This month is simply a celebration, a visual one.
Orkney has recently played host to a welcome visitor, the waxwing. They arrived here in large numbers from Scandinavia recently. This is known as an 'irruption' and large flocks were reported in Stromness, Finstown, most noticeably in Kirkwall, and smaller numbers appearing in the gardens of many of the isles.
My first sighting of a waxwing is such a strong childhood memory.
A friend of a neighbour reported seeing a flock of strange looking birds in her garden on Thoms Street in Kirkwall and 'did I want to come and have a look?' With its robber’s mask, punk crest, red wax blobs and yellow dipped tail, it was unlike anything I had ever seen.
I left delighted and weighed under with the stack of 'Birds of the World' magazines I had been gifted.
They are here for food of course and seemed to arrive, more by chance, at the right time as they alighted then stripped cotoneaster, rosehips, rowans and white beams.
I used an old trick - apples on canes - to invite them in however and it worked a treat, if they could get in ahead of the starlings that is. The only problem was I couldn't keep up with demand, with half an apple stripped in 15 minutes.
For me this was a real treat. With my back kitchen doors wide open, I could sit with a coffee in hand and tripod in front of me, leisurely taking some images whilst they squabbled and fed. Sometimes it's nice when it's not so difficult.
As the year comes to an end, I just want to thank those of you that have been in touch personally with some kind words about the articles. It's much appreciated and I'm happy so many people take an interest in Orkney's natural world.
Find out more about Raymond’s work via his official website. You can also find him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.