Shetland Wildlife

Our first morning together sees us aboard Dunter III for a cruise to the seabird cities of Noss National Nature Reserve. Along the way, we explore the fascinating coastline of Bressay and weather permitting, we'll visit huge sea caves and hidden coves. You'll discover what the climate was like 370 million years ago, see traces of ancient glaciers and volcanic explosions, hear about Vikings, the Press Gang, treasure ships, smugglers and deserted villages. We also visit Common and Grey Seal colonies. No promises, but we sometimes see Minke and Killer Whales from Dunter III! The highlight of the morning will be the sights, sounds and smells of 20,000 Gannets, 40,000 Guillemots, 5,000 Kittiwakes and hundreds of Puffins, Razorbills, Shags and Black Guillemots - an experience that will remain etched in your mind forever! After lunch, we head for the south Mainland to look for breeding Arctic Skua, Great Skua, Arctic Tern, Curlew, Red-throated Diver and Whimbrel. Wild flowers also feature prominently on the agenda. After dinner at Sumburgh, we drive to Sandwick and make a short sea crossing over to the island of Mousa. As darkness falls we'll witness the thrilling sight of hundreds of Storm Petrels returning to their nests in the spectacular Iron Age broch. We may also be lucky enough to spot an Otter or a small party of Harbour Porpoise. We overnight at the Sumburgh Hotel.

DAY 2 Sunday - The Garden of Shetland

We spend the morning in the crystalline limestone valley of Tingwall where we hope to observe our first Red-throated Divers, Red-breasted Mergansers and Britain's only breeding Whooper Swans! Arctic Hare is also a Tingwall speciality and we would hope to encounter several individuals in the upper reaches of the valley. We continue through the central Mainland to Toft to take the ferry to the island of Yell. We stop to look for Otters and Red-throated Divers. After lunch, we take another ferry to the bird-rich island of Fetlar. The prize here will be the handsome Red-necked Phalarope, famous for its breeding role reversal. Fetlar holds over 90% of the British breeding population, although the birds' stay on the island is a brief one - they generally arrive during the third week of May and are gone by the end of July! We should also see a wide variety of other breeding birds including Red-throated Diver, Whimbrel, Golden Plover, Dunlin and if we're lucky, a summering Great Northern Diver. We'll also search the north shore of the island for Otters. Fetlar's fertile land produces a dazzling display of wild flowers and we should find several species of Orchid with ease. We overnight at the Baltasound Hotel, Unst.

DAY 3 Monday - Hermaness and Keen of Hamar

Our third morning takes us to Britain's most northerly nature reserve - Hermaness. The moorland is home to 800 pairs of Great Skuas - the second largest 'Bonxie' colony in the world - and the cliffs house 50,000 Puffins, 40,000 Guillemots, 28,000 Fulmars and over 20,000 Gannets! The cacophony of bird cries and the smell of guano make this an overwhelming wildlife experience! Amidst the tapestry of Heather, Crowberry, Bog Bilberry and Bog Cotton we'll search for the carnivorous Sundew and Butterwort. In the afternoon we'll visit Keen of Hamar National Nature Reserve. Hiking on this barren serpentine fell-field has been likened to walking on the Moon but, as we explore this unique habitat, a diverse eco-system appears. The reserve is home to an array of rare wild flowers including Arctic Sandwort, Frog Orchid and Shetland Mouse-Ear Chickweed - found here but nowhere else in the world! We return to Yell late in the afternoon and then on to Mainland, where we overnight at the Sumburgh Hotel.