James Macgeoch

James MacGeoch will always be remembered for his classic stills and cine of the gannet hunt on Sula Sgeir, taken in the 1950s. As the first outsider to witness the traditional harvest, he first had to win the confidence of the men of Ness in Lewis. His wife Cath came from Lewis so Jimmy already knew the Outer Hebrides well.

But his contribution to Highland culture and ornithology went so much deeper. Jim MacGeoch photographed the town of Inverness before the developers moved in during the 1960s and his easy rapport with people resulted in some fine studies of Highland personalities and naturalists.

He was one of the founder members of the Inverness Bird Watching Group in 1952, now a Branch of the Scottish Ornithologists’ Club. Jim’s interest in birds and in birdwatching was infectious. A strength lay in his ability to stimulate others, especially the young, so that under his guidance their enthusiasm soon matched his own. His monthly wildfowl counts round the Longman were undertaken by bicycle and it was only after his retirement that he invested in a car. As secretary he organised some popular and highly successful excursions, introducing members to field work in remoter parts of the Highlands. Camping weekends on Handa in 1963/64 were, to many, a first experience of an offshore island and its seabird colonies.