New Adventures

It has been a while since I last wrote a blog and a great deal has happened since then.  I have managed to find work as a Warden on the RSPB's largest UK reserve at Forsinard in Sutherland.  Those of you who know me will remember me working as a Volunteer Warden here last year.

So now I am here as a fulltime member of staff, I am in the process of moving into my cottage and I hope to bring you an official RSPB Blog from Forsinard in the near future.

Stuck in the doldrums...

So the adventures in Iceland are over (for now). I returned to Scotland at the start of September after an epic 5 months working in the remote east of Iceland and I am now trying to adjust to "normal" life.  I have had some amazing opportunities to work with some brilliant people and amazing wildlife and now I'm scoping out the next opportunity to either vanish into the wild or to try and inspire people to care about our wildlife and natural history.

After the wild beauty of Iceland it is strange being back in autumnal Scotland with the trees displaying a stunning variety of colours.  Some things never change and the majority of the weather in the last 2 months has been wet and windy. 

I am currently searching the career paths and looking for that next adventure.  The second I manage to find it I will start writing the next chapter of "Spirit of Adventure".

My new car!

Just a couple of photos of my new car. Not very useful for parking in Tesco, but Icelandic rivers, mountains and 4x4 tracks are no problem!! It also does not matter if I get a stone-chip to the windscreen and if I want to deter any potential car thieves I only have to go for the optional .50 cal machine gun!

Weather for the...er...chicks?!

Well the wind has changed direction, heavens have opened and the beautiful weather of the last couple of days are nothing but a vague memory.  We have had torrential rain since last night and the rivers have all become impassable again. Hopefully they will lower again before our volunteers are due to leave on Sunday!

So to pass some time in the nice warm (and dry!) centre I thought I would write about my latest discovery and add some more photographs to my blog.

I went to check the chicken house yesterday afternoon as I have done on many occasions.  Opening the door I was momentarily distracted by a skein of geese as I stepped forward. As my foot hit the ground however there was a little "cheep" where no little cheep has any place being as we start the downward slide towards another Icelandic winter.

After quickly checking their was nothing fluffy stuck to the underside of my boot I was comforted to hear another "cheep" from outside the door, followed by yet another "cheep" from a different location.  Quickly running around I eventually ended up with FIVE "cheeps" in a bucket.  It appears our rather randy rooster (Rupert!) has had his wicked way with one of our grey hens.  Rather than sitting in the hen house she had discovered a hidden place to nest and had managed to hatch five little chicks. After a quick health check all five "cheeps" were returned to mum, who led them off into the grass.

Chicks and more photos...

Two of our new chicks!

What a view!

Best place to relax!

My new idea for  "dealing with the laundry"

Sauðafell

For the past five months Izzy and I have looked out every morning (well those mornings where the cloud allowed us to look out!) across the reserve to the mountain of Sauðafell which stands 553m (or 1797 ft for those that still like the old money!)

Everyone who visits the reserve has to drive along the 4x4 track that runs around the bottom of Sauðafell with it´s rocky summit. It has been a constant part of the scenery here and we have been trying to find time to climb it since April! - Well on Saturday we eventually managed to find time, and luckily for  us beautiful weather, to climb the mountain with our faithful hound.

The view of Sauðafell from the 4x4 track

Izzy making her way up the mountain

Bjartur (right hand side) enjoying the view

Almost at the top

Great view

Izzy on the ridge

At the summit 

SEEDS Group 2 - Oli´s Angels

Today saw the departure of our second SEEDS group of volunteers. They have been with us for the last week and have filled the place with laughter and have lightened atmosphere in the centre as we come to the end of the season. It has been lovely having them and getting involved with all of their activities on and off the reserve.

Sunday will see the arrival of our last group from the John Muir Trust and also the last full week that Izzy and I have left at Skálanes before we return to the United Kingdom. Sometimes it seems that the time has flown and other times it seems like we have been here for a long time.  It has been an eventful summer and a very useful experience for both of us. Hopefully all of the groups that we have had through feel it has been a worthwhile experience for them as well.

So.....SEEDS Group 2 in photos...

Down...but not out!

It was always going to happen at some point and 19 weeks have now been and gone at Skálanes before I have become ill, although on the plus side I have outlasted everyone else. Now to head-off the comments about "Man-Flu" I do not have the flu! I might have a horrible cold or even a throat infection, but I do not have man-flu.

It has been busy at Skálanes with guests and day visitors, but the season is definately slowing down now. In three days our second Glasgow University group leaves and we then only have a SEEDS group and a group from John Muir Trust before Izzy and I follow the majority of bird species back south.

Lacking any great inspiration other than the four walls that I am currently confined in, I thought I would simply finish with a photograph of a 4x4 lorry that we parked next to the other day.  Now I know Izzy is on the shortish side (don't tell her I said that!) but the lorry is HUGE! If you're going to travel in Iceland then I guess it is worth travelling in style!!