Hi all
Just got back from my second-ever trip to Shetland, which I thoroughly enjoyed. As well as great wildlife (despite the odd disappointment) I loved the friendly people, totally unpretentious culture, the very northern feel to the land and the light, and the (...slightly unusual) warm weather.
Sailed from Aberdeen on a gorgeous evening of flat seas and beautiful light. Gannets and jellyfish appeared an hour out of port and in due course a Minke Whale, several Porpoises and a dolphin of some sort showed themselves.
Had a fairly lazy week. Lots of gentle ambling round looking for Otters, hours of hanging out at Puffin colonies, a bit of dozing off in the sun by the side of peaceful lochans, and a fair amount of time lying in the bath reading Charlotte Bronte's Shirley (in which the main character suddenly and unexpectedly decides she wants to visit Shetland - spooky eh?)
Met up with our very own CornishExile for a very enjoyable tour of some of Shetland's less well known areas and a long and fascinating discussion of Shetland culture and politics, past, present and future. We found a few good plants (Royal Fern, Round-leaved Sundew, Marsh Cinquefoil) while bird highlights were close views of families of Red Grouse and Whooper Swans.
Other bird highlights for me this week were a Great Northern Diver close inshore, a Common Sandpiper on its territory and lots of Puffins (seen fighting, snogging and bringing in sandeels). Yes, the seabirds are having a greatly improved season this year.
Also saw my first ever Storm Petrels. The very first was at very close quarters right above a rocky shoreline on an evening with a stiffish but not outrageous onshore wind. Saw many more on a midnight boat trip to the island of Mousa. Here the birds arrive at this time at their nesting sites, notably in the broch - a massive, Tolkienesque Iron Age fortified tower. By the time we left the broch, the boulder-covered beach and even the dry stone walls were ringing with the sound of petrels churring (bizarrely like Nightjars) and hiccupping (I think this is the sound one ornithologist described, poetically but possibly inaccurately as like fairies being sick). This boat trip runs twice a week around midsummer and I can't recommend it enough. Unfortunately high winds mean it is sometimes cancelled.
Mammals slightly disappointing despite more Porpoises appearing close inshore one evening. That Killer Whale never came cruising into any of the bays, and not a sniff of an Otter. Things I briefly mistook for Otters: Eiders, a baby seals, a funny shaped rock, seaweed. Oh well: had marvellous Otter sightings last year in the Western Isles so shouldn't be greedy.
James
Nice report James. I was up in Shetland a month or so ago (when the weather wasn't so warm and the prognosis for seabirds was much worse). My chance to go on the boat to Mousa was also dashed by the weather but I still had a great time (Sardinian Warbler helped).
Good report, James. It's a trip I've wanted to do for a long time, take the car on the ferry south to Shetland via the Faroes. Can't help you with Otters but Killer Whales can be found fairly easily off Iceland in early summer if you ever fancy heading further north.
E