The Orkneys are a superb place for the ornithologist (bird-watcher - or "bird-fancier" as Rich Ellison put it!) and binoculars were brought to focus on many-a species and specimen during our time on the northern isles. Not that you had to always go quietly; try walking through the breeding ground of some Artic Skuas ... they'll ferociously bomb and dive you; nesting fulmars will sit demurely on their ledges knowing that once within range they can spit out the most foul smelling stream of fishy vomit to deter the most avid twitcher; sit on the harbour wall to enjoy a freshly fried fish supper and you'll be mobbed by all the gulls around, the cheekier of which will snatch the chips out of your very fingers!
One little pastime invented by a couple of the lads brought into sight the other sort of 'bird' (ladies please excuse any derogatory sexism here!). The tools used were our blue unit sweatshirt and a camera; the object being for one of the unit to engage a certain young lady in conversation and then persuade her to pose for a photo with him, both clad in the distinctive blue of a unit sweatshirt. The addition of a unit scarf (correctly worn or otherwise) was deemed an additional bonus!
As our gallery shows, several of the unit rose to the challenge ..... obviously you can't beat experience as the ESL proved!
With special thanks to the young ladies who sportingly accepted the invitations and joined in with the fun!!
