Shetland Nature

04/06/2026

The first of our Shetland Nature Experience holidays finished last week. As well as our regular boat trips to Noss with Shetland Seabird Tours - The Noss Boat and Mousa with The Mousa Boat there were many highlights but the best had to be an extended close encounter with one of the week's otters. Lucky with our position, the whole group got to observe and photograph a whole range of behaviours from just meters away. The week also supported a full and diverse bird list including Red throated, pacific and great northern diver. We had superb views of red-necked phalarope too, jostling for the attention of a potential mate (it's the girls doing the jostling!). They weren't the only species we saw battling it out with a fab show from territorial mountain hare, fighting for their patch of hillside. Thank you to the guests who make each trip so memorable. James

03/06/2026

Our First Discover Shetland Tour of the Season — What a Week!
Shetland Nature wrapped up its first Discover Shetland tour last Sunday, and what a fantastic week it was. Our eight guests left happy, inspired, and full of new insights into the wildlife, landscapes, history and culture that make these islands so special.
We began the week at the Sumburgh Hotel before moving north to the St Magnus Bay Hotel, exploring reserves managed by RSPB and NatureScot along the way. Guests enjoyed unforgettable close views of Shetland favourites — puffins, storm petrels, red-necked phalaropes, and gannets. A real highlight was getting eye-level with gannets and great skuas on the Shetland Seabird Tours boat trip.
Wildlife didn’t stop there. Throughout the week we spotted otters, seals, mountain hares, and a wonderful range of plants, including the endemic Edmonston’s Chickweed.
Our archaeological days were just as memorable. From Neolithic sites to the crofting era, the group explored iconic places such as Jarlshof, Mousa Broch, St Ninian’s Isle, and Staneydale Temple. We also visited the Shetland Museum, Crofthouse Museum, Tangwick Haa, Old Haa Burravoe, and the Hoswick Visitor Centre to dive deeper into Shetland’s rich cultural story.
Geology lovers were in their element too — from the Old Red Sandstone and southern conglomerates to the dramatic volcanic formations at Eshaness, and the remarkable ophiolite landscapes of Unst and Fetlar.
It was a week full of discovery, great company, and unforgettable moments, join us on a future adventure.

29/05/2026

It’s been another busy week of tours this week for our team with Gina and Glen Leading the first of our Discover Shetland weeks; James leading the first Shetland Nature Experience week and Theo leading day tours.
One of the biggest surprises of the week came in the form of a very rare Pacific Diver, found by Dave, but not while guiding- from his front room window (!) late on Wednesday evening. Thankfully it hung around and had been enjoyed by many, including two of this weeks tours.
We’ll post summaries from each of this weeks tours over the weekend but for now, here’s an otter from one of Theo’s Otter watching day tours and the gorgeous Pacific Diver, (by Dave) enjoyed by two of this weeks tours. Interestingly, this is only the third record of this species in Shetland and only the 14th for Britain, but all three records here have been summer plumaged birds and all in May, all other records have been immature or winter plumaged birds.
You can read the account of the last Shetland record, which we found on our Shetland Spring Birding package. (Link in comments).

24/05/2026

Tour summary of this weeks ‘Shetland Spring Birding’ Tour, led by Theo. The week began and ended in Shetland seabird style with the marvellous Storm Petrels on Mousa, followed on with the Seabirds of Sumburgh Head (where we even scored a bonus Minke Whale!), ending with more super seabird action beneath Noss cliffs with Shetland Seabird Tours, as well as a pod of Risso's Dolphins!
Amongst the birding highlights, a surprise Nightjar was find of the week on Fetlar and Pectoral Sandpiper on last day. Sandwiched between these, the group also enjoyed Red-necked Phalaropes, Wood and Purple Sandpipers, Marsh Harrier, Long-eared Owl, Ring-necked Duck, Scaup, summer plumaged Long-tailed Ducks, Cuckoo, Brambling- not to mention some fabulous Mountain Hare and Otter encounters.

15/05/2026

Perfectly timed for 'otter cub' season here in Shetland, our otter photography tour dates are filling up fast. However, there is limited availability on our 17th-21st October itinerary. For the best possible times, guides, and locations, enquire via the link in comments.

14/05/2026

This week we are delighted to welcome back Kate Humble, co-leading our fifth Wild & Wooly package with Jon Dunn, one of our many resident naturalist guides.
Here’s a few images from yesterday, an action-packed day including; a breathtaking coastal walk at Eshaness, an insight into Shetlands Otters, with Brydon (with a lovely mum and cub) followed by lunch at the marvellous St Magnus Bay Hotel, onwards to Lerwick for an afternoon with Shetland Seabird Tours - The Noss Boat on an unforgettable seabird experience and then to top it all off , an evening of fiddle music and yarns with Maurice Henderson and friends! And that was all just one day!

14/05/2026

As always, a sensational experience on our first charter of the season with our very good friends Shetland Seabird Tours - The Noss Boat. This was our annual Wild & Wooly package with Kate Humble and Jon Dunn.

13/05/2026

Theo and James have been enjoying some fantastic sights and spectacles so far this week on day tours to Unst and by far our most popular day tour, Otters! Here’s a short phone-scoped clip from Theo yesterday, leading one of our Shetland Otter Experience tours. If you have the volume on you’ll hear a Shetland Wren, singing in the spring sunshine-despite the chilly winds!

12/05/2026

Amazing set of Otter and Octopus images by one of our core Otter tour specialists, JR Wildlife - Naturalist / Photographer.

08/05/2026

Hear Hear- Wonderful post RSPB! Wishing sir David a very happy 100th birthday and thanking him for continuing to inspire generations of nature lovers 🥳❤️

Today is a very special day. Happy 100th birthday to Sir David Attenborough! 🎉

Thank you for showing us the beauty of the natural world, and doing it with such grace and wonder.

Thank you for encouraging us to always look beyond our four walls, showing us that it's right to care for our natural world.

And thank you for taking us to breathtaking landscapes, that really had to be seen to be believed. From journeying through unexplored forests, over vast deserts and wetlands, to giving us a glimpse into the lives of the wildlife that share this planet with us.

For decades, you've inspired generations of nature lovers. And for that, we are eternally grateful.

A very happy birthday, Sir! 🥳

📸 by Alex Board