COURTING FULMAR
I am very keen on photographing Fulmar - they are an incredibly graceful bird in the air and are also very succesful having spread around the coast of the UK over the last twenty odd years. At this time of year the birds are starting to pair up and as part of their courting ritual the shreik, cackle and wail and do a little bit of bill fencing. I caught this couple doing just that.

SHELLS
Unlike last months shell picture this was taken on the beach with the shells in situ. I have no idea why but certain sections of the beach are endowed with far higher types of shells than others. This beach always has large nubers of these pink "strwberry top" shells and masses of limpets.

PURPLE SAXIFRAGE
Purple saxifrage is normally a flower associated with mountain tops but I found this near Bettyhill down by the sea. It was growing in a small cleft and as one of the earliest flowers of the year it suprised me when I found it. I had to use a home made reflector to add a little more light to the scene as it was a fairly miserable day.

KITE SURFER
I came across a pair of kite surfers on Dunnet bay on a paticularly windy day with this brooding stormy sky and I couldn't resist trying to frame a picture with the yellow kite against the strong coloured grey sky. Its actually very hard to photograph as the surfer is seperated from the kite by up to 30m of cord so getting them both in the frame was quite hard work. I think you will agree that it looks like a fun sport to try!