Black Guillemot Cepphus grylle on the west coast of Scotland

When I visited the Isle of Mull recently I spent a little time photographing one of the UK’s more scarce birds the, black guillemot. They have a stronghold in the area and particularly around the harbour at Oban, the gateway to the Isle of Mull. These auks tend to stay close to their breeding areas all year round, just moving in and out of the coastal area to feed. Birds rarely move more that 50 km in winter from their home base. Their plumage changes in winter they change colour from their normal black (the black is a dark chocolate brown) with white wing patch to a winter plumage of mottled white colour with black bands  across their back and white underparts. But the biggest identification feature is the bright red legs in both plumages.

The birds can be seen on most Scottish coastal waters but is scarce in English coastal waters.

Here are a few images from the session on that morning.

Black Guillemot

Black Guillemot Oban Harbour

Black Guillemot Oban Harbour

Black Guillemot Oban Harbour

Black Guillemot Oban Harbour