Holiday Snaps 2

Part two of my evening in the sun was spent on another nearby cliff top with the hope of photographing seabirds in the evening sun. I tried this last year with Fulmars but this year there were very few about. I noticed early in the year less bird prospecting for nest and at the moment there are very few on the cliffs – did something happen out at sea during the winter or did the cool wet period in early summer put them off breeding this year?

Even without the seabirds it was wonderful sitting on the cliffs with the sun slowly sinking in the sky to produce a lovely sunset. A had fun photograph the wild flowers such as thrift and harebell in the warm light with the stunning backdrop of North Antrim.

As the sun got very low the sky I suddenly became aware of movement in the grass around me. Moths began to appear, first one or two but then more all fluttering low over the grass. One settled and managed to get in close for a few photographs, which wasn’t easy in the low light.

These were Gold Swift moths, a species I have never seen before, never mind photographed. I am reliably informed that this was a lekking area where the males congregate and “dance” in the hope of attracting a female. They are certainly a stunning little moth and they kept me entertained and speed low over the ground.

There are more images of this wonderful evening on my Flickr photostream accessed through the links page above.