A very welcome guest to our Shetland garden today - this absolutely stunning male Hawfinch. #PWC2026 #Birds #Patchbirding #BirdingScotland #UKbirding #UKWildlife

A touch of exotica for us here in Shetland on Monday evening with this fine drake Mandarin west of Geosetter. There are around 50 Shetland records of this introduced species and it is now pretty much annual here in spring. #PWC2026 #Birds #Patchbirding #BirdingScotland #UKbirding #UKWildlife

A stop-the-car moment to photograph this greeting to Nigel Farage on his rather unspectacular visit to Shetland today.

Apologies to any frogs offended. 🐸

Fabulous views of the long-staying but sometimes elusive North American Bonaparte's Gull at various sites around Lerwick over the last few days. The ninth record for Shetland.

#BirdingScotland #UKbirding #RareBirdsUK #UKWildlife #Birds

Thanks to Will Miles for dropping off my contributor's copies of 'The Birds of Fair Isle' today. An exceptional new publication and very much looking forward to reliving some of the many memories of from this island 'mecca', a few of which are here ⬇️ #BirdingScotland #UKbirding #RareBirdsUK #Birds

Having spent the last eight months out at sea, Puffins - known here as Tammie Norries - will soon be returning to our Shetland shores. Over the next couple of weeks they'll be re-establishing pair bonds and inspecting nesting burrows.

Magical birds!

#BirdingScotland #UKbirding #UKWildlife #Birds

Fabulous but all-too-brief views of this rather elusive North American Bonaparte's Gull in Lerwick, Shetland today.

#BirdingScotland #UKbirding #RareBirdsUK #UKWildlife #Birds

Glittering prize: drake King Eider in a snow shower at sunrise. Photographed in Båtsfjord Harbour, Varanger at the very top of #Norway. #Birds #Birding #Photography

Not a bad 'patch' admittedly!

This exceptionally early Whimbrel has been in the Swinister Burn, Shetland area since mid March and today became the 100th species for my 2026 10km Patchwork Challenge. #PWC2026 #Patchbirding #BirdingScotland #UKbirding #UKWildlife #Birds

Steller's Eiders at Båtsfjord and Vardø, Norway. This stunning, pint-sized seaduck is the rarest of the eider species with a declining global population of 130,000 - 150,000 individuals. That might sound a lot, but its high Arctic breeding range extends from western Russia to Alaska. #birds #norway

More super views of the winter plumaged Red-necked Grebe at Pool of Virkie, Shetland over the weekend.

#BirdingScotland #UKbirding #UKWildlife #Birds

The rare, beautiful and diminutive Purple Saxifrage adding a very welcome splash of early Spring colour to the hills this week. Found at only a handful of sites here in Shetland it is by far the earliest of our 'alpines' to flower. #wildflowers #ukwildlife

ORCA CALF!
Great views of some of the '65s' Orcas off Sumburgh Head, Shetland today as they headed south close inshore. Here's 'Ossa' and her 2023 calf ploughing through the swell this afternoon. 🖤🤍

#MarineLife #MarineMammals #CetaceansUK #UKWildlife

Fabulous views of this Red-necked Grebe at Pool of Virkie this afternoon. Still a very scarce bird here in Shetland with one or two records in winter the norm. #BirdingScotland #UKbirding #UKWildlife #Birds

A short video of the TENGMALM'S OWL at Ollaberry, Shetland last week. Thanks again to the homeowners Ewen and Kit for their hospitality. The 7th record for Shetland (assuming it to be the same individual that was in the West Mainland earlier this year). #BirdingScotland #UKbirding #RareBirdsUK

Oysterplant: very rare across coastal northern Britain and found at only a handful of sites here in Shetland. Always a highlight for our groups in spring and summer and although Gaelic isn't the mother tongue here, we love the Gaelic name Tiodhlac na mara - gift of the sea. #wildflowers #ukwildlife

Purple Sandpiper footprints in the sand at Grutness, Shetland today.

#BirdingScotland #UKbirding #UKWildlife #Birds

What a week! Highlights: Shetland's seventh-ever Tengmalm's Owl, a day following Orcas, Otters, Mountain Hares, lots of Common & Grey Seals, King Eider, Eurasian White-fronted Geese, Velvet Scoter, Slavonian Grebes, Peregrine & several Merlins.

#BirdingScotland #UKbirding #RareBirdsUK #UKWildlife

Happy #mothersday to all mums and a shout out to 'Vaila' - mother of six and matriarch of the '27s' Orcas. I took this pic of her in 2023 with her latest calf born in 2022 and fittingly, I was privileged to be able to see them again here in Shetland this week.

#MarineLife #MarineMammals #UKWildlife

Ta. Bird seen and photographed by the homeowner on Thursday who did not know what it was. Logan and I went on spec and these images were taken at the very time I re-found it. Once we knew where it was roosting, we left the garden, set up scopes on it and put the news out.

TENGMALM'S OWL at Ollaberry, Shetland this afternoon. Discovered yesterday by local residents myself and Logan Johnson decided to try and relocate it and after a bit of searching, a shape in a tree revealed itself to be this beauty!

#BirdingScotland #UKbirding #RareBirdsUK #UKWildlife #Birds

Orcas, Shetland by Hugh Harrop A short video by Hugh from our encounter with four of the '27s' Orcas off the east coast of Mainland Shetland on Monday 9 March 2026. Includes a few cameo…

A short video from our encounter with four of the '27s' Orcas off the east coast of Mainland Shetland on Monday. Includes a few cameo appearances from the calf born in 2022. 🖤🤍

#MarineLife #MarineMammals #CetaceansUK #UKWildlife

ORCAS...
A epic day as we followed four of the '27s' Orcas from land up in the east Mainland of Shetland. Tail slaps, spy hops, lunges, bubble jets and belly rolls - brilliant!

#MarineLife #MarineMammals #CetaceansUK #UKWildlife

A beautiful drake King Eider displaying in Båtsfjord, Arctic Norway.

A beautiful end to a beautiful day - at least 8 Risso's Dolphins off Sumburgh Head, Shetland. Scarring is a common feature caused by social interactions among themselves and contact with prey and forms a non-invasive platform for ongoing Photo ID.

#MarineLife #MarineMammals #CetaceansUK #UKWildlife

A stunning male 'Northern' Bullfinch in Lerwick on Friday. Up to five individuals have spent the winter in and around the town following the influx into Shetland during late Autumn 2025.

#BirdingScotland #UKbirding #UKWildlife #Birds

Enjoyed a big combined dose of Vitamin 'Sea' and D here in Shetland today. Here’s 30 seconds of it.

Continuing the goose theme, some of the flock of 50+ Barnacle Geese that flew over us at Spiggie here in Shetland on sunny Monday. Their 'barking' and 'yapping' calls filled the still morning air. Beautiful!

#BirdingScotland #UKbirding #UKWildlife #Birds

Three of the twelve Eurasian White-fronted Geese that flew over our house at Hillwell yesterday morning. Around 75 individuals have made landfall here in Shetland in the last couple of weeks.

#BirdingScotland #UKbirding #UKWildlife #Birds