Albatross! (250/365)

[white_hart]

We drove back from Yorkshire yesterday via the Bempton Cliffs RSPB reserve, where we were much too late for the puffins, but saw a large number of gannets, as well as catching a glimpse of their celebrity visitor of the season, a black-browed albatross.

I took lots of photos of the gannets, but the albatross was moving far too quickly for my camera.



The drive back was a lot better than the drive up, mostly because we were on the M1 rather than the A1, but it's still a long way to drive in one day (217 miles from the Tesco in Bridlington where I bought petrol to my house, according to the car) with only one brief stop for lunch. I was shattered by the time I got home and then ended up with my head spinning and my neck and shoulders feeling very peculiar, presumably because of spending such a long time sitting in the same position. (Hunching forward and clutching the steering wheel in a death-grip probably didn't help, but I don't understand how anyone is supposed to be relaxed while steering a large metal box at 70mph surrounded by other, often larger, metal boxes also going at 70mph.)

It was a good holiday, but driving nearly 600 miles in a week, with very few driving-free days, definitely wasn't ideal.

Comments

[lilysea]

Albatross!

I didn't realise that puffins were seasonal!

I wonder if puffins are seasonal in some places but permanent in other places.

[white_hart]

They come to land to breed but spend the rest of the time out at sea, so you can only see them on the cliffs during the breeding season.

[sfred]

Lovely gannets! I hope your bones and muscles recover quickly.

[white_hart]

Thank you!

[cosmolinguist]

Yeah our camping trip the other week involved driving 350 miles on Saturday and then 350 miles back on Monday, for my poor boyfriend who also finds driving very stressful. I felt for him, I hate that I can't help drive!

[white_hart]

Yes, my partner doesn't drive so it's all down to me.

[lexin]

I hope it was a good holiday, despite all the driving.

[white_hart]

It was!

[nineveh_uk]

I had no idea there were ever albatrosses in the UK. What a thrilling sighting!

Sorry about the driving. I have the same issue with pain caused by long distances and particularly motorways. I try to relax, but it is very difficult.

[white_hart]

Yes, I can't understand how people can feel relaxed while driving!

[mrs_redboots]

Fortunately, my husband adores driving, so I don't have to! I do try to keep in practice, but as he is the world's worst back seat driver, that tends not to happen.

By the way, how do you get photos on to your posts? I realised the other day, when I wished to post one, that I had absolutely no idea how it was done.

[white_hart]

I have a paid account so can upload pictures to DW (I think that's paid accounts only?). But if you have photos uploaded to another hosting service you can just use the insert image option to paste the link for the picture.

[mrs_redboots]

Thanks. Yes, I have a free account. I wonder whether I can insert from Google photos - must try, I think!

[hilarita]

Yay wildlife! And yay for time off work!

[white_hart]

It's good to have a break!