Shetland Wildlife
@shetlandwildlife.bsky.social
Founded in 1993, we are the only award-winning wildlife and photography holiday business resident in Shetland, Scotland.
https://www.shetlandwildlife.co.uk/holidays/wildlife.htm
https://www.shetlandwildlife.co.uk/holidays/wildlife.htm
A few highlights from our 2026 'Ultimate Shetland' trips on which we enjoyed amazing wildlife in amazing scenery. Find out more about joining our flagship week-long wildlife tours which will be operating in May, June and July 2027 at www.shetlandwildlife.co.uk/holidays/wil... #UKWildlife
October 7, 2026 at 6:07 AM
A few highlights from our 2026 'Ultimate Shetland' trips on which we enjoyed amazing wildlife in amazing scenery. Find out more about joining our flagship week-long wildlife tours which will be operating in May, June and July 2027 at www.shetlandwildlife.co.uk/holidays/wil... #UKWildlife
Not long go before the start of our two sell-out 'Autumn Gold' birding holidays. A few feathered, furred and finned highlights from recent trips ⬇️
September 20, 2026 at 8:22 AM
Not long go before the start of our two sell-out 'Autumn Gold' birding holidays. A few feathered, furred and finned highlights from recent trips ⬇️
Reposted by Shetland Wildlife
Britain's third and Scotland's first-ever EGYPTIAN NIGHTJAR at Virkie, Shetland this evening. A brilliant find by Roger Riddington. Stunning. #BirdingScotland #UKbirding #RareBirdsUK
September 5, 2026 at 7:56 PM
Britain's third and Scotland's first-ever EGYPTIAN NIGHTJAR at Virkie, Shetland this evening. A brilliant find by Roger Riddington. Stunning. #BirdingScotland #UKbirding #RareBirdsUK
Reposted by Shetland Wildlife
Enjoyed some wonderful views of this juvenile Pallid Harrier in the south Mainland of Shetland for the last few evenings. An absolute stunner! #BirdingScotland #UKbirding #RareBirdsUK #Birds #UKWildlife
August 31, 2026 at 5:27 PM
Enjoyed some wonderful views of this juvenile Pallid Harrier in the south Mainland of Shetland for the last few evenings. An absolute stunner! #BirdingScotland #UKbirding #RareBirdsUK #Birds #UKWildlife
Reposted by Shetland Wildlife
A NEW ORCA CALF!!! 🖤🤍🧡
An absolutely brilliant start to the day watching the '65s' pod in Bressay Sound, Shetland. With them was a tiny calf less than few months old. The pod were very closely bunched together so not confident who the mother is at this stage. #MarineLife #MarineMammals #UKWildlife
An absolutely brilliant start to the day watching the '65s' pod in Bressay Sound, Shetland. With them was a tiny calf less than few months old. The pod were very closely bunched together so not confident who the mother is at this stage. #MarineLife #MarineMammals #UKWildlife
August 21, 2026 at 10:45 AM
A NEW ORCA CALF!!! 🖤🤍🧡
An absolutely brilliant start to the day watching the '65s' pod in Bressay Sound, Shetland. With them was a tiny calf less than few months old. The pod were very closely bunched together so not confident who the mother is at this stage. #MarineLife #MarineMammals #UKWildlife
An absolutely brilliant start to the day watching the '65s' pod in Bressay Sound, Shetland. With them was a tiny calf less than few months old. The pod were very closely bunched together so not confident who the mother is at this stage. #MarineLife #MarineMammals #UKWildlife
Reposted by Shetland Wildlife
Todays #BirdOfTheDay was a no brainer for me (see Alt)
A Knot in summer plumage truly is one of the most #FabulousWaders
May '26 in the #Shetlands with @shetlandwildlife.bsky.social
Canon R5 500mm f7.1 1:1000s ISO800
#Birds #UKBirding #BirdsSeenIn2026 #EastCoastKin #TidesOutTuesday #ArtYear
A Knot in summer plumage truly is one of the most #FabulousWaders
May '26 in the #Shetlands with @shetlandwildlife.bsky.social
Canon R5 500mm f7.1 1:1000s ISO800
#Birds #UKBirding #BirdsSeenIn2026 #EastCoastKin #TidesOutTuesday #ArtYear
August 4, 2026 at 7:58 PM
Todays #BirdOfTheDay was a no brainer for me (see Alt)
A Knot in summer plumage truly is one of the most #FabulousWaders
May '26 in the #Shetlands with @shetlandwildlife.bsky.social
Canon R5 500mm f7.1 1:1000s ISO800
#Birds #UKBirding #BirdsSeenIn2026 #EastCoastKin #TidesOutTuesday #ArtYear
A Knot in summer plumage truly is one of the most #FabulousWaders
May '26 in the #Shetlands with @shetlandwildlife.bsky.social
Canon R5 500mm f7.1 1:1000s ISO800
#Birds #UKBirding #BirdsSeenIn2026 #EastCoastKin #TidesOutTuesday #ArtYear
Reposted by Shetland Wildlife
ORCA CALVES: a short video from last 'super' Sunday - surely the undoubted highlight of our ninth consecutive @shetlandwildlife.bsky.social 'Ultimate Shetland' trip!
#MarineLife #MarineMammals #CetaceansUK #UKWildlife
#MarineLife #MarineMammals #CetaceansUK #UKWildlife
July 17, 2026 at 7:23 AM
ORCA CALVES: a short video from last 'super' Sunday - surely the undoubted highlight of our ninth consecutive @shetlandwildlife.bsky.social 'Ultimate Shetland' trip!
#MarineLife #MarineMammals #CetaceansUK #UKWildlife
#MarineLife #MarineMammals #CetaceansUK #UKWildlife
Reposted by Shetland Wildlife
An amazing start to our @shetlandwildlife.bsky.social 'Ultimate Shetland' trip with incredible views of Orcas as they headed south from Noss to Sumburgh. Delighted to see two known calves in the pod with their mothers - but from differing matrilines. #MarineLife #MarineMammals #UKWildlife
July 12, 2026 at 8:28 PM
An amazing start to our @shetlandwildlife.bsky.social 'Ultimate Shetland' trip with incredible views of Orcas as they headed south from Noss to Sumburgh. Delighted to see two known calves in the pod with their mothers - but from differing matrilines. #MarineLife #MarineMammals #UKWildlife
Atlantic Puffin heading out to sea against the backdrop of the spectacular Noss cliffs. An amazing trip with glass-calm seas and thousands of seabirds enjoyed by our 'Ultimate Shetland' group. #BirdingScotland #UKbirding #Birds #UKWildlife
July 7, 2026 at 1:11 PM
Atlantic Puffin heading out to sea against the backdrop of the spectacular Noss cliffs. An amazing trip with glass-calm seas and thousands of seabirds enjoyed by our 'Ultimate Shetland' group. #BirdingScotland #UKbirding #Birds #UKWildlife
Summer solstice at Mousa Broch as we awaited the arrival of Storm Petrels just before midnight in the 'Simmer Dim' light. A truly magical evening experienced by our 'Ultimate Shetland' group and thanks to our friends and associates at The Mousa Boat. #SummerSolstice #BirdingScotland #UKWildlife
June 22, 2026 at 7:05 AM
Summer solstice at Mousa Broch as we awaited the arrival of Storm Petrels just before midnight in the 'Simmer Dim' light. A truly magical evening experienced by our 'Ultimate Shetland' group and thanks to our friends and associates at The Mousa Boat. #SummerSolstice #BirdingScotland #UKWildlife
ORCAS! What a way to round off our fifth consecutive 'Ultimate Shetland' tour! Fabulous views for guests and guides of four of '27s' pod off the south Mainland yesterday evening. I'm not sure we could have written the script any better. #MarineMammals #UKWildlife 📸 by @hughharrop.bsky.social
June 20, 2026 at 10:30 AM
ORCAS! What a way to round off our fifth consecutive 'Ultimate Shetland' tour! Fabulous views for guests and guides of four of '27s' pod off the south Mainland yesterday evening. I'm not sure we could have written the script any better. #MarineMammals #UKWildlife 📸 by @hughharrop.bsky.social
Reposted by Shetland Wildlife
An incredible day for our @shetlandwildlife.bsky.social 'Ultimate Shetland' group which started off with a wonderful pod of Orcas in Quendale Bay just after breakfast and ended with these Risso's Dolphins out in the west Mainland this afternoon. #MarineLife #MarineMammals #CetaceansUK #UKWildlife
June 8, 2026 at 6:49 PM
An incredible day for our @shetlandwildlife.bsky.social 'Ultimate Shetland' group which started off with a wonderful pod of Orcas in Quendale Bay just after breakfast and ended with these Risso's Dolphins out in the west Mainland this afternoon. #MarineLife #MarineMammals #CetaceansUK #UKWildlife
Reposted by Shetland Wildlife
Back in January, I found the Mountain Hares hunkered down against the wind, wrapped in their white winter coats with @shetlandwildlife.bsky.social Returning in spring, a real was amazing to see the contrast in both the land and hares. A real joy to watch
#UKWildlife #UKMammals #shetland #scotland
#UKWildlife #UKMammals #shetland #scotland
June 12, 2026 at 6:31 AM
Back in January, I found the Mountain Hares hunkered down against the wind, wrapped in their white winter coats with @shetlandwildlife.bsky.social Returning in spring, a real was amazing to see the contrast in both the land and hares. A real joy to watch
#UKWildlife #UKMammals #shetland #scotland
#UKWildlife #UKMammals #shetland #scotland
Super views of this Red-necked Phalarope at Loch of Funzie, Fetlar, Shetland today for our 'Ultimate Shetland' group. Pic by guide Mick.
June 16, 2026 at 7:23 PM
Super views of this Red-necked Phalarope at Loch of Funzie, Fetlar, Shetland today for our 'Ultimate Shetland' group. Pic by guide Mick.
Lesser Twayblade - one of the most difficult orchids to find in Shetland. It is tiny at around 5-10cm tall and grows inconspicuously wherever heather and sphagnum moss grow together. A real get-down-on-your-hands-and-knees job! Super pic by tour participant Veronica Sweeney. #wildflowers #ukwildlife
June 5, 2026 at 6:02 AM
Lesser Twayblade - one of the most difficult orchids to find in Shetland. It is tiny at around 5-10cm tall and grows inconspicuously wherever heather and sphagnum moss grow together. A real get-down-on-your-hands-and-knees job! Super pic by tour participant Veronica Sweeney. #wildflowers #ukwildlife
It has been an amazing 24 hours for our third Ultimate Shetland group of the season with fabulous views of Red-necked Phalarope (pictured), a night trip to see Storm Petrels on Mousa and a very active Bottlenose Dolphin - still rare in Shetland inshore waters. #BirdingScotland #UKbirding #UKWildlife
May 31, 2026 at 6:03 PM
It has been an amazing 24 hours for our third Ultimate Shetland group of the season with fabulous views of Red-necked Phalarope (pictured), a night trip to see Storm Petrels on Mousa and a very active Bottlenose Dolphin - still rare in Shetland inshore waters. #BirdingScotland #UKbirding #UKWildlife
Our 'Ultimate Shetland' group have enjoyed fabulous views of several Mountain Hares this week. This beautiful image is from our day out 'west' on Tuesday and was taken by tour participant Elliott Neo.
#UKWildlife #UKMammals
#UKWildlife #UKMammals
May 28, 2026 at 6:47 PM
Our 'Ultimate Shetland' group have enjoyed fabulous views of several Mountain Hares this week. This beautiful image is from our day out 'west' on Tuesday and was taken by tour participant Elliott Neo.
#UKWildlife #UKMammals
#UKWildlife #UKMammals
Some of the ornithological highlights from our first 'Ultimate Shetland' tour of the season last week - a migrant trio of Bluethroat, Pectoral Sandpiper and Red-backed Shrike. Pics by @hughharrop.bsky.social
#BirdingScotland #UKbirding #RareBirdsUK #Birds #UKWildlife
#BirdingScotland #UKbirding #RareBirdsUK #Birds #UKWildlife
May 26, 2026 at 7:30 AM
Some of the ornithological highlights from our first 'Ultimate Shetland' tour of the season last week - a migrant trio of Bluethroat, Pectoral Sandpiper and Red-backed Shrike. Pics by @hughharrop.bsky.social
#BirdingScotland #UKbirding #RareBirdsUK #Birds #UKWildlife
#BirdingScotland #UKbirding #RareBirdsUK #Birds #UKWildlife
Fabulous to see our first Minke Whales of the season this weekend with at least three individuals around the Sumburgh Head area today. Pic by SW guide @hughharrop.bsky.social
May 10, 2026 at 6:53 PM
Fabulous to see our first Minke Whales of the season this weekend with at least three individuals around the Sumburgh Head area today. Pic by SW guide @hughharrop.bsky.social
Reposted by Shetland Wildlife
🐦⬛ My trip to Mull and nearby islands comes to an end, with a satisfying 99 (🎈) bird species seen/heard over six days, the highlight for me being the obliging Corncrake on Lunga. Excellent organisation by @shetlandwildlife.bsky.social and our guide Dave Fairhurst. My year list is boosted to 181. 🙂
May 8, 2026 at 10:43 AM
🐦⬛ My trip to Mull and nearby islands comes to an end, with a satisfying 99 (🎈) bird species seen/heard over six days, the highlight for me being the obliging Corncrake on Lunga. Excellent organisation by @shetlandwildlife.bsky.social and our guide Dave Fairhurst. My year list is boosted to 181. 🙂
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
March 18, 2026 at 10:57 AM
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
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
#BirdingScotland #UKbirding #RareBirdsUK #UKWildlife
March 16, 2026 at 7:51 AM
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
#BirdingScotland #UKbirding #RareBirdsUK #UKWildlife
One place has become available on our flagship Ultimate Shetland week running from 23 - 30 May 2026. Details are at www.shetlandwildlife.co.uk/holidays/wil... and a few highlights from previous trips are below ⬇️
#UKbirding #UKWildlife #Birds #MarineLife #MarineMammals #Wildflowers #bloomscrolling
#UKbirding #UKWildlife #Birds #MarineLife #MarineMammals #Wildflowers #bloomscrolling
February 19, 2026 at 4:47 PM
One place has become available on our flagship Ultimate Shetland week running from 23 - 30 May 2026. Details are at www.shetlandwildlife.co.uk/holidays/wil... and a few highlights from previous trips are below ⬇️
#UKbirding #UKWildlife #Birds #MarineLife #MarineMammals #Wildflowers #bloomscrolling
#UKbirding #UKWildlife #Birds #MarineLife #MarineMammals #Wildflowers #bloomscrolling
Tuesday night at Lerwick, Shetland 2026 Up Helly Aa 🔥 as enjoyed by our two groups. Thanks to everyone who makes this event so spectacular each and every year!
#Shetland #uphellyaa
#Shetland #uphellyaa
February 1, 2026 at 3:55 PM
Tuesday night at Lerwick, Shetland 2026 Up Helly Aa 🔥 as enjoyed by our two groups. Thanks to everyone who makes this event so spectacular each and every year!
#Shetland #uphellyaa
#Shetland #uphellyaa