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Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus)

These photos were taken on a boat trip organised by the Scottish Seabird Centre, North Berwick (www.seabird.org) to see Bass Rock close up - one of the main Gannet breeding colonies in the UK, and the origin for the Latin name. These birds are highly efficient flyers and divers and are a truly spectacular sight when you get a chance to see them in close proximity. Their bullet like body, huge wing-span of neary 6ft, and colouration give them a unique place amongst our UK seabirds, and watching them dive at 90mph for fish is just fantastic.

Bar-Tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica)

I'm still not 100% sure that I've identified this one correctly but I think so... These two birds were sharing the spoils of the shore-front with some friendly Oystercatchers. Their very long straightish bill and long legs seem to distinuish them from other waders of similar colouring such as the Sandpipers.

Rock Pipit (Anthus petrosus)

These small birds dart about from rock to rock looking for insects to eat. They look almost too slight for their exposed life by the sea compared with their more rugged bird friends. It is tricky to catch them still long enough to see them as one usually only sees a glimpse of brown wings.

Turnstone (Arenaria interpres)

These Turnstones were having a morning rest by the shore - not their usual habit of running around over-turning the seaweed and stones looking for food. Their stout beak is a great tool for the working life of these birds. Not to be confused with Dunlins that have a darker undercarriage and legs.

Purple Sandpiper (Calidris maritima)

These birds were happy mingling with a flock of Turnstones while they were all having a morning rest by the waterfront. With orange-yellow legs and beak it is like a smaller and less showy version of a Redshank. The plumage has a lovely grey/blue and mottled colour - not quite as purple as the name suggests however.

Redshank (Tringa totanus)

It is the orange legs and bill that give the game away for those of us not experts in bird identification. And what lovely shanks, legs they are - much longer than many of the other smaller waders and what a lovely colour.