Herb Riddle's photos with the keyword: Handa

Standing high on Handa's northern cliffs we see a small smattering of its thousands of seabirds on this worn down sea-stack. Around the corner we will see puffins and close-ups of guillemots and razorbills. Described as a stunning wildlife reserve at the north of Scotland. With dramatic cliff views and 100000 breeding seabirds including internationally important numbers of guillemots, razorbills and even puffins to watch with dramatic cliff views. The Island is 760 acres in size. The NC 500: The Scottish 'North Coast 500' is one of the world’s most beautiful road trips. A route of just over 500 miles (516) of stunning coastal scenery, white sandy beaches, rugged mountains, remote fishing villages and hidden gems.

A breakwater or small pier here for todays HWW offering from way back in 2021. A slight detour from our road as we begin a visit to the wildlife reserve of Handa Island. Here we are still on the mainland at the hamlet of Tarbet and this is the staging area for our short crossing to the Island with our cruise liner shown here :) The NC 500: The Scottish 'North Coast 500' is one of the world’s most beautiful road trips. A route of just over 500 miles (516) of stunning coastal scenery, white sandy beaches, rugged mountains, remote fishing villages and hidden gems. Have a good day

A look toward the Sound of Handa on Scotlands far North West coast with the rocks of Roinn Dubh on the centre left. ~ We are actually waiting for our little ferry to carry us across to the mainland here on this very isolated beach. At my feet is a large old flotsam log which I am sitting on. A path wanders off from here inland to the old Burial Ground and north through the Island centre towards the high cliffs where many sea-birds are nesting. Enjoy full screen

A few moments of excitement as I and another photographer saw this on the Island of Handa in Scotland, for we thought we were seeing a very rare endangered Caparcaillie which in many ways is similar. My further research on describing it here for you brought it to be in fact a male Red grouse. ‘The red grouse is a medium-sized game bird. It has a short tail and a lightly hook-tipped bill. It is reddish-brown, with its legs and feet covered in pale feathers. Birds breed in the UK in the uplands of the north and west and are resident all year round, travelling very little in their lives. The population is declining, perhaps linked to diseases and the loss of heather moorland.’ RSPB Enjoy full screen.

Here we see just a couple of the puffins around these high cliffs, of which this is the top. You can clearly see the holes where they build a small burrow to lay their eggs and bring up their young. The PiP link shows one having just landed on this high rock, clearly showing the makeup of its wings. The other PiP, shows a puffin taken on Scotlands North coast, Duncansby Head in 2014. ‘Puffins are unmistakable birds with their black back and white underparts, distinctive black head with large pale cheeks and their tall, flattened, brightly-coloured bill. These are pelagic seabirds that feed primarily by diving in the water. They breed in large colonies on coastal cliffs or offshore islands, nesting in crevices among rocks or in burrows in the soil. Its comical appearance is heightened by its red and black eye-markings and bright orange legs and is one of the world's favourite birds. With half of the UK population at only a few sites it is a Red List species. They eat fish, especially sandeels.’ Wiki & RSPB.org.uk Enjoy full screen

A photo of a puffin having just landed on this high rock, clearly showing the makeup of its wings.

The high north-facing cliffs of Handa were full of sea birds like this. These could be either guillemots or razorbills which both have white chest and black backs. The white and grey birds here are most likely kittiwakes. Skuas and fulmars are also present around here, as well as the most adorable puffins. In fact during the summer months these cliffs are the home of 100,000 breeding seabirds. Many years ago, the local population from the mainland would climb these cliffs for the eggs, as food for their families. Enjoy full screen.

We have walked across the Island and arrived at the high cliffs full of nesting guillemots, kittiwakes and razorbills. Here we see what I think is called ‘The Sea Stack’. There is another stack east of this and called ‘The Great Stack’ see PiP. Enjoy full screen.

We are on the far north of the Island and I think this is what is known as The Great Stack, quite famous for being a climbing goal. This is about one third of a mile east from the other more scenic stack called Sea Stack. (It is possible however that this photo is of another stack to the left (west) of Sea Stack. It all gets confusing, I know.

We are trekking across the Island towards the sea cliffs to see the birds but before that we are blessed with views like this towards the mainland looking south. I think the predominant mountain in the distance is Canisp but perhaps somebody can put me right Big sky country. We have been told to watch out for rats as they have invaded this Island and eat the bird eggs. Will it rain? - Just a few drops whilst eating our picnic (of course). Enjoy full screen.

A big day-out for us travelling here and about five hours on the Island. Just a short trip on this boat from Tarbet on the mainland which you see in the background. The Island is really quite small at 760 acres (309 hectares) and is 404ft at its highest point and needless to say -wild. Not really inhabited, as it is a SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest) and Special Protection Area. Noted for its birdlife, having high cliffs suitable for nesting and breeding. ~ Our adventure is just beginning. Enjoy full screen.

We are on the way to Handa Island in North West Scotland. The scenery en-route is pretty stunning as we pause here to gaze at this wonderful curved concrete box-girder bridge that we have just crossed. “It was opened in 1984 by our Queen Elizabeth. In 2019, the bridge was classified by Historic Environment Scotland as a Category A structure, recognising it as "visually striking and technically innovative". The bridge crosses water which is approximately 120 metres (390 ft) wide and up to 25 metres (82 ft) deep, leading to fast tidal currents. It replaced the ferry between Kylesku and Kylestrome, which was 400 metres to the east. The bridge is designed to be sympathetic to the surrounding country, and the approaches were chosen to minimise changes to the landscape.” Wiki Enjoy full screen.