Christmas commissions

I am taking Christmas commissions up until the end of September to allow time for completion. Just to get you thinking ahead. I can take them after that but there will be no guarantee they can be done in time. If you are not wanting a commission as a Christmas gift then get in touch anytime :) 

Please refer to the "Commissions" page on my website www.megghyll.co.uk for prices.

Thank you.

Research on the Isle of Rum

Exactly a month ago I was lucky enough get the opportunity to help out a PhD student with some GPS tracking work on Manx Shearwaters. So I took the chance to take my Suzuki SV650 on its first proper long roadtrip up to Mallaig and back.

Scotland

 A fantastic week was had with some very lovely people met. We were living in a hut up a mountain (Hallival) with just a stream for amenities.

Manx Shearwaters are seabirds and they spend their days feeding or rafting out to sea and then come in at night to their burrows when there is less chance of being predated on. We had a set number of burrows that were being monitored and the chicks in them were weighed each day.

GPS trackers were being fitted to the backs of adults and geolocators were being fitted to their legs so their movements could be tracked, where they were going to feed and such. Gripping new research! 

So an excellent week had by all involved, and the weather was very good to us (which I'm told is a rare thing for Rum!) with us only having one night and day of unpleasant weather.

A visit to the Birdfair at Rutland Water

I managed to get along to this yesterday, and despite a hiccup of my backpack managing to deposit it's cargo of walking boots somewhere while on the motorbike, the rest of the trip went much more smoothly. I met up with a friend and we travelled down in the car.

I'd not been to the Fair before and the weather was beautiful...if a bit too hot in those marquees! I especially enjoyed watching the "Artists at Work", where renowned artists added a bird to the board and thus incorporating lots of different styles in one place, a fantastic idea and fascinating to watch. We also enjoyed a talk from Simon King, naturalist and broadcaster. A great day out!