Shetland Seabird Tours Ltd.

OUR NEW BUSINESS MAY 2016

AT LAST OUR NEW PUBLICATION IS HERE - DISCOVER SHETLAND'S BIRDS! By Paul Harvey & Rebecca Nason

OUR EXCITING NEW BOOK 'DISCOVER SHETLAND'S BIRDS' IS OUT NOW! BOOK SIGNING TOMORROW (SATURDAY) AT SUMBURGH HEAD LIGHTHOUSE & VISITOR CENTRE 1-2pm. Paul Harvey & Rebecca Nason. ALL WELCOME! HARDBACKS (£24.99) & SOFTBACKS (£19.99) AVAILABLE FRESH FROM THE PRINTERS!

A new identification guide to Shetland’s birds will be launched at Sumburgh Head tomorrow (Saturday 8th August) from 1 – 2pm, with a book signing by authors Paul Harvey and Rebecca Nason.

Discover Shetland’s Birds is an identification guide to 180 species of bird which live in, or regularly visit Shetland. It includes over 400 photographs and insights into the behaviour and lifestyles of each species.
All welcome!

Irene & Allan - Wedding 27th June

Irene & Allan at Scalloway Boat Club - 27th June 2015

I was delighted to be asked to photograph a truly memorable Shetland wedding on Saturday for lovely couple Irene Manson & Allan Garrick - now Mr & Mrs! at Lerwick Town Hall followed by photograph sessions in Lerwick Flower Park before continuing on to the Scalloway Boat Club for further photographs & evening celebrations. The weather wasn't kind over the weekend but the low cloud and foggy conditions (thankfully without the drizzle!) made for some very attractive diffused natural light photography and really highlighted the gorgeous champagne dress that Irene looked so stunning in. It was a very happy day from start to finish and wonderful to meet so many family members and share their special day. I look forward to showing Irene & Allan their wedding photographs on their return from Amsterdam!

Welcome the Shetland Spring!

Puffins are now back on the cliffs and the seabird breeding season is in full swing! Sumburgh Head is a great starting point to photograph Puffins & the trek up to the cliffs of Hermaness will not disappoint for Puffin & Gannet photography with Great Skua's en-route! 

A feisty Raven, one of my favourite birds, here with a small rock in his bill!

A close encounter!

I was delighted to be awarded Runner Up in the Wildlife Behavioural Category of the Scottish Nature Photography Awards this year with my 'Reassurance' image taken last Summer on Shetland under a Schedule 1 license of a Red-throated Diver & young chick. 

Flower picking is a big no no on Shetland - though try telling that to the Puffins! It's great to see the sea of pink Thrift now out in full bloom along with Spring Squill, Bluebells, Marsh Marigold, Early Purple & Heath-spotted Orchid. . . . the Keen of Hamar on Unst too is coming to life with several rare arctic species now showing well . . .

Buff-tailed Bumblebee! First recorded in Shetland in 2012 and now a relatively common sight from Lerwick South.

The Mountain Hares have now lost their winter white coats.

This stunningly showy CORNCRAKE has delighted visitors and photographers alike as it holds territory in South Mainland. 

Here belting out it's limited comb-brushing tunes . . .

A little wing stretch showing the chestnut wings nicely. 

Raucous Glaucous!

A few images taken in the last few days here on Shetland. I have spent time in the harbour photographing white-winged gulls, seals and reflections as well as heading out into the hills to track and photograph the stunning Mountain Hare, a British mammal found here in good numbers.

A raucous Glaucous  - a nice pale Juvenile photographed in Lerwick yesterday

Juvenile Glaucous Gull - Lerwick

Juvenile Iceland Gull - Lerwick

A beautiful Mountain Hare - Shetland mainland

Some wacky harbour reflections - here with a big bull Grey Seal winking at me. 

Grey Seal side profile in reflections

Feeling Blue . . . .

Spot the American Wigeon - a lucky flyby of the thankfully long staying bird in a flock of Eurasian Wigeon in the West of mainland Shetland.

A 'Tystie' or Black Guillemot at sunset in Lerwick harbour.

HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM REBECCA NASON PHOTOGRAPHY

Red-flanked Bluetail - Shetland Autumn 2014

Some Autumn Highlights 2014

Autumn on Shetland produced this stunning Yellow-rumped Warbler at Grutness after initially being found by Roger Riddington in his garden at Virkie . . .it delighted the small crowds for several days.

Yellow-rumped or Myrtle Warbler - Shetland 2014

Myrtle Warbler amongst the flowers of a Grutness garden.

another stunner - this time a Paul Harvey special with a cracking White's Thrush at Durigarth, South Mainland 

Siberian Rubythroat - Levenwick. The best bird of the Autumn and my highlight of the year. This beautiful adult male was found my Dan Pointon during his Autumn birding visit to Shetland. This particular image was chosen at Birdguides Photo of the week which I was pretty delighted about!

This Siberian Rubythroat shot I took this Autumn literally went viral on the internet after putting it on Rare Bird Alert - it has graced many a mobile phone and laptop screen saver since (heres Dan Pointon's mobile phone!) . . . .and was, according to RBA one of the most if not the most memorable image of a rare bird taken in the UK this year!

My first year on Shetland has had so many photographic and memorable birding moments. From the encounters with the Spiggie Night Heron, King Eider & Eastern Subalpine Warbler in the Spring, to photographing Puffins, Northern Gannets, Fulmar and ringing Stormies in the Summer, being on Fair Isle for the Bridled Tern and Phil finding a Laughing Gull in June. Leading Shetland Nature trips and private bird/photo tours, flying the Islands with friends Adam and Daniella. Getting fully immersed in Shetlands smaller inhabitants - the stunning and under-recorded hoverflies & other Diptera, the Wryneck on Unst, the Pied Wheatear, 3 x Red-flanked Bluetails including Phil and I finding one each! The great fun out with the Arctic Warbler finding team. Being part of the exciting Eastern Bonelli's ID, the Lanceolated Warbler on FI, the Red-throated Pipit and OBP's to the creme de la creme of far-eastern gems - the Rubythroat - it's been quite a year!! What will 2015 bring - I can't wait to find out!

A Mini Spring & Summer Review .I.

I have never been as busy as these last few months on Shetland, loving every minute especially after such a long Winter! From Red-throated Diver at close quarters . . . .

and with a tiny chick in tow (under license) . . . .

Flying over the Isles such as Muckle Flugga! with good friends from Zurich in their private plane & the 'Shetland Nature' crew  . . .

Getting into my Hoverflies in a big way with a couple of Shetland firsts! (as well as a new Soldierfly for Shetland!) all in our own sheltered & well vegetated town garden! 

Getting my annual Puffin fix . . .this time on my favourite Isle, Fair Isle - where this Puffin brought me a flower . . .

Photographing and enjoying aerial pursuits of common breeding species such as the graceful Arctic Tern . . .

Visiting the stunning botanical site of the 'Keen of Hamar' on Unst to see species such as this Frog Orchid and tiny Moonwort . . .

and walking alongside the cliffs  dotted with nesting Fulmar . .and at this time of year surrounded by Sea Pinks in flower (thirft) finding new and exciting places and wildlife, all on my doorstep.

Easter Arrival

Night Heron - Spiggie Loch - Mainland Shetland.
After seeing the Reawick Night Heron a few days before,  I headed to Spiggie Loch, one of my favourite Shetland sites to see the second Night Heron after Easter. This stunning bird looked incredible in the late afternoon light as it fished around the shore edges and enabled full-frame shots with just my 300mm lens . . .superb ;)

Here he was swallowing a tiny fish . . 

My favourite shot - almost mediterranean late afternoon warm light showing that superb red eye off nicely.

King for a Day!

Hi Everyone. Today started disappointingly foggy with drizzle and light winds. Phil & I went to Unst for the day & whilst there the conditions brightened considerably and birding produced a few fresh Spring migrants and a couple of dog Otters. We saw the distant spec of a smart male King Eider (has been present for much of the Winter) amongst a flock of maybe 200 Common Eider at Uyea Sound. As we watched the flock started moving at some rate towards us so we stayed put and watched as part of the flock broke up and kept bee-lining towards us - with the King Eider in tow! After maybe 10 minutes the flock reached the shore and unbelievably started to get out onto the beach in front of us! What a dream to see this King Eider so close . . .a fantastic experience. After only a few minutes the Eiders took to the water again and briskly made their way back out into the Sound.