On Sunday a small expedition was mounted to explore the nearby town of Helmsdale and venture across the border into Caithness. Once a fish and chip lunch had been consumed in the snappily named 'La Mirage' we journeyed on the A9 out of Sutherland and into Caithness heading to the small fishing village of Dunbeath. We were looking to discover small pockets of seabirds and weren't disappointed with seeing Black Guillemots from the end of the jetty, their red feet clearly visible as they dived under the waves in search of food. Meanwhile an early Wheatear was seen hopping around the top of the beach as we set off towards the cliffs to check for Fulmars and Razorbills that had been seen coming in off the sea.
Fulmar on cliffs at Dunbeath
A loosely arranged colony was found with birds starting to pair up and some vigorous squabbling was in full swing. Razorbills were also on the cliffs but in the next bay and as the tide was high we couldn't easily get round so will save that for another day.
Other birds of note included three Red-throated Divers on the sea by Brora harbour.
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