Ebb and Flow, Part 3

Sea eagle catching a fish

Our trip to Skye was always going to be about landscapes, but I was surprised by how much wildlife we encountered along the way. If I were to return, and I hope I do, I’d make that a bigger part of my focus.

Driving the island’s winding roads, we spotted red deer grazing by the water and plenty of small birds flitting across the fields. The hooded crows (Corvus cornix), with their ash-grey backs and black hoods, became quick favorites. But it wasn’t until we visited Dunvegan Castle—a seat of the MacLeod clan for over 800 years—that we had our first real opportunity to photograph wildlife up close.

Behind the castle lies Abhainn a' Chaisteil, a sheltered waterway where we joined a small seal tour. From a tiny motorboat, we drifted past common seals (Phoca vitulina) sprawled on yellow seaweed-covered rocks. Arctic Terns (Sterna paradisaea) darted and dived in sharp, elegant arcs, while a grey heron (Ardea cinerea) stood like a statue at the water’s edge, patient as only herons can be.

A misty morning in Portree brought another chance. We boarded a boat into the Sound of Raasay, the sea calm and the distant hills softened by cloud. The scenery alone would have been worth the trip, but when our guide pointed out a white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) high above, the day shifted. With a wingspan that can reach 2.5 meters, these sea eagles are the largest birds of prey in the UK, with wingbeats that seem to bend the air.

We watched as the eagle wheeled overhead, chased now and then by crows and terns. Then, in a sudden, deliberate drop, it swept down, talons striking the water and emerging with a fish. Power and precision in one fluid movement.

Further along, more seals lounged on the rocks, but it was the sight of two minke whales (Balaenoptera acutorostrata), a mother and calf, that made the morning unforgettable. Minke whales are the smallest of the baleen whales found in British waters, sleek and understated. They were reasonably far in the distance, but as they surfaced in slow rhythm, dorsal fins slicing the water against a backdrop of rugged coastline, they created an opportunity for some nice environmental shots. 

In my opinion, you can photograph stunning landscapes all day, but it’s the wild creatures that live among them that give a place its pulse. Skye’s beauty is undeniable, but first with the weather, and then with the wildlife, it truly felt alive.

Common seals at Dunvegan Castle

Common seal pup

Arctic Tern

Sea Eagle

Arctic Tern

Common seals at Dunvegan Castle

Minke whale in the Sound of Raasay