Landing on Rathlin Island: Photos | Kintra Boat Tours

A gull takes off from calm water, wings raised, its reflection visible below, off Rathlin Island, Northern Ireland. — A gull lifting off the calm water.

A guillemot on the pontoon, red legs on show.

A black guillemot with red legs and a white wing patch standing on a wooden pontoon walkway, off Rathlin Island, Northern Ireland. — A guillemot on the pontoon, red legs and white wing patch on show.

A pied wagtail perches on a lichen-covered rock surrounded by clumps of pink sea thrift flowers, off Rathlin Island, Northern Ireland. — A pied wagtail perched among the sea thrift.

A fulmar resting on a grassy cliff ledge, close up, with a second fulmar out of focus behind it, off Rathlin Island, Northern Ireland. — A fulmar resting on the cliff ledge.

A grey seal lies on a seaweed-covered rock with its head turned, looking back over its shoulder toward the water, off Rathlin Island, Northern Ireland. — A seal glancing back toward the water.

A grey seal lies hauled out on rocks with both rear flippers raised in the air, another seal beside it, off Rathlin Island, Northern Ireland. — A seal with its flippers up, soaking up the moment.

A grey seal lies on rocks with one flipper raised in the air, a second seal's flipper visible behind it, off Rathlin Island, Northern Ireland. — A seal with one flipper raised, company close by.

A black-headed gull flies low over the water, chocolate-brown head, white body, red-black bill, off Rathlin Island, Northern Ireland. — A gull skimming low over the water.

A black guillemot preening on a wooden pontoon walkway, off Rathlin Island, Northern Ireland. — A guillemot preening on the pontoon.

A large gull with a yellow bill and red spot stands on tidal mud and seaweed, reflected in a shallow pool, off Rathlin Island, Northern Ireland. — A gull standing in the shallows, mirrored in the pool.

A ringed plover walks mid-stride on a sandy beach with seaweed, off Rathlin Island, Northern Ireland. — A ringed plover mid-stride on the sand.

Two grey seals lie hauled out side by side at the tideline, one paler than the other, seaweed in the foreground, off Rathlin Island, Northern Ireland. — Two seals hauled out side by side.

A grey seal rests hauled out on rocks at the shoreline, another seal partly visible behind it, sea in the background, off Rathlin Island, Northern Ireland. — A seal hauled out on the rocks.

An oystercatcher stands on seaweed-covered rocks near the shoreline, red-orange bill visible, off Rathlin Island, Northern Ireland. — An oystercatcher standing at the shoreline.

An oystercatcher walks across seaweed-covered rocks, black-and-white plumage and long red-orange bill clearly visible, off Rathlin Island, Northern Ireland. — An oystercatcher on the rocks, bill and legs bright orange.

A small pale wading bird stands on seaweed-covered rocks at the shoreline, off Rathlin Island, Northern Ireland. — A wader picking its way over the seaweed.

A grassy headland above dark basalt sea cliffs, mist clinging to the clifftop, calm sea in the foreground, off Rathlin Island, Northern Ireland. — Mist over the cliffs on a calm sea.

An oystercatcher forages with its head down among seaweed-covered rocks at the shoreline, off Rathlin Island, Northern Ireland. — An oystercatcher foraging among the seaweed.

White lighthouse on a rocky cliff ledge below a grassy headland, mist drifting over, seabirds nesting on the cliff face beneath, off Rathlin Island, Northern Ireland. — West Light perched above the cliffs, seabirds nesting below, Rathlin Island.

A green headland and dark basalt cliffs partly obscured by low mist, with birds flying distantly overhead, off Rathlin Island, Northern Ireland. — Mist clinging to the cliffs.

Two gulls stand at the water's edge on seaweed-covered rocks, off Rathlin Island, Northern Ireland. — Two gulls at the water's edge.

Wide view of a white lighthouse on a cliff ledge, with a dense colony of nesting seabirds covering the surrounding rock faces, off Rathlin Island, Northern Ireland. — West Light above a packed seabird colony, Rathlin Island.

Dark basalt sea cliffs with a grassy clifftop, hazy hills on the horizon, and small white birds on the ledges, off Rathlin Island, Northern Ireland. — Dark basalt cliffs with seabirds dotted along the ledges.

The skipper standing at the wheelhouse helm speaking into a VHF radio handset, with the chart plotter and coastline visible through the window, off Rathlin Island, Northern Ireland. — The skipper on the VHF radio at the wheelhouse helm.

East Light lighthouse standing on a rugged cliff headland, a bird in flight overhead, with dramatic clouds and rough basalt cliffs to the right, off Rathlin Island, Northern Ireland. — East Light on its clifftop, a bird passing overhead.

Two guests, seen from behind, watch a seabird gliding low over a rocky headland with steep grassy cliffs above the sea, off Rathlin Island, Northern Ireland. — Guests watching a seabird glide over the headland cliffs.

The boat Selkie sits moored at a floating pontoon in a calm harbour, with a row of white village houses and cloudy sky reflected in the water behind, off Rathlin Island, Northern Ireland. — SELKIE moored at the harbour with the village behind.

A minke whale's head and back arching out of calm grey water, its blowhole clearly visible with a bright splash beside it, off Rathlin Island, Northern Ireland. — A minke whale's head arching above the water, blowhole visible.

A roofless stone ruin beside a grassy track leading to a rocky bay at Rue Point, Rathlin, under a heavy grey sky with distant hills across the water, off Rathlin Island, Northern Ireland. — A ruined stone kelp store on a grassy track at Rue Point.

A grassy clifftop path along Rathlin's coastline looking out over a wide bay to distant hills, under an overcast grey sky, off Rathlin Island, Northern Ireland. — Rathlin's coastal cliffs and bay, seen from the footpath.

Want more North Coast in your life?

Puffin facts, wildlife sightings and what is happening on the water. Twice a month, no more, no spam.