took off again.

Often in the summer, I venture to the seabird city of Marwick Head, where numerous species can be spotted, from kittiwakes and fulmars, to razorbills to guillemots, but for me, it is the brightly coloured puffin that always catches the eye. Catching them standing on the cliff edge, sometimes with sand eels in their beaks, is a sight to remember, as the sun sets over the vast Atlantic Ocean.

Orkney’s many lochs and coastlines are also home to the elusive otter. Harder to be seen, an encounter, even from a distance is always one to remember.

Migrating birds arriving in Orkney can spark many surprises and sightings, and it is little wonder that Orkney is hailed as one of the UK’S most prime locations for birdwatching.

Keep an eye on the fenceposts when out and about — short-eared owls and other birds of prey can be seen, combing the ground below for their next meal, which includes our own Orkney vole.

Out at sea, or quite close to the shore, whales and various types of dolphin can sometimes be seen, also looking for their next meal.

Such sightings of these fantastic cetaceans, always remain in the mind, and if you catch them on camera, then even better.

Grey and harbour seals can be seen in various locations in Orkney, sometimes you can hear their haunting cries and see them basking on the rocks, as you walk along the shore.

Like the seals, stay a while, and perhaps pause to take in the setting sun over the golden sea.

Orkney wildlife memories are made of moments like this, and those memories will last forever.