Oystercatchers on Loch Etive

I went looking for a blip along the shoreline of Loch Etive on which Helena's mother's house sits by the shore. I drove as time was short and what little light there was from the sun was diminishing rapidly. I went just two miles further inland, past Ardchattan Priory seeing herons every few hundred yards but also the signs of the salmon fishing farms which have been newly permitted since our last visit.

There were sheep in the pastures, gorgeous orange and brown tones of the leaves still on the oak trees, flocks of geese feeding on the very wet and nearly flooded meadows, and even the occasional Highland cattle turning to watch me as I passed by. In the far instance Ben Cruachan was shrouded with wisps of clouds at the head the loch and the sound of the Oban to Glasgow train rattling opposite me on the far side of the water.

I stopped in several places and took a variety of pictures of many of these subjects, But my eye was caught by the oystercatchers feeding along the tidal shoreline, walking in the shallows and suddenly flying off to pastures new when disturbed by my presence. I followed them from place to pack and then watched them wheel away together to the far side of the bay in which two fishing boats lay permanently at anchor.

By this time the sun was setting behind the far shore and I chose this shot of these four oystercatchers because of the beautiful light through which they chose to fly, which I love so much in this place. Our house was about a mile nearer to the sea and I went home soon after. Have a look at the map to see where this is.