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27 Apr 2020

St Abb's Head through the seasons: winter

Written by Laurie Campbell and Liza Cole
A flock of turnstone birds coming into land at the sea shore with their red feet outstretched.
Laurie Campbell
Winter is when the grey seal breeding season gets into full swing. We can also get some interesting birds dropping in, and all wildlife becomes bolder because there are fewer human visitors about.

As part of our celebrations of the 40th anniversary of St Abb’s Head being in the Trust’s care, we asked award-winning nature photographer Laurie Campbell to put together four galleries of his photographs, one for each season. Laurie lives locally and has a lifetime of experience of taking nature photos at St Abb’s Head. It’s a joy to see things through his eyes.

A group of grey seals on a rocky shore, with the waves washing over them. Close-up of a branch of a gorse bush covered in a thick white frost. A small brown and white bird sitting on the ground. A grey seal bull lying next to a smaller female on wet rocks. A grey seal bull in the sea, with a wave breaking over him. A larger grey seal bull with its mouth open and female play in a frothy sea A bird in different shades of brown wading at the water's edge, with its head touching the ground. Black and white male eider duck in the sea, which has an orange reflection from a boat. An otter swimming in water, with its head and body above the surface of the water. A grey seal pub dozing on its back on a rocky shore. Close-up of brown kelp seaweed. A kestrel flying with its wings outstretched in a bright blue sky. A flock of turnstone birds coming into land at the sea shore with their red feet outstretched. A brown hare in the snow with its ears flattened against its body. A goldfinch sitting on a branch. Close-up of the head of a grey seal pup. Two herring gulls with their yellow beaks open floating in the sea. A small brown bird of prey perched on a dead tree stump, which is covered in lichen. Four roe deer, with their white rumps facing the camera, by the edge of grassland. The slipway at Pettico Wick.

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The coastline at St Abb’s Head, where steep rocky cliffs plunge towards the sea. The clifftops are covered in grass.
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St Abb’s Head

Breathtaking coastal headland with dramatic cliffs, famed for its seabird colonies

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