Painted Topshell
Beadlet Anemone
Star Ascidian
Plumose Anemone
An impromptu search amongst the seaweed at Ulster ferry terminal, Yell.
I've been looking for Painted Topshell for a long time. Star Ascidians are incredible and Plumose Anemone are so tiny and awesome. 10 minutes of pure joy.
#Rockpool #Yell #Shetland #Wildlife #MarineLife
European Cowrie from a #Shetland Rockpool today.
Most people know these as smooth shells, beach treasures, collected alongside sea glass. Alive, they are a voracious predatory Sea Snail hunting out Sea Squirts
#Cowrie #Shell #Rockpool #MarineLife #Nature
A young Great Spider Crab traversing a Shetland Rockpool. It has adorned its carapace with bits of algae to help it avoid detection by predators. Doesn't really work when it just ambles about the pale sand though!
#Rockpool #Safari #MarineLife #Crab #SpiderCrab #Shetland #Nature #Wildlife #Sealife
A Velvet Swimming Crab showing off its swimming legs.
These fast aggressive mid sized crabs are common in Shetland in the lower tidal zone, but still a treat to find on a Rockpool Safari.
#Crab #Rockpool #Nature #MarineLife #SlowMo
A Grey Sea Slug, Aeolidia papillosa, prowling through a Shetland Rockpool on the hunt for a tasty anemone (at 2x speed). Also known as the Shag Rug Nudibranch, because.....well just look at it!
🦀🐚🌊🐌
#Nudibranch #MarineLife #Shetland #RockPool #TidePool
Aeolidia Papillosa
Aeolidia Papillosa
Aeolidia Papillosa
Aeolidia Papillosa
A few stills from my afternoon session with these Grey Sea Slugs.
At first I thought I'd found one of the other similar species when spying the paler one, but it's Y marking on its head confirms Aeolidia papillosa.
#Nudibranch #SeaSlug #MarineLife #Shetland #Rockpool
Velvet Dorid - Jorunna tomentosa
Velvet Dorid - Jorunna tomentosa
Velvet Dorid - Jorunna tomentosa
Velvet Dorid - Jorunna tomentosa
One of our cutest rockpooling finds recently. Those rhinophores are definitely giving sea bunny. This guy was just sliding along the bottom of a shallow pool out in the open.
#Nudibranch #SeaSlug #Rockpool #TidePool #MarineLife #SeaLife #Shetland
Velvet Dorid - Jorunna tomentosa
Solar-powered Sea Slug - Elysia viridis
European Cowrie
Bloody Henry Starfish
Some recent Rockpool highlights. Braving the cold water this time of year is definitely worth it!
#Rockpooling #TidePool #MarineLife #Shetland #Nature #SeaLife #Nudibranch #SeaSlug #Cowrie
A good day out today!
Grey Sea Slug
European Cowrie
Long-spined Bullhead/Sea Scorpion
2 Sea Lemons
A few non-UV illuminated finds from todays night time safari.
Cowries, fish and sea slug species are always a delight. Fish were particularly conspicuous in the torch light, with 20+ of 3 species seen.
#Rockpooling #Tidepooling #MarineLife #SeaLife #SeaShore #Cowrie #Nudibranch #Fish
A Sea Spider in a Shetland Rockpool under UV light
A Scale Worm in a Shetland Rockpool under UV light
A European Cowrie in a Shetland Rockpool under UV light
A beadlet anemone and a grey topshell in a Shetland Rockpool under UV light
Some Rockpool critters under UV light from night session in Shetland this evening. The Sea Spider just glowed, and the pink from the Cowrie is fantastic.
#MarineLife #Rockpool #Tidepool #Shetland #Sealife
Our safari dates February to August are now available for booking.
February to May
June to August
We've just finalised our schedule up to August 2026!
#MarineLife #Rockpool #Wildlife #GuidedTour
Four-lined Polycera - Polycera quadrilineata, a common but tiny nudibranch found in Shetland
Four-lined Polycera - Polycera quadrilineata, a common but tiny nudibranch found in Shetland
Four-lined Polycera - Polycera quadrilineata, a common but tiny nudibranch found in Shetland
Four-lined Polycera - Polycera quadrilineata, a common but tiny nudibranch found in Shetland
Polycera quadrilineata or Four-lined Polycera.
A small but relatively common nudibranch found in rockpools and along piers and pontoons, if you have the patience to sift through the wracks.
#Nudibranch #MarineLife #Polycera #Rockpool #Tidepools #Shetland #VisitShetland #SeaLife #Wildlife #Nature
Moulting adult Sanderling, 28 Black-tailed Godwit and 9 Ringed Plover on the River Mersey east of the Gateway and south of Moss Bank this afternoon #SankeyValley #PatchBirding
Solar-powered Sea Slug - Elysia viridis, from a Rockpool in Shetland.
Flashing part of its "solar panel" that is filled with chlorophyll harvested from the algae it grazes on.
#Rockpool #Tidepool #Nature #Shetland #Wildlife #SeaSlug #Nudibranch #MarineLife
Our group checking out the finds in a tray.
Our group checking out the finds in a tray.
Sea Lemon selection
Common and Brittle Sea Stars
A lovely evening Safari with 7 entrepid rockpool explorers. We found some of the largest Sea Lemons I've ever seen, and a great selection of other intertidal beasties from Sea Stars to Squat Lobsters.
#SeaLemon #Nudibranch #Rockpool #Tidepool #MarineLife #Nature #Wildlife
European Cowrie or Groatie Buckie in Shetland dialect. So much more interesting like this than the dead shells you might find on the beach!
#Cowrie #MarineLife #SeaSide #Rockpool #Tidepool #Nature
A nudibranch on Corallina officinalis, ID to be confirmed.
A nudibranch free floating just off a piece of kelp, ID to be confirmed.
I recently posted this as Cadlina laevis (White Sea Slug) but on review think it might be Jorunna tomentosa.
If anyone on here knows and can talk me through the ID I'd really appreciate it!
#Nudibranch #Shetland #MarineLife #Rockpool #Tidepool #Nature #Wildlife
Elysia viridis, a nudibranch like sea slug (or perhaps more accurately a sea snail?) from a Rockpool in Shetland, UK.
Elysia viridis - Solar-powered Sea Slug
This fascinating little creature ingests chloroplasts from its food algae, then uses them for photosynthesis to supplement its food supply. The folds on its back fan out to increase surface area to aid this process.
#SeaSlug #Shetland #Rockpool #MarineLife
A tour participant searching a seaweed covered Rockpool.
Common Starfish
Orange-clubbed Seaslug
Hermit crab in the hand
Fancy learning about what lies just beneath the surface of Shetlands wonderful shores? All ages welcome! Check out our website and book your tour. If you aren't visiting soon, enjoy the gallery of some of our favourite finds!
#Rockpool #WildlifeTour #Nature #Shetland #Starfish #Crab #Nudibranch
Beadlet Anemone
Common Starfish
European Cowrie
White Sea Slug
We've got spaces on tours in the last week of July:
Thu 24th @ 5:00pm
Sat 26th @ 6:00pm
If you are in Shetland, why not book on one and learn about some of the creatures below (Beadlet Anemone, common starfish, european cowrie, white sea slug)
#TidePool #RockPool #Wildlife #SeaLife #Shetland
Cadlina laevis - a Nudibranch found in Shetland.
Aegires punctilucens - a nudibranch found in Shetland.
Palio nothus, a Nudibranch found in Shetland
Sea Lemon (Doris pseudoargus) in front of a Green Sea Urchin in a sample tray, found in a Rockpool in Shetland.
Some recent Nudibranch finds whilst rockpooling around Shetland. Identifications in Alt text.
The variety, colour and alien-ness of Nudibranchs never ceased to amaze me!
#Shetland #Rockpool #Tidepool #SeaSlug #Nudibranch #Seashore #MarineLife #UkWildlife #ShetlandWildlife #Nature
Come rockpooling with us!
We love rockpooling and are excited to be starting a new venture - offering guided rockpool safaris here in Shetland.
Check out our website for more details and dates of sessions!
#Rockpool #Rockpooling #Shetland #Tidepool #Wildlife #Seaside
Grey (Red) Phalarope in Shetland
Grey (Red) Phalarope in Shetland
Grey (Red) Phalarope in Shetland
The stunning breeding plumage female Grey (Red) Phalarope at Spiggie, Shetland, this afternoon. What an incredible looking bird! Not often seen looking like this in the UK. My only other sighting was about a decade ago at Brandon Marsh, Warks! #Phalarope #Waders #Wildlife #UkBirding
Well done squeezing them all into one shot 🤣
Pine Marten
Pine Marten
Pine Marten
So many photos to go through from my time in Pine Marten heaven - Ardnamurchan, West coast of Scotland. Such wonderful characters, I watched them for hours climbing over rocks and trees behind the hours.
#BritishMammals #PineMarten #Wildlife #Nature #Ardnamurchan
A Pine Marten on a moss covered rock in Ardnamurchan.
A week long holiday on the Ardnamurchan peninsula provided some incredible Pine Marten encounters from the comfort of our accommodation. Amongst Atlantic rainforest, these mustelids evoke strong feelings of wilder times gone by.
#PineMarten #BritishMammals #Nature #Wildlife #BritishWildlife
Purple Heron in Boddam, Shetland
Purple Heron coming in to land at Boddam, Shetland
A Purple Heron this afternoon at Boddam Voe gave Shetland another slice of the recent spring migrant action after yesterday's elusive Black-crowned Night Heron. #UKBirding
Puffin at Sumburgh head this morning
First Puffins today on the cliffs of Sumburgh to get your Sea Bird excitement levels up. Bonxies and Scootie Allans (Arctic Skuas) will be back soon too 😁😎
