shetland wildlife 2012

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Experience the spirit of adventure...

W hen searching for the best

adventure, we recommend

choosing a company that shares your

spirit! Would you prefer to spend a day at

the souvenir shop or sit quietly watching

a family of Otters at play? Would you

rather travel with a ‘pack of tourists’ or

be among an intimate group of focused

companions? Is late evening a time to

watch television or an opportunity to

watch mysterious Storm Petrels returning

to their nests in Britain’s most famous

broch?

The world is vast and adventures such

as ours may occur just once in a lifetime.

So travel in a manner that suits

your desires.

Maybe photograph phalaropes feeding at your feet,

watch Killer Whales hunting in our pristine seas or

explore Britain’s most northerly point and one of the

world’s best ‘seabird cities’.

We are delighted to bring you our new colour brochure,

with full details of our 2012 holidays. Choosing a

holiday is never easy and we make no apologies for

complicating matters even more by offering such an

array of adventures!

Need more information? Please feel free to contact us by

phone, fax or e-mail – our staff will be happy to answer

any of your questions and discuss our adventures in

detail.

So we invite you to make your next holiday a truly

wild one and join us in 2012.

contents

Photographs and artwork that grace this year’s brochure are by Hugh Harrop, Laurie Campbell, Graeme Creswell, RSPB Images, Michelle Harrop, Nigel McCall, Charles Tait, David Tipling, Dave Wheeler and Jonathan Wills.

Cover Photo: Killer Whales, Mousa Sound, by Hugh Harrop – photographed during one of our holidays!

Designed by Shaw Marketing and Design, Lerwick.

© Shetland Wildlife 2011/12. The contents of this brochure are protected by copyright . No part of this publication may be reproduced or quoted in any form or by any means without the prior permission of Shetland Wildlife.

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2 ABoUt oUR HoLIDAYs

4 UP HeLLY AA/WInteR WILDLIFe

6 ULtIMAte sHetLAnD

8 sHetLAnD eXPeRIence

10 FAIR IsLe sPRInG MIGRAtIon

12 FAIR IsLe AUtUMn MIGRAtIon

14 FocUs on sHetLAnD

16 WALk sHetLAnD

18 sPRInG Into sHetLAnD

20 AUtUMn GoLD

22 ULtIMAte oRkneY

24 Go FURtHeR WItH sHetLAnD WILDLIFe

25 Meet tHe teAM

26 HoLIDAY InsURAnce

27 BookInG FoRM

29 teRMs AnD conDItIons

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“The standard of tours

on offer is exemplary and

are led by knowledgeable

staff who care passionately

about the environment.”

- Scottish Natural Heritage

Our holidays... are just that – holidays! Relaxed, easy going and not operated at a frenetic pace. For 2012, we've created a unique blend of itineraries to bring you the very best of Shetland. We continue to run our highly popular week-long holidays dedicated to wildlife, walking and archaeology while other holidays include wildlife photography and a duo of new-style and exciting adventures to Fair Isle. We have two bird-migration holidays that are based here in Shetland and we've an incredible trip to Orkney. For those with a little less time we bring you our three-day Shetland Experience holiday and a series of outstanding wildlife adventure cruises. Our overseas portfolio also features some superb trips to the best wildlife-watching regions of France, Spain, Finland, Norway, Hungary and Poland.

What are your groups like? In our experience, successful wildlife watching is impossible in large groups so we restrict our holidays to 6–12 travellers, with 8 being the norm. In offering small-group holidays, we’re able to give a high level of personal attention and ensure that we all enjoy good and prolonged views of birds, mammals and other wildlife. Please refer to each holiday for details of maximum group sizes. Our age range of travellers is diverse, but all share an enjoyment of wildlife and the great outdoors. We welcome everyone from the complete beginner to the expert – as our guides are great advocates of increasing everyone’s knowledge! Although far from strenuous, some of our holidays do involve a fair degree of walking and thus a reasonable level of fitness. If you have any questions about the level of ability required for any of our holidays, please call our office. Please note that we operate a NO SMOKING policy in our vehicles and aboard boats and would also ask smokers to refrain in the company of other travellers.

...and your guides? In our effort to offer the very best wildlife holidays, we provide the very best guides – it’s that simple! We choose our guides for their incomparable knowledge combined with their enthusiasm and consideration for our travellers. All of our guides have an intimate affinity with Shetland, know the logistics of our holidays inside out and have worked in their respective fields for many years. How many wildlife holiday companies can provide local guides who have written the definitive work on Shetland’s natural history or offer guides who are actually involved in managing our internationally important national nature reserves? We can!

How do we spend our time? Most mornings we offer an optional pre-breakfast walk for early risers. This could include a ‘sweep’ for migrant birds in May, or a walk for photographers to capture the wonderfully crisp early morning light. We understand that you’re on holiday – so don’t be afraid to ask for a lie-in! Breakfast is typically between 7.30 and 8.30, depending on our daily schedule, to take advantage of morning wildlife activity. Lunch is usually taken at a small hotel, but on days of glorious weather we picnic al fresco, amid wonderful scenery and wildlife. We continue with activities and return to our hotel or guest house late in the afternoon, in time to freshen up before dinner. We call through the wildlife checklist and enjoy an after-dinner drink or arrange an optional evening excursion for an hour or so – we regularly witness incredible sunsets and in previous years, listening for Spotted Crake, Corncrake and Quail has kept us up late!

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What originally started as a series of daily wildlife adventures in the summer of 1992 has since become one of the most respected eco-tourism businesses in Scotland!With nearly 20 years’ experience in arranging and guiding holidays in Shetland, many aspects of our business are continually evolving but one feature remains the same – our unmatched attention to our travellers’ needs – the first secret of our continued growth and success.

We are extremely proud of our reputation for providing the very best guides – it is their unique knowledge, experience and leadership that help to make your holiday the best. We follow very strong eco-tourism principles and utilise local folk and establishments as much as possible. And we like to keep our groups small. In our experience, a small group is essential, not only to benefit the wildlife we are observing, but it also means that we can guarantee more intimate wildlife encounters that are simply not possible with larger groups.

In October 1999 we were awarded the Tourism and the Environment Scottish Thistle Award. The Scottish Tourist Board’s ‘Thistle’ is firmly recognised as the country’s most prestigious tourism award and the Tourism and the Environment category pays tribute to businesses that promote a better understanding of Scotland’s natural heritage, while adopting environmentally friendly practices.

On winning the award, Shetland Islands Tourism said “It is a splendid achievement and richly deserved by a company which operates to the highest standards in not only giving visitors a unique insight into the wildlife of the islands but also shows a real concern for wildlife and the environment.”

We are honoured to be the first Shetland business to be nominated and only the third eco-tourism operator in Scotland to win this award.

Confident that your experience of a Shetland Wildlife holiday will be a memorable one, we welcome you to share with us some of the most spectacular wildlife in Northern Europe!

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soUnDs GReAt! HoW Do I Book?

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Because our holidays can fill up well ahead of departure dates, we suggest you contact our office in the first instance.

You will be advised of availability and requested to send a completed booking form and the appropriate deposit within 10 working days in order for us to confirm your reservation. Your deposit can be paid in the form of a personal cheque drawn on a UK bank account or by using one of following credit / debit cards:

Once we receive your deposit, we will send you a letter of booking confirmation and an invoice, the balance of which will be due no later than 90 days prior to departure. Bookings made less than 90 days prior to departure will require payment in full.

The final balance can be paid by personal cheque or credit/debit card. Please note that settlement of final balances by credit card attracts a 2% surcharge; there is no surcharge for making a deposit payment by credit card and there is no surcharge for paying final balances by debit card. Overseas travellers should contact our office if they wish to pay by any other method (eg. international wire transfer).

We financially support many local and national conservation bodies and are also institutional members of the Ecotourism Society – an international body that promotes environmentally responsible eco-tourism worldwide. To continue our support of conservation groups or organisations which promote a better understanding of Shetland’s natural heritage, we encourage all travellers to join one of the following charities during their visit to Shetland:

FRIENDS OF FaIR ISLE BIRD OBSERvaTORY – by supporting this charity you will be contributing directly to ornithological research on Fair Isle. You will receive an annual report and several newsletters.

SHETLaND BIRD CLUB – responsible for recording Shetland birds and voicing opinion on local conservation matters, members receive an annual bird report and several newsletters.

SHETLaND SEa MaMMaL GROUP – responsible for recording sea mammals around the Shetland coastline, the group produces a dedicated annual report and several newsletters every year.

as pioneers of Scottish eco-tourism, we have a commitment to ensure that our business incorporates environmentally sound principles and minimises any negative impact we may be having on our environment. We follow a carefully researched and workable set of pre-determined guidelines, ensuring that we can enjoy wildlife in its natural habitat without the threat of disturbance. Many of our travellers congratulate us on our responsible attitude to wildlife viewing - we’re extremely proud of this.

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OUR COMMITMENT TO CONSERvaTION

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OUR COMMITMENT TO ECO-TOURISM

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OFFICE OPENING TIMES

Our office is open 0900 – 1700 hrs Monday – Friday and from 1200 – 1400 on Saturday. We can also be reached by fax or e mail 24hrs a day. In the event that we are unable to take your call, please leave a message on our answerphone (24hrs) and we will ring you back as soon as we can.

D E LTA

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What does the cost include? All of our holidays are fully inclusive of accommodation, meals, transport within Shetland (including all boat trips) and guide fees. Please refer to each individual holiday for any extras that may be included in the cost.

So what’s not included? Travel to and from Shetland (see below), alcoholic beverages, telephone calls, laundry, items of a personal nature, etc.

How do I get to Shetland? Shetland’s main air links with the rest of Britain and Europe are through Aberdeen, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Inverness, which all have direct connections from major UK airports. A passenger and vehicle ferry sails daily from Aberdeen year-round. An early evening departure from Aberdeen will see you in Lerwick the following morning at 7am. As we’re extremely familiar with travel to and from Shetland, please contact our office with any travel questions.

What accommodation do you use? We use a variety of accommodation ranging from country house hotels at Sumburgh and Baltasound to delightful guest houses on Fetlar, Yell and Fair Isle. We feel that patronising more remote establishments promotes eco-tourism within peripheral areas, involves local folk with our business and adds to the flavour of the holiday!

How about the food? Filling breakfasts, tasty picnic/indoor lunches and delicious evening meals using local produce where possible. Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free diets are all catered for – but please let us know when you book. Complimentary hot drinks and bottled water are carried onboard our minibus.

...and the weather? As we’re only 6° south of the Arctic Circle, expect and dress for temperatures of between 8° and 20°C (46° to 68°F), with changeable weather. It’s often sunny but we also have sudden squalls. A suggested packing list will be included in our pre-departure information.

I hear you offer a frequent traveller discount! We have many loyal repeat customers who holiday with Shetland Wildlife. As a way of saying 'thanks' for your loyalty and for supporting quality eco-tourism, we are pleased to offer ALL repeat travellers a 5% discount off the cost (not including single supplements or any private extensions) of your next holiday with Shetland Wildlife that is operated here in Shetland.

Should I bother with Travel Insurance? Yes! It is essential to obtain cover against the usual risks associated with travel from the time of booking your holiday until the time you return home. We therefore strongly advise you to purchase travel insurance. Should you not already hold a travel insurance policy, please see page 26.

I need to ask you a fewquestions... No problem! Call, fax or e mail our office with ANY questions about ANY of our holidays! We’ll be delighted to hear from you!

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• • •

Britain’s biggest fire festival and torchlight procession takes place in Lerwick

on the last Tuesday of January. Over 800 colourfully dressed ‘guizers’ parade

with flaming torches behind the “Jarl Squad” of Vikings and their longship

through the darkened streets of the town to the burning site. Here the official

ceremony ends in a spectacular blaze as the torches are thrown into the

galley! Why not combine this dazzling event with some outstanding winter

birding and wildlife viewing?

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Saturday – Welcome Dinner Late afternoon / early evening rendezvous at the Sumburgh Hotel. After our welcome dinner and orientation we enjoy an illustrated lecture on Shetland’s wildlife. Overnight at the Sumburgh Hotel.

Sunday – South Mainland After a filling breakfast (porridge is obligatory!) we spend the day in the south Mainland, seeking out our common winter residents: Black Guillemots, Whooper Swans, Greylag Geese, Long-tailed Ducks, Goldeneye, Great Northern Divers, Eiders, Purple Sandpipers and Golden Plovers should all be seen in good numbers. Mammal buffs will be entertained by scores of both Harbour and Grey Seals and if sea conditions are calm enough, Harbour Porpoise. Endless flocks of ‘larids’ should also keep us entertained and among them we would hope to find both Glaucous and Iceland Gulls. Overnight at the Sumburgh Hotel.

Monday – West & North Mainland Otter Quest We head for the sheltered inlets of the north and west Mainland to search for Otters. Shetland is the north European stronghold for this species and we’re fortunate to have a population in excess of a thousand individuals. Our knowledge of their movements and feeding habits is second to none and we hope to give you some truly outstanding views. In recent winters we’ve found several sites with family groups – our tried and tested field craft of reading tracks and following tides pays dividends! In our quest to find these striking animals, a number of arctic-breeding birds will also be on view – Slavonian Grebes winter in just a handful of secluded bays, as do diminutive Little Auks. We end our day by visiting a roost site for the majestic and highly secretive Long-eared Owl. Overnight at the Sumburgh Hotel.

Tuesday – Up Helly Aa – Lerwick Fire Festival A day of festivities! With the Raven Banner hanging from Lerwick Town Hall and scores of local men magnificently dressed as Vikings you may well think that the clock has turned back 1,200 years! We spend the morning enjoying the Guizer Jarl’s parade and admire the huge Galley built for the 2012 festival. We take a break to view an impressive gathering of Grey Seals and should also find Glaucous and Iceland Gulls nearby. We’ll also search the Tingwall Valley for Arctic Hares, which at this time of year, are dressed in their white winter coats. As dusk approaches and the atmosphere builds, we ensure ourselves a grandstand view of the Up Helly Aa climax. Under the black winter skies, over 800 colourfully attired guizers muster and carry their burning torches through the streets of Lerwick, producing a riot of colour. The Galley is towed to its last resting place and the ranks of guizers encircle the doomed longship. A bugle calls and, as the last note is sounded, blazing torches are flung in a shower of fire and flame to a proud rendering of “The Norseman’s Home”. As the chants and songs continue, the inferno consumes the ship until she’s no more than a scattering of ashes. We return to Sumburgh for our farewell dinner and hope that we can end the holiday by showing you one of nature’s most beautiful gifts – the Aurora Borealis. Overnight at the Sumburgh Hotel.

Wednesday After breakfast we’ll transfer you to Sumburgh airport, or make arrangements for you to travel to your onward destination in Shetland.

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2011 WINTER HIGHLIGHTS

White-billed DiverGreat Northern DiversRed-throated DiverWhooper SwansSlavonian GrebesKing EiderWhite-fronted GeeseHen HarrierMerlinIceland Gulls – lotsGlaucous GullsKumlien's GullsLittle AuksWaxwingsSnow Buntings

Killer WhalesHarbour PorpoiseOtters – lots!Grey SealsCommon SealsArctic Hare – lots!

aND...

The Aurora Borealis!

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WHAt to eXPect

Included – no hidden extras – four nights’ accommodation, all meals from dinner on Day One to breakfast on Day Five, transportation within Shetland and the services of a Shetland Wildlife staff naturalist guide.

Not Included – alcoholic beverages, telephone calls, laundry, items of a personal nature, etc.

accommodation – victorian country house hotel at Sumburgh. all rooms are en suite with shower/bath, adjustable heating, telephone, tea & coffee making facilities.

Food – filling breakfasts, tasty lunches and delicious three-course evening meals using local produce where possible. vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free diets are all catered for but please let us know when you book. Complimentary hot drinks and bottled water are carried onboard our minibus!

Meeting Point – Sumburgh Hotel. Complimentary transport from Sumburgh airport will be provided for those flying to Shetland on Day One. Should you wish to book pre-tour accommodation at the Sumburgh Hotel, please call our office for details of our special discounted rates.

Outdoor activities – gentle daily walks, up to three miles following trails and footpaths.

Photographic Opportunities – this holiday offers good photographic opportunities. We recommend bringing a variety of focal length lenses ranging from 28mm to 400mm.

Weather – as we are only 6° south of the arctic Circle and it’s midwinter, please expect and dress for temperatures of between 0 to 8°C (32 – 46°F) with cloud and outbreaks of rain, sleet or snow. also expect an invigorating breeze!

Transportation – in our own minibus, meeting the latest government safety standards and regulations.

Pre-departure Information – a comprehensive pre-departure pack will be sent with your booking confirmation.

Recording – checklists will be provided with your pre-departure information. Feel free to make complimentary use of our telescopes, onboard natural history library and selection of sound recordings. a suggested reading list will be included with your pre-departure information.

Travel to and from Shetland – Shetland’s main air links with the rest of Britain and Europe are through aberdeen, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Inverness, which all have direct connections from major UK airports. a passenger and vehicle ferry sails daily from aberdeen year-round. an early evening departure from aberdeen will see you in Lerwick the following morning at 7am. as we’re extremely familiar with travel to and from Shetland, please contact our office with any travel questions.

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Holiday Information 2012 Operating Dates

Saturday 28th January – Wednesday 1st February COSTSingle SupplementDEPOSIT

£495£50£100GROUP SIzE: 8–10 maximum

Saturday – Welcome Dinner & Mousa Broch Storm Petrels Late afternoon / early evening rendezvous at the Sumburgh Hotel. After our welcome dinner and orientation we take a boat to the island of Mousa. Mousa Broch dates back to the Iron Age and is the largest example of its kind in Scotland, standing at a staggering 43 ft high! The broch is the summer home to hundreds of European Storm Petrels, which return ashore to their nests as darkness falls – their bat-like displays as they fly in from the ocean are a truly awesome sight. We depart Mousa just after midnight and return to Sumburgh. Overnight at the Sumburgh Hotel.

Sunday – Seabirds & Selkies During the morning, we visit Sumburgh Head to view multitudes of seabirds, including our first Puffins, Razorbills, Guillemots, Kittiwakes and Shags. We’ll also be seeking out Shetland’s commoner passerines – Wheatears, Rock and Meadow Pipits, Skylarks, Twite and the Shetland Wren. If seas are calm enough we’ll spend time looking offshore for Minke Whales, White-beaked Dolphins and Harbour Porpoises. In recent years we’ve also recorded both Killer and Humpback Whales. Then onto the peninsula of Scatness for breeding Arctic Terns – and both Harbour and Grey Seals – and to the Loch of Hillwell and Loch of Spiggie for an excellent assortment of breeding wildfowl and waders. We end the day at Dalsetter, observing typical moorland-breeding species like Curlew, Whimbrel and Arctic Skua. Overnight at the Sumburgh Hotel.

Monday – Tingwall Valley & Britain’s best bird cliff! 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. After lunch, we board our boat for an unforgettable cruise around the island of Noss for spectacular views of the famous seabird colony, often referred to as “Britain’s best bird cliff.” We’ll meet 20,000 Gannets, 40,000 Guillemots and 5,000 Kittiwakes! We’ll also visit Harbour and Grey Seal colonies and look for Harbour Porpoises along the way. Overnight at the Sumburgh Hotel.

Tuesday – Fetlar – the Garden of Shetland We travel north, across the island of Yell, to connect with the morning ferry to the 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 brief – 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 cross Bluemull Sound late in the afternoon and arrive on Unst, Britain’s most northerly island. Overnight at the Baltasound Hotel, Unst.

Wednesday – Unst – the end of Britain! We have a full day to explore our favourite sites on Unst. The magnificent glacial inlet at Burrafirth will reveal inshore species like Black Guillemots, Red-throated Divers and Red-breasted Mergansers and we will also witness magnificent displays of wild flowers at the 'hanging gardens'. The moorland nearby at Saxa Vord hosts impressive gatherings of Bonxies and we should also find Whimbrel, Golden Plovers and lots of Wheatears. We’ll also visit Britain’s most northerly settlement at Skaw and search the lush flower-rich meadows of Norwick for breeding Redshank, Snipe and Curlew. In the afternoon we explore the sheltered bays and wetlands of southern Unst. Otters and seals will be our prime targets along with handsome brick-red Black-tailed Godwits. Only a handful of Black-tailed Godwits breed in Shetland and they belong to the race islandica, which is more widely distributed in the Faeroes and Iceland. We should also encounter Dunlins on breeding territory giving their trilling display song. After dinner we visit a small marsh and listen for one of Britain’s rarest breeders – Spotted Crake. Our chances of seeing this Starling-sized skulker are probably nil but we should hopefully hear its weird, whip-whistling, song. Overnight at the Baltasound Hotel.

Seabirds, Selkies &SceneryUltimate Shetland is the most comprehensive wildlife holiday

currently on offer – the only one to include visits to Mousa, Noss,

Yell, Unst, Fetlar and Northmavine. Our daily itinerary is as

follows...

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EXTEND YOUR HOLIDaY!Combine two holidays and receive a 5% discount per person off the total cost! Here are a few possible holiday combinations...

Fair Isle Spring Migration 12th May – 19th May + Ultimate Shetland 19th – 26th May Ultimate Shetland 26th May – 2nd June + Focus on Shetland 2nd – 9th June Focus on Shetland 2nd – 9th June + Ultimate Shetland 9th – 16th JuneFocus on Shetland 9th – 16th June + Ultimate Shetland 16th – 23rd JuneUltimate Shetland 9th – 16th June + Focus on Shetland 16th – 23rd JuneFocus on Shetland 16th – 23rd June + Ultimate Shetland 23rd – 30th JuneUltimate Shetland 14th – 21st July + Walk Shetland 21st – 28th July

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Puffins – tens of thousands!Storm PetrelsRed-throated DiversGreat Northern DiversWhooper SwansKing EiderRed-necked PhalaropesBlack-tailed GodwitsOspreyMarsh WarblerSubalpine WarblerRed-backed Shrikes

Otters – lots!Killer WhalesMinke WhalesWhite-beaked DolphinsWhite-sided DolphinsRisso’s Dolphins Harbour PorpoiseGrey SealsHarbour SealsArctic Hare – lots!

Frog OrchidNorthern Marsh OrchidEarly Purple OrchidFragrant OrchidOysterplantShetland Mouse-ear ChickweedArctic SandwortNorthern RockcressHoary Whitlow-grassSundewMoonwort

2011 HIGHLIGHTS

WHAt to eXPect

Included – no hidden extras – seven nights’ accommodation, all meals from dinner on Day One to breakfast on Day Eight, transportation within Shetland (includes all boat trips) and the services of a Shetland Wildlife staff naturalist guide.


accommodation – victorian country house hotel at Sumburgh and delightful, cosy log cabins at Baltasound – Britain’s most northerly hotel. all rooms are en suite with shower/bath, adjustable heating, telephone, tea & coffee making facilities.

Food – filling breakfasts, tasty picnic/indoor lunches and delicious three-course evening meals using local produce where possible. vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free diets are all catered for – but please let us know when you book. Complimentary hot drinks and bottled water are carried onboard our minibus.


Outdoor activities – gentle daily walks, up to three or four miles following trails and footpaths. We provide complimentary oilskins on our cruises to Noss. Because we only sail in fair weather, seasickness is rarely a problem.

Photographic Opportunities – this holiday offers good photographic opportunities. We recommend bringing a variety of focal length lenses ranging from 28mm to 400mm. Serious amateur photographers may like to consider joining our Focus on Shetland holiday operating 2nd – 9th, 9th – 16th and 16th – 23rd June (see page 14).

Weather – as we’re only 6° south of the arctic Circle, expect and dress for temperatures of between 8° and 20°C (46° to 68°F), with changeable weather. It’s often sunny but we also have sudden squalls.

Transportation – in our own minibus, meeting the latest government safety standards and regulations. We also use purpose built wildlife-viewing vessels for our cruise to Noss and Mousa and inter-island ro-ro ferries for getting to and from Yell, Unst and Fetlar.

Insects – despite being at 60° north of the equator, biting insects are rarely a problem!




Thursday – Unst – Hermaness & Keen of Hamar We spend the morning walking on Hermaness National Nature Reserve. A walk on this reserve is essential to appreciate just why Hermaness is one of Europe's most important wildlife sites. 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 visit the 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! Late in the afternoon we will island-hop south and overnight at the Sumburgh Hotel.

Friday – Northmavine We spend the day in the north Mainland - a beautiful region composed mainly of red granite and diorite. We will spend the morning at one of our favourite patches of moorland, looking for the elusive Arctic Hare along with Red Grouse and an array of breeding waders such as Dunlin, Snipe and Curlew. Continuing north towards the picturesque village of Hillswick, we make a stop to find the rare and declining Oysterplant. We lunch at the awe-inspiring Eshaness Cliffs, where caves, crags and rocky 'geos' form some of Shetland's most dramatic and iconic scenery. We visit the Grind o' da Navir - an incredible amphitheatre formed by the huge seas of violent winter storms and on our return, we will stop to admire the Holes of Scraada - a 132-yard collapsed cave. On our return to the lighthouse we will keep an eye offshore for plunge-diving Gannets and Terns, and with luck we may sight whales and dolphins. In the late afternoon, we head back south to Sumburgh for our farewell dinner. Overnight at the Sumburgh Hotel.

Saturday After breakfast we’ll transfer you to Sumburgh airport, or make arrangements for you to travel to your onward destination in Shetland. However, you may wish to extend your holiday in Shetland and join one of our other departures!

DaY 7

DaY 8

DaY 6

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Saturday 19th May – Saturday 26th May COSTSingle SupplementDEPOSIT

£895£70£100

Saturday 26th May – Saturday 2nd June

Saturday 2nd June – Saturday 9th June

Saturday 9th June – Saturday 16th June

Saturday 16th June – Saturday 23rd June

Saturday 23rd June – Saturday 30th June

Saturday 30th June – Saturday 7th July

Saturday 7th July – Saturday 14th July GROUP SIzE

Saturday 14th July – Saturday 21st July 8–12 maximum

Saturday – Seabirds, Selkies & Storm Petrels 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 Harbour 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.

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.

Monday – Hermaness & 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.

Tuesday After breakfast we’ll transfer you to Sumburgh airport, or make arrangements for you to travel to your onward destination in Shetland.

If you don’t have a lot of time or if you just wish to sample the

very best of Shetland’s wildlife before continuing your travels

independently, our Shetland Experience holiday makes an ideal

short break. Our daily itinerary is as follows...

• • •

she

tlan

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perie

nce


▲

DaY 1

DaY 2

DaY 3

DaY 4

EXTEND YOUR HOLIDaY!Combine two holidays and receive a 5% discount per person off the total cost!Here are a few possible holiday combinations...

Fair Isle Spring Migration 12th – 19th May + Shetland Experience 19th – 22nd MayFocus on Shetland 2nd – 9th June + Shetland Experience 9th – 12th JuneFocus on Shetland 9th – 16th June + Shetland Experience 16th – 19th JuneFocus on Shetland 16th – 23rd June + Shetland Experience 23rd – 26th June

2011 HIGHLIGHTS

9

Puffins – tens of thousands!Storm PetrelsRed-throated DiversGreat Northern DiversWhooper SwansKing EiderRed-necked PhalaropesBlack-tailed GodwitsOspreyMarsh WarblerSubalpine WarblerRed-backed Shrikes

Otters – lots!Killer WhalesMinke WhalesWhite-beaked DolphinsWhite-sided DolphinsHarbour PorpoiseGrey SealHarbour Seal

Frog OrchidNorthern Marsh OrchidEarly Purple OrchidFragrant OrchidOysterplantShetland Mouse-ear ChickweedArctic SandwortNorthern RockcressSundewMoonwort

WHAt to eXPect

Included – no hidden extras – three nights’ accommodation, all meals from lunch on Day One to breakfast on Day Four, transportation within Shetland (includes all boat trips) and the services of a Shetland Wildlife staff naturalist guide.




Meeting Point – on the Saturday morning, we can meet you at Sumburgh Hotel or collect you from your accommodation in Lerwick. Travellers taking the Northlink ferry from aberdeen on a Friday night will be met upon arrival at Lerwick at 0800 hrs on the Saturday morning. Should you wish to book pre-tour accommodation at the Sumburgh Hotel, please call our office for details of our special discounted rates.


Photographic Opportunities – this holiday offers good photographic opportunities. We recommend bringing a variety of focal length lenses ranging from 28mm to 400mm. Serious amateur photographers may like to consider joining our Focus on Shetland holiday operating 2nd – 9th, 9th – 16th and 16th – 23rd June (see page 14).







▲


Saturday 12th May – Tuesday 15th May COSTSingle SupplementDEPOSIT

£495£30£100

Saturday 19th May – Tuesday 22nd May

Saturday 26th May – Tuesday 29th May

Saturday 2nd June – Tuesday 5th June

Saturday 9th June Tuesday 12th June

Saturday 16th June – Tuesday 19th June *** Call our office for details of our exclusive family holidays! ***

Saturday 23rd June – Tuesday 26th June

Saturday 30th June – Tuesday 3rd July

Saturday 7th July – Tuesday 10th July

Saturday 14th July – Tuesday 17th July GROUP SIzE

Saturday 21st July – Tuesday 24th July 8–10 maximum

• • •

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Saturday Late afternoon / early evening rendezvous at the Sumburgh Hotel. In the late evening we head north to Sandwick for an evening ferry trip across to Mousa. During the 20 minute crossing we should encounter our first Arctic and Great Skuas and Arctic Terns - all of which will have recently arrived in the islands after wintering off the coast of Africa. We will have to wait until darkness for our ultimate quarry, though, when hundreds of tiny Storm Petrels will come ashore to visit the spectacular Iron Age Broch where they will commence breeding in the next few weeks. If we are very fortunate we might even see an Otter or Harbour Porpoise. We will return to the Sumburgh Hotel in the early hours of the morning.

Sunday We spend the day exploring the south Mainland’s many migrant hotspots to take advantage of any scarce migrants that might have arrived in the previous few days - at this time of year Bluethroat, Red-backed Shrike and Wryneck are all realistic possibilities. Our first port of call will be Sumburgh Head where we will check the scant cover around the lighthouse built by the famous Stevenson family. One of the great advantages of birding in Shetland is the lack of cover - making it that much easier to unearth a skulking warbler or two, and the bushes here have held Subalpine Warbler, an overshoot from the Mediterranean, in more than one recent spring. We’ll also check several nutrient rich lochs in the south Mainland. These often hold a good variety of ducks and waders on their way north to their tundra breeding grounds. Garganey and Wood Sandpiper can often be found and we will keep our eyes open for something much rarer - Lesser Yellowlegs, Black Duck and Great White Egret have been just some of the highlights of recent years. We will probably encounter a few flocks of hirundines too, and we should keep a sharp eye out among the Swallows and martins in case a rarer visitor like a Red-rumped Swallow lurks among them. We also explore Shetland’s largest expanse of inter-tidal mud at the Pool of Virkie. Here we should find a good variety of Arctic-bound waders stopping off to refuel on their long journey north. Knot and Sanderling should be present in their less familiar - but more colourful - summer plumage and we must check carefully for any rarer visitors. Overnight at the Sumburgh Hotel.

Monday to Thursday After breakfast we travel north to Tingwall Airport to board our plane, each of us full of excitement and anticipation at the thought of what great birds await us. After a thirty minute flight, we arrive on the remote and magical island of Fair Isle. We’ll check-in to our cosy and homely guest house, which is located at the southern end of the island. It’s hard to define a day on Fair Isle, as our activities are so diverse! Our day will typically start with an optional pre-breakfast walk to check for migrant arrivals. After judging the weather prospects for the day ahead we could find ourselves assisting in a daily migrant census or may find ourselves out for the day with a packed lunch on the north and west cliffs, completely immersed in the vast seabird colonies for which the island is so famous. During our visit, Fair Isle is alive with over 250,000 seabirds of 17 breeding species, ten of which nest in nationally or internationally important numbers - Fulmar, Gannet, Shag, Arctic Skua, Great Skua, Kittiwake, Arctic Tern, Guillemot, Razorbill and Puffin. We’ll also be exploring the meadows and cliffs for mosaics of wildflowers, keeping an eye offshore for whales, dolphins and porpoises and there will be the option of visiting the island’s wonderful museum, knitwear demonstrations and craft displays. Searching for migrant passerines on Fair Isle is an original and exciting form of birding! Apart from the tiny ‘plantation’, there are no trees or bushes of significant size on the island and thus cover for migrants is extremely sparse. A large proportion of birds tend to be found in the southern part of the island and with hospitality in these parts second to none, our friends who live on Fair Isle allow us the freedom to roam all corners of their island. As with birding anywhere else, we’re at the mercy of the weather. We’ll hope for a few days of the fabled east winds that can produce spectacular numbers of common migrants like Ring

10

Half way between Shetland and Orkney, where the Atlantic

meets the North Sea, the island of Fair Isle is famous for its huge

seabird colonies, dramatic scenery, stunning list of rare migrants

and, of course, its knitwear. Enjoy a unique holiday on Britain’s

most isolated inhabited island combined with some great birding

on Mainland Shetland. Spectacular birds, awesome scenery,

scrumptious food and no crowds – guaranteed!


▲DaYS 3–6

DaY 1

DaY 2

WHAt to eXPect

Included – no hidden extras - seven nights’ accommodation, all meals from dinner on Day One to breakfast on Day Eight, return flight to Fair Isle, transportation within Shetland and the services of a Shetland Wildlife staff birder as your guide.

Not Included – soft drinks, alcoholic beverages, telephone calls, laundry, items of a personal nature, etc.

accommodation – victorian country house hotel at Sumburgh and cosy guest house on Fair isle. all rooms at Sumburgh are en suite with shower/bath, adjustable heating, telephone, tea & coffee making facilities. On Fair Isle we stay at the auld Haa Guest House. Bathroom facilities are shared but with just five travellers this is not a problem!

Food – filling breakfasts, tasty picnic/indoor lunches and delicious three-course evening meals using local produce where possible. vegetarian, vegan and gluten–free diets are all catered for – but please let us know when you book.

Meeting Point – Sumburgh Hotel. Complimentary transport from Sumburgh airport will be provided for those flying to Shetland on Day One. Should you wish to book pre–tour accommodation at the Sumburgh Hotel, please call our office for details of our special discounted rates.

Outdoor activities – daily walks on Fair Isle may total up to five miles. Terrain is often cross–country, but not too strenuous!



Transportation – on Shetland, in our own minibus, meeting the latest government safety standards and regulations. On Fair Isle – on foot (but we have been known to flag down an islander or two!)




Travel to and from Shetland – Shetland’s main air links with the rest of Britain and Europe are through aberdeen, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Inverness, which all have direct connections from major UK airports. a passenger and vehicle ferry sails daily from aberdeen year–round. an early evening departure from aberdeen will see you in Lerwick the following morning at 7am. as we’re extremely familiar with travel to and from Shetland, please contact our office with any travel questions.

Ouzels, Pied and Spotted Flycatchers, Redstarts, Whitethroats, Wood Warblers and Blackcaps. We would hope to find a few goodies - Corncrake, Marsh and Icterine Warblers, Bluethroat, Wryneck, Golden Oriole, Red-backed Shrike, Common Rosefinch and Ortolan Bunting are all likely candidates. Rarities recorded with some degree of regularity on previous holidays include Short-toed Lark, Red-throated Pipit, Thrush Nightingale and Subalpine Warbler. We’ve even seen Calandra Lark, Collared Flycatcher and a dazzling male Yellow-rumped Warbler! Even when there are few migrants elsewhere in Shetland, Fair Isle has an uncanny knack of producing interesting birds. It is also one of the best places in the whole of Britain to find your own rarities, so who knows - maybe it will be us making the birding headlines this spring! We’ll also seek out breeders like Fair Isle Wren, Wheatears, Twite and both Rock and Meadow Pipits and scour the seaweed-strewn beaches and rock pools for arctic-bound shorebirds, most of which will be in handsome summer plumage. Typical coastal species like Turnstone, Dunlin, Sanderling, Purple Sandpiper and Ringed Plover will be present and we should also encounter Golden Plover, Common and Wood Sandpiper, Greenshank and Whimbrel.

Friday We leave Fair Isle in the morning and return to mainland Shetland. We will spend the rest of the day in the central Mainland where we will hope for a few remaining winter visitors and maybe a stunning Great Northern Diver in resplendent summer plumage. Then it is on to Kergord where we will walk beneath the trees - something of a unique experience in Shetland - and hope to find a few summer migrants - Pied Flycatchers, Wood Warblers and Redstarts often feel more at home here than on un-vegetated headlands while Golden Orioles are annual in spring but can be frustratingly elusive. Blyth’s Reed Warbler and Thrush Nightingale have also briefly held territory here in recent years. En route back to Lerwick we will check out one or two more spots that may yield an unusual migrant or two, as well as Red-throated Divers, Red-breasted Mergansers and Britain’s only breeding Whooper Swans. In Lerwick we will see if any migrant Iceland or Glaucous Gulls have joined the local gulls. If not we will be amply compensated by the antics of the local Grey Seals! We will gradually return south to our accommodation at Sumburgh Hotel, making strategic detours along the way to take in any exciting new migrants we may have learned of. Overnight at the Sumburgh Hotel.

Saturday After breakfast we will transfer you to Sumburgh Airport or make arrangements for you to travel to your onward destination in Shetland. You may however wish to consider joining our follow-on Ultimate Shetland holiday operating from Saturday 21st - 28th May.

DaY 7

DaY 8

EXTEND YOUR HOLIDaY!Combine these two holidays and receive a 5% discount per person off the total cost!

Spring into Shetland 5th – 12th May + Fair Isle Spring Migration 12th – 19th MayFair Isle Spring Migration 12th – 19th May + Ultimate Shetland 19th – 26th May

RECENT HIGHLIGHTS

11

White-billed Divers Green-winged Teal Ring-necked Duck King Eiders American Coot Little Egret Great White Egret Common Crane Upland Sandpiper Temminck’s Stint Kentish Plover

Red-rumped Swallow Ring-billed Gulls Franklin’s Gull Long-tailed Skuas Pomarine Skuas Bee-eater Golden Orioles Wryneck Bluethroats Paddyfield Warbler Marsh Warblers Icterine Warblers

Sardinian WarblerSubalpine WarblersRed-backed Shrikes – 20 on one day!Collared Flycatcher – wow!Great Grey Shrike Hawfinches Arctic Redpoll Rustic Bunting Common Rosefinches Serin

Otters – lots!Killer WhalesMinke WhalesWhite-beaked DolphinsWhite-sided DolphinsRisso's DolphinsHarbour PorpoiseGrey SealsHarbour SealsArctic Hare – lots!

RECENT HIGHLIGHTS

▲



£895£100£200GROUP SIzE: 5 travellers maximum

• • •

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Saturday – Arrival in Shetland Late afternoon / early evening rendezvous at the Sumburgh Hotel. After our orientation dinner we present an illustrated lecture on bird migration in Shetland.

Sunday – South Mainland After breakfast, we will spend the day in the south Mainland of Shetland, where we will keep in contact with other Shetland Wildlife guides in order to maximise our chances of seeing whatever exciting birds are on offer. We will check the hotel garden and surrounding fields for migrants, which at this time of year should include Willow Warbler, Wheatear, Lesser Whitethroat and Redstart amongst others, before moving to Sumburgh Head where we will search the roses, thistle patches and quarries. Twite are plentiful here, and with luck we may sight cetaceans out at sea. We’ll also visit Pool of Virkie, the largest expanse of inter-tidal mud in Shetland and by far the best place to see waders. Amongst the large numbers of Redshanks, Curlews, Ringed Plovers and Dunlins we may locate Curlew Sandpipers and Little Stints, or maybe something rarer - autumn 2007 produced a Killdeer, a Baird’s Sandpiper and two White-rumped Sandpipers here! Our itinerary will be kept as flexible as possible, but it is likely that we will visit the nutrient-rich lochs of Gards, Hillwell and Spiggie, where we will see newly-arrived wildfowl including the first returning Whooper Swans. A little further north, one of the regular King Eiders may have already returned; if so, we will endeavour to visit the area, making sure we check other migrant hotspots along the way. At this time of year, scarce migrants such as Yellow-browed Warbler, Barred Warbler, Common Rosefinch and Red-backed Shrike are likely possibilities, with the very real chance of something much rarer thrown in for good measure. Overnight at the Sumburgh Hotel.

Monday to Thursday – Fair Isle After breakfast we travel north to Tingwall Airport to board our plane, each of us full of excitement and anticipation at the thought of what rarities await us. After a thirty minute flight, we arrive on the remote and magical island of Fair Isle. We’ll check-in to our cosy and homely guest house, which is located at the southern end of the island It’s hard to define a day on Fair Isle. Our day will typically start with an optional pre-breakfast walk to check for migrant arrivals. After judging the weather prospects for the day ahead we could be heading to the crofting areas in the south or exploring the sheltered ‘geos’ in the north - in autumn, birds have a habit of turning up anywhere on Fair Isle. With just a sniff of the fabled east wind we can expect a wide range of common species including Redstart, Ring Ouzel, Goldcrest, Spotted Flycatcher, Brambling, Siskin, Twite, Mealy Redpoll and Snow Bunting. The island can also be awash with thousands of Fieldfares and Redwings. Among the commoner migrants we’ll search for Richard’s Pipit, Icterine, Yellow-browed and Barred Warblers, Red-breasted Flycatcher, Red-backed and Great Grey Shrike, Lapland Bunting and Common Rosefinch. September and October are peak months for Fair Isle’s rarities, and it can be outstanding for vagrants. Specialities like Great Snipe, Pechora, Red-throated and Olive-backed Pipit, Yellow-breasted Bunting and Citrine Wagtail are just about annual and we have a good chance of seeing Lanceolated, Pallas’s Grasshopper, Booted, Radde’s, Dusky, Pallas’s, Arctic or Greenish Warblers! An outstanding list of vagrants has been amassed over the years - Harlequin Duck, Baillon’s Crake, Blyth’s Pipit, Siberian Rubythroat, Red-flanked Bluetail, Brown Flycatcher, Siberian, White’s, Swainson’s, Eye-browed and Black-throated Thrushes, Blyth’s Reed, Paddyfield, Blackburnian and Tennessee Warblers, Savannah Sparrow and both Pallas’s Reed and Yellow-browed Buntings. Almost anything can - and does - turn up!

12

Autumn on Fair Isle is a birdwatcher’s dream Enjoy a

unique holiday on Britain’s most isolated inhabited island

combined with some great birding on Mainland Shetland.

Spectacular birds, awesome scenery, scrumptious food and no

crowds and our very best ornithological staff as guides

– simply brilliant!


▲

DaYS 3–6

DaY 1

DaY 2

WHAt to eXPect

Included – no hidden extras - seven nights’ accommodation, all meals from dinner on Day One to breakfast on Day Eight, return flight to Fair Isle, transportation within Shetland and the services of a Shetland Wildlife staff birder as your guide.

Not Included – soft drinks, alcoholic beverages, telephone calls, laundry, items of a personal nature, etc.

accommodation – victorian country house hotel at Sumburgh and cosy guest house on Fair isle. all rooms at Sumburgh are en suite with shower/bath, adjustable heating, telephone, tea & coffee making facilities. On Fair Isle we stay at the auld Haa Guest House. Bathroom facilities are shared but with just five travellers this is not a problem!

Food – filling breakfasts, tasty picnic/indoor lunches and delicious three-course evening meals using local produce where possible. vegetarian, vegan and gluten–free diets are all catered for – but please let us know when you book.

Meeting Point – Sumburgh Hotel. Complimentary transport from Sumburgh airport will be provided for those flying to Shetland on Day One. Should you wish to book pre–tour accommodation at the Sumburgh Hotel, please call our office for details of our special discounted rates.

Outdoor activities – daily walks on Fair Isle may total up to five miles. Terrain is often cross–country, but not too strenuous!



Transportation – on Shetland, in our own minibus, meeting the latest government safety standards and regulations. On Fair Isle – on foot (but we have been known to flag down an islander or two!)




Travel to and from Shetland – Shetland’s main air links with the rest of Britain and Europe are through aberdeen, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Inverness, which all have direct connections from major UK airports. a passenger and vehicle ferry sails daily from aberdeen year–round. an early evening departure from aberdeen will see you in Lerwick the following morning at 7am. as we’re extremely familiar with travel to and from Shetland, please contact our office with any travel questions.

A wide variety of other migrants will be on the move: Jack Snipe, Knot, Sanderling, Curlew Sandpiper, Ruff, Black-tailed Godwit and Common Greenshank should be encountered and southbound geese will include Pink-footed, White-fronted, Greylag and Barnacle; Glaucous and Iceland Gulls will also be passing through in small numbers and our early morning sea watches may reward us with Great Northern Divers, Storm Petrels, Sooty Shearwaters, Pomarine Skuas and maybe diminutive Little Auks heading south. Even when there are few migrants elsewhere in Shetland, Fair Isle has an uncanny knack of producing interesting birds. It is also one of the best places in the whole of Britain to find your own rarities. Who knows - maybe it will be us making the birding headlines this autumn!

Friday We leave Fair Isle in the morning and return to mainland Shetland. For the rest of the day we will visit the plantations at Kergord, Voe, Vidlin and Swining. The abundance of food and shelter at these sites often encourages migrants to remain for several days, so whatever the weather, we should find some interesting birds. The commoner thrushes, warblers and finches may all be present while that tiny Siberian sprite the Yellow-browed Warbler is all but guaranteed. We have a good chance of unearthing a scarce migrant or two - perhaps a Red-breasted Flycatcher or a Barred Warbler. Merlins, Sparrowhawks and Long-eared Owls can often be found sheltering at these sites too. We will gradually return south to our accommodation at Sumburgh Hotel, making strategic detours along the way to take in any exciting new migrants we may have learned of. Overnight at the Sumburgh Hotel.

Saturday After breakfast we will transfer you to Sumburgh Airport or make arrangements for you to travel to your onward destination in Shetland. Those booking the Saturday 17th – 24th September trip may however wish to consider joining our follow-on Autumn Gold holiday operating from 24th September – 1st October.

DaY 7

DaY 8


Fair Isle autumn Migration 15th – 22nd Sept + autumn Gold 22nd – 29th Septautumn Gold 22nd – 29th Sept + Fair Isle autumn Migration 29th Sept – 6th Octautumn Gold 29th Sept – 6th Oct + Fair Isle autumn Migration 6th – 13th Oct

RECENT HIGHLIGHTS

13

Surf Scoter Rough-legged Buzzard Spotted Crake Corncrake Dotterel American Golden Plover Baird’s Sandpiper Pectoral SandpiperBuff-breasted SandpiperLong-billed Dowitcher Upland Sandpiper Greater Yellowlegs Alpine Swift Short-toed Lark Shore Lark Richard’s Pipit

Olive-backed Pipit Pechora Pipit Citrine Wagtail Waxwing Thrush Nightingale Siberian Rubythroat Bluethroat White’s Thrush Siberian Thrush Grey-cheeked Thrush Black-throated Thrush Pallas’s Grasshopper Warbler Lanceolated Warbler River Warbler Paddyfield Warbler Blyth’s Reed Warbler Marsh Warbler Greenish Warbler

Arctic WarblerPallas’s Leaf Warbler Yellow-browed Warbler Radde’s Warbler Dusky Warbler Red-breasted Flycatcher Lesser Grey Shrike Arctic Redpoll Common Yellowthroat Lapland Bunting Ortolan Bunting Rustic Bunting Little Bunting Yellow-breasted Bunting Bobolink

Otters – lots!Killer WhalesMinke WhalesWhite-beaked DolphinsWhite-sided DolphinsRisso's DolphinsHarbour PorpoiseGrey SealsHarbour SealsArctic Hare – lots!

▲


Sat 15th September – Sat 22nd September COSTSingle SupplementDEPOSIT

£895£100£200

Sat 29th September – Sat 6th October

Sat 6th October – Sat 13th October

GROUP SIzE: 5 travellers maximum

• • •

Focu

s on

She

tland Saturday – Welcome Dinner

Late afternoon / early evening rendezvous at the Sumburgh Hotel. After our welcome dinner there will be an optional evening excursion to photograph a spectacular sunset or some atmospheric scenes - the soft light of Shetland's Simmer Dim is a photographer's dream! Overnight at the Sumburgh Hotel.

Sunday – Mousa The tiny island of Mousa lies off the east coast of the south Mainland. We have arranged exclusive access for our group during the morning, to spend several hours with a wide range of approachable birds – they include Black Guillemots, Great and Arctic Skuas, Oystercatchers, Ringed Plovers and Arctic Terns. In the afternoon we visit a site just north of Lerwick where we can get unusually close to bull Grey Seals. The antics of these enormous animals as they vie for territorial dominance offers spectacular photographic opportunities. After dinner, we return to the island and spend the latter part of the evening in the company of Storm Petrels. With the use of flash (essential), we will have the opportunity to capture birds on film as they land briefly on the 43 feet high broch! Overnight at the Sumburgh Hotel.

Monday – South Mainland We spend the morning at the bustling seabird colonies of Sumburgh Head. Subjects we would hope for include Puffins in pink Thrift, Shetland Wrens on lichen-strewn stone walls and Fulmars at arm's length! With luck we may spot passing cetaceans - Killer Whales are regularly seen off Sumburgh Head during the summer months and hunt exceptionally close inshore! After lunch, we head a few miles north to a rich expanse of heathland. We'll spend the remainder of the afternoon with Arctic Skuas, Great Skuas, Golden Plover, Snipe and Whimbrel in breeding habitat and also find plenty of wildflowers including Bell Heather, Tormentil, Heath Bedstraw, Wild Thyme, Lousewort and Butterwort. Overnight at the Sumburgh Hotel.

Tuesday – Noss We take our chartered boat – exclusive to our group - to the spectacular seabird colonies of Noss National Nature Reserve. From sea level, we will have the unique opportunity of using wide angle and telephoto perspectives to capture 20,000 Gannets, 40,000 Guillemots and 5,000 Kittiwakes! Puffins, Shags and Black Guillemots will also be on offer. The many natural arches, caves and dramatic sandstone cliffs add to the experience. We return to Lerwick at lunch time and head north to catch a ferry to Yell and then across Bluemull Sound to Britain's most northerly inhabited island - Unst. The late afternoon will be spent at Keen of Hamar National Nature Reserve. This serpentine fell-field is a locally unique habitat and home to an array of rare wild flowers. Diminutive Arctic alpines include Moss Campion, Arctic Sandwort and Northern Rock Cress. Other species in flower will include the strange Moonwort, Early Purple, Northern Marsh and Frog Orchids, Stone Bramble and the endemic Shetland Mouse-Ear Chickweed - found here but nowhere else in the World! Overnight at the Baltasound Hotel.

Wednesday – Fetlar & Hermaness at ‘Dusk’! We travel to south Unst to connect with the morning ferry to the island of Fetlar. The prize here will be the handsome Red-necked Phalarope which is famous for its breeding role reversal. Fetlar holds over 90% of the British breeding population, although the birds' stay on the island is brief - they generally arrive during the third week of May and are gone by the end

Focus on Shetland is a great holiday for travellers who want to seek out and

photograph Shetland's most exciting and unique wildlife. Led by well-known

award-winning Shetland photographer Hugh Harrop, whose work has

enhanced magazines, books and newspapers worldwide, we use a

unique combination of our local knowledge and camera skills to help

you get the very best images! With emphasis on approach, metering

and composition, this holiday offers outstanding opportunities

and is suitable for amateurs and seasoned photographers alike.

14

See our guests' own photo highlights from 2011 at www.shetlandwildlife.co.uk/holidays/photo.htm


▲

DaY 2

DaY 1

DaY 3

DaY 4

DaY 5

▲


Saturday 2nd June – Saturday 9th June COSTSingle SupplementDEPOSIT

£975£70£100

Saturday 9th June – Saturday 16th June

Saturday 16th June – Saturday 23rd June

GROUP SIzE: strictly limted to 6 photographers

of July! Phalaropes are typically confiding and the Fetlar birds are no exception - we once watched a female picking insects from our tripod legs! Red-throated Diver, Dunlin and Arctic Tern are frequent visitors to our chosen loch and will also offer us some superb photographic opportunities. We return to Unst for an early evening meal and offer an optional walk to Hermaness cliffs for the rare opportunity to photograph Puffins and Great Skuas against what will hopefully be a magnificent Simmer Dim sunset. Overnight at the Baltasound Hotel.

Thursday – Hermaness by Day We spend the day on Hermaness National Nature Reserve. 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! We'll have the opportunity of photographing seabird colonies from our cliff-top vantage point - a complete contrast to our sea level portraits at Noss. There will also be the opportunity to photograph some dramatic seascapes at Britain’s most northerly lighthouse – Muckle Flugga. The reserve also offers typical moorland flora like Heather, Crowberry, Bog Bilberry, Bog Cotton and the carnivorous Sundew. Overnight at the Baltasound Hotel.

Friday – Yell & North Mainland We leave Unst and spend the morning on Yell. The island boasts the highest density of Otters in Shetland and although characteristically shy and secretive, we have, in the past, had reasonable success working with swimming animals. Certainly no guarantees and remember that luck will play a huge part this morning! We cross Yell Sound and head in to the north Mainland. Eshaness cliffs offer some of the best seascapes in Shetland and we will also have the opportunity to work with one of Shetland's rarest maritime plants - Oysterplant. We return to Sumburgh in the late afternoon and prepare for our farewell dinner. Overnight at the Sumburgh Hotel.

Saturday After breakfast we'll transfer you to Sumburgh airport, or make arrangements for you to travel to your onward destination in Shetland.

EXTEND YOUR HOLIDaY!Combine two holidays and receive a 5% discount per person off the total cost! Here are a few possible holiday combinations...

Ultimate Shetland 26th May – 2nd June + Focus on Shetland 2nd – 9th JuneFocus on Shetland 2nd – 9th June + Ultimate Shetland 9th – 16th JuneFocus on Shetland 9th – 16th June + Ultimate Shetland 16th – 23rd JuneUltimate Shetland 9th – 16th June + Focus on Shetland 16th – 23rd JuneFocus on Shetland 16th – 23rd June + Ultimate Shetland 23rd – 30th June

“With emphasis on approach, metering and composition, this holiday offers outstanding opportunities and is suitable for amateurs and seasoned photographers alike.”

Roberta Abelson, USA

15

WHAt to eXPect

Included – no hidden extras – seven nights’ accommodation, all meals from dinner on Day One to breakfast on Day Eight, transportation within Shetland (includes all boat trips) and the services of a Shetland Wildlife staff photographer.






Photographic Opportunities – this holiday offers outstanding photographic opportunities. We recommend bringing a variety of focal length lenses ranging from 28mm to 600mm, a flash unit, a sturdy tripod and a selection of filters. Bring plenty of media cards or film ranging from 50 – 400 aSa and don’t forget spare batteries!







DaY 6

DaY 7

DaY 8

• • •

Saturday – Welcome Dinner Late afternoon / early evening rendezvous at Sumburgh Hotel. Enjoy a welcome drink as your guide details the week ahead. After dinner, maybe stroll along the beautiful beach at West Voe of Sumburgh or walk to Sumburgh Head to view your first Puffins! Overnight at the Sumburgh Hotel.

Sunday – Sumburgh Head & St Ninian's Isle – 8 miles combined Our first morning sees us on a circular walk from around the most southerly point of Shetland Mainland. From the heights of Compass Head, we will get breathtaking views of the east coast of Shetland, before heading along the cliff tops above 'The Slithers' to Sumburgh Head, dominated by the impressive lighthouse built by Robert Stevenson in 1821. Sumburgh Head is home to an array of seabirds and we should see plenty of photogenic Puffins! After a picnic lunch, we'll follow the coastal trail back along the shore of West Voe via the archaeological site of Jarlshof, where a series of settlements exist, some dating back to the Neolithic period. In the afternoon we drive to the township of Bigton and head west to one of Shetland's most iconic attractions - St Ninian's Isle. The isle itself is connected to coast of the Mainland by the largest active tombolo in the UK. After crossing this sandy isthmus, we will visit the ruins of the 12th Century chapel which is famous as the site where in 1958 a local schoolboy discovered a hoard of Celtic treasure under a cross-marked slab in the floor whilst helping visiting archaeologists at a dig on the site! On our way around the isle we will take the time to enjoy the sight and sounds of the beautiful seascapes, perhaps with a glimpse of Foula out to the west, Sandness Hill to the north and Fitful Head to the south. The waters around the isle are particularly good for Harbour Porpoise and both Common and Grey Seals.

Sunday – Quendale to Spiggie – 8 miles Our walk today starts at the beautiful Quendale Bay and takes us through the deserted village of Garths Ness before heading through the Noup, to the summit of Fitful Head - the home of 'Norna' the witch, who features in Sir Walter Scott's novel The Pirate. We'll enjoy a panoramic view of St. Ninian's Isle to the north, Foula to the west and Fair Isle to the south. After a picnic lunch, we follow the towering cliffs north along Fora Ness and the Wick of Shunni. From our high vantage point we'll see thousands of seabirds, including Great and Arctic Skuas, Puffins, Guillemots and Fulmars, watch Seals fishing beneath us and maybe even encounter a small party of Harbour Porpoises. We end the walk at the beautiful Peerie Voe, where the north isles steamer used to call in during the last century. Overnight at the Sumburgh Hotel.

Tuesday – Eshaness Peninsula – 9 miles The combination of dramatic coastal scenery, unusual natural features and historical sites make this an event-filled day. Our walk begins at Eshaness lighthouse, 200 feet above sea level. We head north along the coast on a springy grassland of plantains and Sea Pinks, among some of the most dramatic scenery Shetland has to offer. The coastline, indented with caves and natural arches, culminates at the Grind of the Navir, a cross between a quarry and an amphitheatre created by the huge seas of violent winter storms. On the return to the lighthouse we will stop to admire the Holes of Scraada, a gaping 132-yard collapsed cave, and explore the Houlland broch set in a shallow tranquil loch and boasting a diameter of 57 feet! Then we will set off via Ronas Voe to the Isle of Fethaland (the fertile land) the most northerly tip of the Shetland Mainland. The ‘island’ is actually connected to Mainland by a storm beach, on which an Iron-age homestead and one of the best remaining ruins of Shetland’s Haaf (deep sea) fishing stations is situated. It is a site of both great poignancy and beauty. We will walk on to the Point of Fethaland, overlooking Ramna (raven) Stacks across green pastures, which are full of flowers in season. Throughout the day we will see most of Shetland’s seabirds, including Puffins and Arctic Terns, and also several of Shetland’s northern waders including Ringed Plover. Late in the afternoon we catch a ferry to Yell and then cross Bluemull Sound to Britain’s most northerly inhabited island – Unst. Overnight at the Baltasound Hotel.

• • •

Wal

k S

hetla

ndThere’s no better way to experience the Shetland outdoors than to join

one of our walking holidays: Shetland is a walker’s paradise! Our walks

typically cover around 8 to 10 miles a day and are set at a leisurely pace to

enjoy the wonders of the island landscape and explore the things we find

along the way – ancient monuments, wild-flowers, birds, mammals and

geological features. Our itinerary is as follows...


▲

DaY 1

DaY 2

DaY 3

DaY 4

Wednesday – North Unst – 8 miles We spend the day hiking on Hermaness National Nature Reserve. From the old lighthouse shore station at Burrafirth we cross the heather moorland to reach the towering cliffs, which are home to over 100,000 seabirds, including some very approachable Puffins. A true seabird city! We skirt the western flank of Hermaness to reach the northern edge of the reserve. This is as close as one can get on foot to Muckle Flugga lighthouse and the Out Stack – the most northerly point in Britain! We’ll spare a thought for Lady Jane Franklin, wife of the ill-fated Arctic explorer, Sir John. Lady Franklin visited Unst in the 1850s and asked to be taken to the most northerly spot. Jessie Saxby wrote: “She stood on the Out Stack and said ’send love on the wings of a prayer‘, quite silent with tears falling slowly and her hands stretched out toward the north”. Hermaness is also a wonderful place for wild flowers – amidst the tapestry of Heather, Crowberry, Bog Bilberry and Bog Cotton we’ll search for the carnivorous Sundew and Butterwort. After dinner there’s an optional walk to the Keen of Hamar to seek out more rare flora – in particular Shetland Mouse-ear Chickweed – found here, but nowhere else in the world! Overnight at the Baltasound Hotel.

Thursday -South Unst – 8 miles We spend the day hiking around the southwest corner of Unst. We start at Belmont (where photographers will find some pedigreed Shetland Ponies!) and skirt the coastline of Hoga Ness – an excellent spot for Otters. From here we walk northwards along the shore of Blue Mull Sound, where the tide, in full flow, rips by at 6 knots carrying seals and seabirds and sometimes freewheeling Harbour Porpoise. Then on to the headland of Blue Mull itself, where there are ancient outlines of buildings thought to have been Iron Age watchtowers or monastic settlements. Here we will have lunch looking west across to the north coast of Yell and north along the rugged west coast of Unst itself. In the afternoon we will descend the Mull to Lunda Wick and spend a little time exploring the 12th century church of St Olaf. We then cross the beautiful sandy beach of Lund and make our way to Shetland’s largest standing stone at Boardastubble. From there we will cross the moorland to the now isolated and deserted crofts of Easterhouse, Westerhouse and Southerhouse, all built from the stones of a once huge broch, now in ruins. We complete the circle back to Belmont, via the Loch of Snarravoe, with a brief visit to the partly excavated remains of a Viking longhouse. Overnight at the Baltasound Hotel.

Friday – Muckle Roe – 7 miles This morning we cross back through Yell to Mainland, passing by Sullom Voe and its well-hidden and well-managed oil port, to Muckle Roe. Throughout the week we will have walked over almost every example of Shetland’s rich geology. From the sandstones of Fitful and Sandness, to the tuffs and lavas of Eshaness and from the calcareous rocks of Fethaland to the schists and serpentines of Unst. We complete our ‘geological tour’ on the rugged and red granite rocks of Muckle Roe. Our walk starts from Little-Ayre and takes in the Hill of Tongues and Pict’s Ness as well as the wild west coast of the island. There is much that is different from the rest of Shetland on this hike – the moorland is rich in the prostrate northern shrubs of bilberry, bearberry and juniper and, early in the season, the coast is dotted by the pin-cushion flowers of Moss Campion. We will also pass by one of Shetland’s very few Cormorant colonies. If we have time (and energy!), we may hike the extra mile to the spectacular Erne (eagle) Stack on the north coast, unfortunately no longer occupied. From there we will return across the moorland via the deserted crofts of the Hams. We drive back to Sumburgh for our well-earned farewell dinner. Overnight at the Sumburgh Hotel.

Saturday After breakfast we'll transfer you to Sumburgh airport, or make arrangements for you to travel to your onward destination in Shetland.

EXTEND YOUR HOLIDaY!Combine two holidays and receive a 5% discount per person off the total cost!

Ultimate Shetland 14th – 21st July + Walk Shetland 21st – 28th July

17

WHAt to eXPect

Included – no hidden extras – seven nights’ accommodation, all meals from dinner on Day One to breakfast on Day Eight, transportation within Shetland (includes all boat trips) and the services of a Shetland Wildlife staff naturalist guide.





Outdoor activities – gentle daily walks, up to 11 miles following coastal and inland trails.



Transportation – in our own minibus, meeting the latest government safety standards and regulations. We also use inter-island ro-ro ferries for getting to and from Yell and Unst.





DaY 6

DaY 7

DaY 8

DaY 5

▲


Saturday 21st July – Saturday 28th July COSTSingle SupplementDEPOSIT

£745£70£100

Saturday 28th July – Saturday 4th august


• • •

spr

ing

into

She

tland

Saturday Late afternoon / early evening rendezvous at the Sumburgh Hotel. The hotel grounds have an enviable reputation for attracting migrants and we will be sure to check the small garden and adjacent fields after our orientation dinner. In the late evening we head north to Sandwick for an evening ferry trip across to Mousa. During the 20 minute crossing we should encounter our first Arctic and Great Skuas and Arctic Terns - all of which will have recently arrived in the islands after wintering off the coast of Africa. We will have to wait until darkness for our ultimate quarry, though, when hundreds of tiny Storm Petrels will come ashore to visit the spectacular Iron Age Broch where they will commence breeding in the next few weeks. If we are very fortunate we might even see an Otter or Harbour Porpoise. We will return to the Sumburgh Hotel in the early hours of the morning.

Sunday We spend the day exploring the south Mainland's many migrant hotspots to take advantage of any scarce migrants that might have arrived in the previous few days - at this time of year Bluethroat, Red-backed Shrike and Wryneck are all realistic possibilities. Our first port of call will be Sumburgh Head where we will check the scant cover around the lighthouse built by the famous Stevenson family. One of the great advantages of birding in Shetland is the lack of cover - making it that much easier to unearth a skulking warbler or two, and the bushes here have held Subalpine Warbler, an overshoot from the Mediterranean, in more than one recent spring. We'll also check several nutrient rich lochs in the south Mainland. These often hold a good variety of ducks and waders on their way north to their tundra breeding grounds. Garganey and Wood Sandpiper can often be found and we will keep our eyes open for something much rarer - Lesser Yellowlegs, Black Duck and Great White Egret have been just some of the highlights of recent years. We will probably encounter a few flocks of hirundines too, and we should keep a sharp eye out among the Swallows and martins in case a rarer visitor like a Red-rumped Swallow lurks among them. We also explore Shetland's largest expanse of inter-tidal mud at the Pool of Virkie. Here we should find a good variety of Arctic-bound waders stopping off to refuel on their long journey north. Knot and Sanderling should be present in their less familiar - but more colourful - summer plumage and we must check carefully for any rarer visitors. Overnight at the Sumburgh Hotel.

Monday After a quick tour of the hotel garden to assess whether there have been any overnight arrivals we will head north to the central Mainland where we will hope for a few remaining winter visitors and maybe a stunning Great Northern Diver in resplendent summer plumage. Then it is on to Kergord where we will walk beneath the trees - something of a unique experience in Shetland - and hope to find a few summer migrants - Pied Flycatchers, Wood Warblers and Redstarts often feel more at home here than on un-vegetated headlands while Golden Orioles are annual in spring but can be frustratingly elusive. Blyth's Reed Warbler and Thrush Nightingale have also briefly held territory here in recent years. En route back to Lerwick we will check out one or two more spots that may yield an unusual migrant or two, as well as Red-throated Divers, Red-breasted Mergansers and Britain's only breeding Whooper Swans. In Lerwick we will see if any migrant Iceland or Glaucous Gulls have joined the local gulls. If not we will be amply compensated by the antics of the local Grey Seals! During the afternoon we will take a spectacular cruise around the island of Noss - one of Shetland's largest and most vibrant seabird colonies. Here our skilled local boatman will manoeuvre us right in under the bustling cliffs alive with over 20,000 Gannets and 40,000 Guillemots as well as smaller numbers of Puffins, Razorbills and Kittiwakes. Although it will be hard to avert our gaze from the blur of seabird activity we should keep an eye open for any aerial migrants - both Alpine and Needle-tailed Swift have been seen cruising around the Noup of Noss! Overnight at the Sumburgh Hotel.

Tuesday Spring migration is now at its peak and we can expect new migrants to arrive daily if the weather is favourable. We will be sure, therefore, to recheck some of the sites visited in earlier days before we head up to the northern isles. After lunch we will take the short ferry

18

By May, bird migration across Northern Europe is in full swing and

Shetland is ideally situated to receive more than its fair share of this

avian spectacle. Equally spectacular are the colonies which hold over

10% of all Britain's seabirds. So join us for some fabulous birding as

we island hop across Shetland, from Mainland to Out Skerries, via

Unst and Fetlar.


▲

DaY 2

DaY 4

DaY 3

DaY 1


Spring into Shetland 5th – 12th May + Fair Isle Spring Migration 12th – 19th May

19

crossing to Yell where we will check a few lochs that occasionally harbour migrant ducks and waders, and sheltered coastlines where Great Northern Divers occasionally spend the summer. Shetland possesses some of the highest densities of breeding waders anywhere in Britain and this will become obvious as Curlew, Snipe, Redshank, Oystercatcher, Golden Plover, Lapwing and Ringed Plover seem to be everywhere. We should remain alert, though, as rarities have been found in even the most unlikely places on Shetland - both Black Kite and Terek Sandpiper have appeared in the middle of Yell! Following another short ferry trip we will arrive on Unst. Before heading up to our hotel we will check Easter Loch and Uyeasound. Icelandic Black-tailed Godwits often pause here on their way north and in recent years increasing numbers of Greylag Geese have bred in the area. Overnight at the Baltasound Hotel.

Wednesday Today we will head to Fetlar. Initially we will visit the Loch of Funzie in the hope of finding the superb and confiding Red-necked Phalarope. If we are very lucky the first returning breeding birds will be back from their wintering quarters in the Arabian Gulf. The Funzie area can also be good for migrants and both Buff-breasted Sandpiper and Temminck's Stint have been found here in recent years. We should also get some excellent views of Red-throated Divers. We will also visit the breeding grounds of that other Shetland speciality the Whimbrel, where we must take care not to be dive-bombed by Arctic Skuas! The rest of the day will be spent searching bushes, sheltered valleys and sheltered bays here in the 'Garden of Shetland'. Persistence is the buzz word in Shetland - even on apparently quiet days rarities can be found and both Red-flanked Bluetail from Siberia and Common Yellowthroat from North America have put in a spring appearance on Fetlar! Late in the afternoon we will take a ferry back to Unst, where if the weather is favourable, those that wish to will be able to accompany us for some after dinner migrant watching. Overnight at the Baltasound Hotel.

Thursday Unst is the northernmost of the Shetland Islands and as such migrants often collect here in adverse weather - it is, after all, a long way to the next land mass! Red-backed Shrikes and Common Rosefinches often linger here for several days, Ospreys are annual at the trout-rich Loch of Cliff and Spotted Crakes can be heard calling at one or two wet mires. In recent springs Scop's Owl, Pallid Harrier and Tree Swallow have all been found in mid-May so we will spend the morning checking all the migrant haunts in the north of the island. After lunch we will head back down to the south Mainland being sure to keep in touch with other Shetland Wildlife guides so that we can make any detours necessary to find any newly arrived rare migrants. Overnight at the Sumburgh Hotel.

Friday Out Skerries is fabled among ornithological circles for its ability to turn up scarce and rare migrants - indeed it is second only to Fair Isle. Very few wildlife-holiday companies have visited 'Skerries' and here we have a genuine chance of finding our own rarities. As with any migrant watching we are somewhat at the mercy of the weather but if we have been fortunate to see some easterly winds during the week then we could be in for a real treat - Whinchats, Pied and Spotted Flycatchers, Redstarts, Common and Lesser Whitethroats, Willow and Garden Warblers, Blackcaps and Tree Pipits could all be expected along with typical scarce migrants such as Red-backed Shrike, Bluethroat and Icterine Warbler. The island is rarely visited in spring but even so Dark-eyed Junco, Red-throated Pipit and Subalpine Warbler have been found in recent years. The ferry trip from Vidlin takes about an hour and a quarter and gives us our best chance of finding a Manx Shearwater. After what we hope will be an exhilarating day we will return to the Sumburgh Hotel for our last evening meal together.

Saturday After breakfast we will transfer you to Sumburgh Airport, or your onward destination in Shetland. However, you may like to join our Fair Isle Spring Migration holiday operating from Saturday 12th May - Saturday 19th May.

▲




WHAt to eXPect

Included – no hidden extras - seven nights' accommodation, all meals from dinner on Day One to breakfast on Day Eight, transportation within Shetland (includes all boat trips) and the services of a Shetland Wildlife staff birder as your guide.








Transportation – in our own minibus, meeting the latest government safety standards and regulations. We also use purpose built wildlife-viewing vessels for our cruise to Noss and Mousa and inter-island ro-ro ferries for getting to and from Yell, Unst, Fetlar and Out Skerries.





DaY 5

DaY 7

DaY 8

DaY 6

20

Saturday We will meet at the Sumburgh Hotel during the late afternoon. The fields surrounding the Hotel provide a haven for migrants and have hosted a suite of five-star rarities so we will be sure to check them once we have assembled and made our introductions. Throughout the week we will be in touch with other Shetland Wildlife guides to keep abreast of the latest migrant news and will endeavour to make the itinerary as flexible as possible to take advantage of whatever exciting birds may be on offer. After our orientation dinner we present an illustrated lecture on bird migration in Shetland. Overnight at the Sumburgh Hotel.

Sunday Having checked the hotel garden and nearby dykes and crops for signs of new migrants we will spend the day in the south Mainland. Our first stop will be Sumburgh Head where we will check the rose and thistle patches around the famous lighthouse built by the Stevenson family. A few new migrants here will be a sign that we are in for an exciting day and one of the great advantages of birding in Shetland is the lack of cover. Visitors are often left spellbound by the truly great views we obtain of species that are typically inveterate skulkers. When the tide is right we will visit the Pool of Virkie - the largest expanse of inter-tidal mud in the islands and by far the best spot for waders. We will need to search carefully among the Dunlin, Ringed Plover and Redshank for scarcer species like Little Stint and Curlew Sandpiper and in recent Septembers 'the pool' has yielded a host of rarities including Sharp-tailed, White-rumped and Semi-palmated Sandpipers, as well as Britain's first Great Knot. Then to the nutrient-rich lochs of Gards, Hillwell and Spiggie - all of which provide sustenance for migrant wildfowl from farther north and east. If the wind has been north-westerly then geese may be on the move - both Pink-footed and Barnacles can occur in large numbers - and the first wintering Whooper Swans should have arrived. Overnight at the Sumburgh Hotel.

Monday Today we will head north to the island of Whalsay. En route we will check the coast at Nesting where we may find some freshly arrived Great Northern Divers and if we are very lucky, perhaps a King Eider or White-billed Diver, both of which have wintered here in recent years. Ours is the only wildlife company to include Whalsay in its schedule and we hope that it remains something of a well-kept secret. The islanders have a strong interest in migrants and as we check the various crofts and gardens it is likely that one or two local folk will enquire as to what we have seen - and tell us what they have! Whalsay also has Britain's most northerly golf course and we shall be sure to check this too. Among the many migrant Wheatears, Meadow Pipits and waders that frequent the fairways we may be lucky to find a Lapland or Snow Bunting, while in recent years Lanceolated Warbler, Isabelline Wheatear and Buff-breasted Sandpiper have all been found here. The main town of Symbister is always worth a look and played host to Britain's third ever Ruppell's Warbler as well as Spoonbill and Little Egret. Finally we will say goodbye to Whalsay and head back down to the Sumburgh area, making the occasional strategic stop if required to take in any exciting migrants that we may have learned of. Overnight at the Sumburgh Hotel.

Tuesday After a quick check of our favoured south Mainland haunts we will head north to Unst - Shetland's most northerly island. En route we will visit the plantations at Kergord, Voe, Vidlin and Swining. The abundance of food and shelter at these sites often encourages migrants to remain for several days, so whatever the weather, we should find some interesting birds. The commoner thrushes, warblers and finches may all be present while that tiny Siberian sprite the Yellow-browed Warbler is all but guaranteed. We have a good chance of unearthing a scarce migrant or too - perhaps a Red-breasted Flycatcher or a Barred Warbler and we must remain alert because just about anything is possible. In recent years such sought after Siberian vagrants as Arctic, Radde's and Pallas's Grasshopper Warblers, and Pechora and Olive-backed Pipit have all been found. We should not just restrict our search image to Siberian vagrants either - a White-throated Sparrow from North America occurred here in late September just a few years ago.

Shetland is famed throughout Europe for its large falls of

autumn migrants and its ability to attract vagrants from

Siberia. This unique trip - the first ever to visit the migrant

hotspots of Unst, Fetlar, Whalsay and Out Skerries - offers

you the chance to sample the delights and mysteries of bird

migration but also the opportunity to find your own birds in

some stunning and little known islands.

• • •

Aut

umn

Gol

d

DaY 1

DaY 2

DaY 3

DaY 4


▲

21

Merlins, Sparrowhawks and Long-eared Owls can often be found sheltering at these sites too. During the afternoon we will take the short ferry crossing to Yell and onward to Unst where the Baltasound Hotel will be our base for the next two nights. If time permits we will check one or two of Unst's hotspots prior to our evening meal. Overnight at the Baltasound Hotel.

Wednesday Unst is the northernmost of the Shetland Islands and is the first landmass that many migrants on a southerly heading will encounter. Little surprise then that it too has hosted an impressive list of rarities in recent years, including all the Shetland specialities. We shall spend the early morning checking various sheltered burns, gardens and crops in the north of the island before taking the 25 minute ferry crossing to the island of Fetlar. Fetlar is one of the most under-watched islands in the archipelago and our visit gives us another opportunity to find a rarity of our own - Isabelline Wheatear, Isabelline Shrike and Red-flanked Bluetail have been recent highlights, but we will be concentrating on more than just passerines as Fetlar hosts large numbers of migrant plovers which are always worth checking for an American visitor. In the late afternoon we will return to Unst. Overnight at the Baltasound Hotel.

Thursday The turnover of migrants is rapid at this time of year so we will be sure to check the tiny pockets of cover in the north of Unst before heading south. On Yell we will pause at one or two sheltered voes to search for early winter visitors including Great Northern Divers, and if we are lucky a glimpse of an Otter. We will be sure to get the latest news from the Shetland Wildlife office before arriving back on Mainland so that we can plot our route back to Sumburgh via any recently arrived avian attractions. We will also visit Tresta - one of the key wintering sites for Slavonian Grebes - where we hope to find the denizens of the wintering population. Overnight at the Sumburgh Hotel.

Friday Today we head to Out Skerries - second only to Fair Isle in its ability to attract scarce migrants and vagrants. As with any migrant watching we are somewhat at the mercy of the weather but if we have been fortunate enough to have had some easterly winds during the week then this promises to be the highlight of our trip. Redwings, Song Thrushes and Fieldfares can occur in their hundreds, even thousands, and we should be sure of a good variety of warblers and chats, among which we might hope to find something a little scarcer perhaps a Common Rosefinch, Little Bunting, Red-backed Shrike or a Barred Warbler. The list of vagrants found here in recent autumns is bewildering and includes Lanceolated Warbler, Great Snipe, Citrine Wagtail and Bobolink so we will keep our fingers crossed and eyes open! The ferry trip from Vidlin takes about an hour and a quarter and sea watching from the vessel provides us with a good opportunity of seeing Great Skuas and maybe a Manx or Sooty Shearwater or a Pomarine Skua. If the sea is calm Harbour Porpoise and Minke Whales are a possibility. We will return to the Sumburgh Hotel in the late afternoon after what we hope will have been an exhilarating day. Overnight at the Sumburgh Hotel.

Saturday After breakfast we will transfer you to Sumburgh Airport or make arrangements for you to travel to your onward destination in Shetland. Those booking the Saturday 22nd - 29th September trip may however wish to consider joining our follow-on Fair Isle Autumn Migration holiday operating from 29th September - 6th October and those booking the 29th September - 6th October departure may wish to consider joining the Fair Isle Autumn Migration holiday operating from 6th - 13th October.

DaY 5

DaY 6

DaY 7

DaY 8


Fair Isle autumn Migration 15th – 22nd Sep + autumn Gold 22nd – 29th Sepautumn Gold 22nd – 29th Sep + Fair Isle autumn Migration 29th Sep – 6th Octautumn Gold 29th Sep – 6th Oct + Fair Isle autumn Migration 6th – 13th Oct

WHAt to eXPect

Included – no hidden extras - seven nights' accommodation, all meals from dinner on Day One to breakfast on Day Eight, transportation within Shetland (includes all boat trips) and the services of a Shetland Wildlife staff birder as your guide.





Outdoor activities – gentle daily walks, up to three or four miles following trails and footpaths. Because we only sail in fair weather, seasickness is rarely a problem.



Transportation – in our own minibus, meeting the latest government safety standards and regulations. We also use inter-island ro-ro ferries for getting to and from Whalsay, Yell, Unst, Fetlar and Out Skerries.





▲


Sat 22nd September – Sat 29th September COSTSingle SupplementDEPOSIT

£845£100£100

Sat 29th September – Sat 6th October


Saturday – Late afternoon sailing from Aberdeen to Orkney We depart Aberdeen harbour in the late afternoon aboard the cruise-standard Northlink ferry for our evening cruise to Kirkwall, Orkney. En route we may see several species of seabirds including Gannets, Fulmars and Arctic Skuas. With luck we may also encounter Harbour Porpoise. We arrive at Kirkwall and transfer to our hotel.

Sunday – West Mainland We spend the day in the West Mainland exploring a variety of superb habitats. The Loch of Stenness and nearby Loch of Harray are both nationally important for their populations of wildfowl and although numbers tend to peak in mid winter we will still encounter hundreds of birds including Greater Scaup, Goldeneye, Pochard, Wigeon, Red-breasted Merganser and handsome Long-tailed Ducks. Nearby stand the remnants of the Stones of Stenness – a ring of stones that reach over six metres in height – and the truly spectacular Ring of Brodgar which contains 27 of the original 60 stones and dates back to around 3000 BC. Cottascarth moors and Burgar Hill are famed for their birds of prey due to an abundance of Orkney Voles and we will spend the rest of the morning watching sky-dancing Hen Harriers, Short-eared Owls, Kestrels and, with luck, Merlin. Red-throated Divers are also present in the area as are handsome Golden Plovers and Curlews. We continue north and take lunch at 16th Century Earls Palace or, tide permitting, walk out to the Brough of Birsay. In the afternoon we take a leisurely walk to Marwick Head which hosts thousands of Guillemots, Razorbills and Kittiwakes. Returning south we end the day at The Loons RSPB reserve, which is one of the finest marshes in the north of Scotland. No less than seven species of wader and eight species of duck breed here and we should encounter Shoveler, Teal, Wigeon, Pintail, Snipe, Lapwing and Water Rail. With luck we may also be fortunate to see a handful of Black-tailed Godwits in their rich brick-orange summer plumage. After dinner (and weather permitting) there will be an optional excursion to photograph the sunset at the Ring of Brodgar or Standing Stones of Stenness.

Monday – Hoy We take the ferry from Houton across Scapa Flow to the spectacular island of Hoy. En route we should encounter small parties of Great Northern Divers in their impressive summer dress along with Black Guillemots, Long-tailed Ducks and Eiders. Much of Hoy is composed of upper rather than middle old-red sandstones which have been weathered into a complex of steep, craggy and truly impressive hills rising to over 1,500 feet – a landscape unique within Orkney. We head out to the delightful crofting township of Rackwick and from here, follow the coastal footpath to probably the most famous landmark in Orkney – the Old Man of Hoy. The 450 feet high ‘Old Man’ rises dramatically from the sea and the view of ‘him’ and St Johns Head from our cliff top vantage point is truly awesome. Hoy is home to one of the largest Great Skua (or ‘Bonxie’) colonies in the world with over 1,900 pairs breeding on the island along with 200 pairs of Arctic Skuas. We should also find Golden Plovers, Wheatears, Rock Pipits and Arctic Hares.

Tuesday – East Mainland We spend the day exploring the varied habitats of the East Mainland. We search Inganess Bay and the southern edge of Shapinsay Sound for Great Northern, Black-throated and Red-throated Divers, Slavonian Grebes, Velvet Scoters, Long-tailed Ducks and Red-breasted Mergansers. The shoreline is home to large numbers of Turnstone and among them we should find Purple Sandpipers. Loch of Tankerness holds good numbers of freshwater wildfowl and waders may include Greenshank, Black-tailed Godwit and Common Sandpiper. Deer Sound is a spring stronghold for Great Northern Divers and its sandy bays at Mill Sound and St Peters Pool hold an impressive array of waders such as Bar-tailed Godwit, Curlew, Dunlin and Redshank. We’ll spend the afternoon on the extreme eastern tip of Mainland visiting Mull Head. The cliffs are home to an array of seabirds including Fulmar, Kittiwake, Razorbill and Guillemot and the maritime heath supports blazes of Spring Squill, Thrift and Birds-foot Trefoil. Further inland the vegetation is largely heather-clad and among the Crowberry, Bell Heather and Ling Heather we may see Short-eared Owls hunting for voles. If we have an east wind with us, we’ll check a few migrant hotspots for any recently arrived passerines. We may be lucky enough to encounter Red-backed Shrike, Wryneck, Bluethroat – or something even rarer!

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The archipelago of Orkney forms a complex jigsaw

of land and water. Her fertility gives rise to a wealth

of wildlife – particularly birds. Red-throated Divers on the

small lochans, Hen Harriers and Short-eared Owls on the moors

and an abundance of seabirds and seaduck around the pristine coastline.

By popular demand we bring you this ultimate Orkney holiday…


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DaY 1

DaY 2

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Wednesday – Westray Today, we travel by ferry from Kirkwall to the island of Westray, where we find one of Britain's largest seabird colonies on the cliffs at Noup Head. En route we will see good numbers of both Grey and Harbour Seals and we’ll keep a sharp eye out for cetaceans with the diminutive Harbour Porpoise being the most likely. The spectacular cliffs at the Noup are home to up to 45,000 Guillemots, 26,000 Kittiwakes and 1,500 Razorbills along with smaller numbers of Puffins, Fulmars and Black Guillemots. The maritime heath supports Wheatears, Meadow and Rock Pipits, Oystercatchers and Golden Plovers and an abundance of wildflowers. Loch of Burness holds Britain’s most northerly breeding population of Little Grebes along with a variety of other ducks and waders such as Snipe and Redshank. The beautiful bays at The Ouse and Tuquoy are excellent for migratory waders and we should encounter Bar-tailed Godwit, Whimbrel, Grey Plover, Curlew, Sanderling and Dunlin. Recently arrived Sandwich, Common and Arctic Terns will be busy displaying overhead. We leave Westray in the late afternoon to sail back to Kirkwall.

Thursday – Shapinsay The fertile island of Shapinsay is just a 25-minute crossing from Kirkwall. En route we will see lots of Long-tailed Ducks, Great Northern Divers and Black Guillemots. Shapinsay is intensively farmed with few semi-natural habitats remaining. Nevertheless, those which have survived are outstanding! Foremost is the Mill Dam RSPB reserve which has a breeding population of waterfowl that few places can rival. Here we would expect to see Pintail, Shoveler, Teal, Wigeon, Tufted Duck and if we are lucky maybe a migratory Garganey or two. Water Rails also breed on the reserve but are often heard more than seen. Black-tailed Godwits should also be present and we will keep a sharp eye out here and at Vasa Loch for migrant waders which may include Common, Green or Wood Sandpipers. We’ll also explore Ventro Bay for waders and terns and walk out to the Ness of Ork which will reward us with some close up views of Purple Sandpipers keeping company with Turnstones. We finish our day in the ‘woodland’ at Balfour Castle where we should encounter breeding Song Thrush, Blackbird, Greenfinch, Willow Warbler, Robin and Chaffinch – quite a surreal experience in what is a predominantly tree-less landscape!

Friday – West Mainland & Skara Brae Today we retrace our steps and head back to the diverse and varied habitats of the West Mainland. Primula scotica, which grows only in Orkney, Caithness and north Sutherland and nowhere else in the world, can be found in scattered colonies on several cliff-tops between Stromness and Yesnaby and we will spend time searching at the latter locality for this botanical gem. Like a miniature, amethyst-coloured polyanthus, it is in bloom from early May. We also visit one of Orkney's most famous antiquities – the ancient village of Skara Brae. Skara Brae is the best preserved Stone Age village in Western Europe and was occupied from 3100 BC to 2500 BC. The villagers are thought to have lived on the shore of a freshwater loch, farming cattle, sheep, possibly deer and also growing arable crops much as today. For millennia it was hidden under the dunes until a sandstorm in 1850 revealed its existence. Nearby we will visit a tiny Sand Martin colony and spend the afternoon once again exploring the superb Loons RSPB reserve and Loch of Stenness. We return to Finstown for our farewell dinner and then transfer to Kirkwall in the evening to board the south-bound ferry to Aberdeen for our overnight sailing.

Saturday – Arrive Aberdeen We arrive in Aberdeen harbour at 0700 hrs giving plenty of time for onward connections.

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WHAt to eXPect

Included – no hidden extras – return ferry fare from aberdeen – Orkney – aberdeen (includes outside cabin for return overnight sailing to aberdeen), six nights' accommodation in Orkney, all meals from breakfast on Day Two to dinner on Day seven, all transportation within Orkney (includes all boat trips), entrance fees to reserves and historical monuments and the services of a Shetland Wildlife staff naturalist guide.

Not Included – meals of any description onboard ferry to / from Orkney, drinks, telephone calls, laundry, items of a personal nature, etc.

accommodation – Delightful country hotel set in the heart of the Orkney countryside. all rooms are en suite, and have colour television, telephone and tea & coffee making facilities.

Food – filling breakfasts, tasty picnic/indoor lunches and delicious three-course evening meals using local produce where possible. vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free diets are all catered for – but please let us know when you book.

Meeting Point – aberdeen ferry port no later than 1600 hrs on day of departure. Our ferry sails at 1700 hrs.

Outdoor activities – gentle daily walks, up to three or four miles following trails and footpaths.


Weather – as we will be only 7° south of the arctic Circle, expect and dress for temperatures of between 8° and 20°C (46° to 68°F), with changeable weather. It's often sunny but we also have sudden squalls.

Transportation – In our own minibus, meeting the latest government safety standards and regulations. We use inter-island ro-ro ferries for getting to and from Hoy, Westray and Shapinsay.




Travel to and from Orkney – by cruise-standard ferry operated by Northlink. The journey to and from Orkney takes just six hours and is included in our price. aberdeen has excellent road, rail and air links. as we are extremely familiar with travel to and from aberdeen, please contact our office for advice.

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Southern France in Winter: Fri 10th – Thurs 16th FebruaryThe beautiful region of Provence in the south of France is a superb destination for a mid-winter birdwatching holiday. Wintering Wallcreepers, Alpine Accentors, Eagle Owls and Citril Finches in Les Alpillles, raptors and wildfowl in their thousands in The Carmargue and Little Bustards and Pin-tailed Sandgrouse on the Crau Plain. A superb short-winter break and just a couple of hours from home!

Finland & Norway Winter Photo Holiday – in search of winter forest specialities, Arctic Seaduck & The Aurora Borealis: Sat 10th – Sat 17th March Exclusive to Shetland Wildlife and our good friends at Finnature. An extremely rewarding trip to photograph rare northern forest denizens such as Pine Grosbeaks, Siberian Jays and Siberian Tits. Then north to the wintering grounds of Steller's and King Eiders at the very top of Arctic Norway! PLUS a great chance to photograph the Aurora Borealis. A unique photographic holiday.

Cost: £995 per person£100 single supplement£300 per person deposit

Cost: £2,195 per person£150 single supplement£500 per person deposit

cHARItIes AnD non‑PRoFIt GRoUPs Shetland Wildlife operates many overseas holidays for the charitable and non-profit sector as part of their annual field programs and in doing so, raise much-needed funds. We donate as much as 25% of the trip profit back to charities and non-profits so if you think your group could financially benefit from organising a group trip with Shetland Wildlife, please contact our office.

Extremadura: Sat 14th – Sat 21st AprilWe regard Extremadura as Spain’s best-kept secret. A region where the lonely plains and hills provide a great refuge for some of Europe’s most spectacular birds. An area where man and bird co-exist in perfect harmony. An area so varied with its abundant fauna and flora. Everything from Bustards to Bee-eaters and Storks to Sandgrouse – plus lots more!

Poland in Spring: Sat 5th – Sat 12th MayPrimeval forests and bird-rich marshes! A superb week, exploring some of Europe’s premier habitats. Great Snipes at the lek, rare Aquatic Warblers, both Spotted and Lesser Spotted Eagles, 10 species of Woodpeckers, Pygmy and Tengmalm’s Owls and a chance to see the endangered and elusive European Bison. All set in a beautiful, timeless landscape and just a couple of hours from home!

Cost:£1,495 per person£150 single supplement£300 per person deposit

Finland & Arctic Norway: 26th May – 8th JuneThis is an unashamedly bird-oriented holiday combining the wonders of the enormous Siberian forest with outstanding beauty of the Arctic tundra. In short, this holiday offers the most comprehensive itinerary with the best guides at the best price compared to any other UK operator. It is timed to perfection and our visit gives us the best possible chance of finding all of the 'northern' owls – something we manage every year. It

also offers an excellent line-up of other resident species and summer visitors, many of which are difficult to find elsewhere in Europe. Plus it's also timed to avoid the dreaded mosquitoes spoiling our fun! We'll begin in Finland and gradually work our way up to Norway – as far as it is possible to go on the European mainland! Although we are running this trip as a complete 14-day holiday from 28 May – 10 June we are happy to make this trip as flexible as we possibly can for those who cannot commit to the whole itinerary. We therefore offer the unique option to join leg one from Saturday 28 May – Friday 3 June or leg two from Friday 3 – Friday 10 June.

Cost: For those joining us for Sat 26th May – Fri 1st June ONLY: £1,895 per person; £200 single supplement; £500 per person deposit

For those joining us for Fri 1st – Fri 8th June ONLY:£1,995 per person ; £200 single supplement; £500 per person deposit

For those joining the entire trip from Sat 26th May – Fri 8th June Save £495.00 per person! £3,395 per person; £350 single supplement; £500 per person deposit

FoR FURtHeR DetAILs AnD tRIP DossIeRs FoR ALL oUR oveRseAs HoLIDAYs PLeAse contAct

oUR oFFIce oR vIsIt oUR WeB sIte Atwww.shetlandwildlife.co.uk

GO EVEN FURTHER IN 2012 WITH SHETLAND WILDLIFE

Cost: £1,495 per person£150 single supplement£300 per person deposit

Hungary in Spring: Sat 12th – Sat 19th MayMighty Saker Falcons, Ural and Eagle Owls, colonies of Red-footed Falcons, Eastern Imperial Eagles, Great Bustards, Lesser Grey Shrikes, Pygmy Cormorants, White-backed, Grey-headed and Middle Spotted Woodpeckers plus a roll-call of warblers including Aquatic, River, Icterine and Barred Warblers – just a small selection of superb birds we expect to see on this comprehensive tour to Hungary.Cost:

£1,495 per person£150 single supplement£300 per person deposit

Hugh founded Shetland Wildlife in 1992 after spells working for Fair Isle Bird Observatory, the Shetland Oil Terminal Environmental Advisory Group and the RSPB. He is regarded as one of Shetland's top birders and naturalists, is a regular

contributor to several birdwatching magazines and journals and author of Where to Watch Birds in Shetland. Although Hugh's main interests are birds and their identification, he also has a passion for all other aspects of natural history, especially whales and dolphins and Polar Bears! Hugh is also a feature writer for several European natural history magazines, an award-winning professional photographer whose work has been widely published in journals and newspapers throughout Europe and North America, photographic consultant to the journals Scottish Birds and Seabird, a member of the Shetland Bird Club rarities and general committee, a former committee member of Scottish Wildlife Trust and a founder member of both Organisation Cetacea (ORCA) and the Shetland Sea Mammal Group! When not working in Shetland, Hugh guides our European overseas tours or travels extensively with his wife Michelle and daughter Cerys to exciting wildlife-filled and toddler-friendly destinations!

Michelle originates from British Columbia, Canada. After gaining her degree in Geography at the University of Colorado, she worked in the North American eco-tourism industry for several years before moving to Shetland in 1999 -

after meeting Hugh on a Polar Bear trip in Churchill! Her frequent travels in search of wildlife have taken her to locations such as Southern and Northern Europe, Antarctica, Botswana, Ecuador, Galapagos and the high Arctic regions of Canada. As well as being a mother to little Cerys (who got Killer Whale on her list when she was two weeks old!), Michelle is our office manager and the driving force behind the successful day-to-day operations of Shetland Wildlife. When not working in our office, Michelle, Hugh and little Cerys escape Shetland and travel to far-flung corners of the earth in search of exciting wildlife.

Nigel and Wendy married after meeting at Fair Isle Bird Observatory and now live in Wendy's home country, New Zealand where they guide wildlife-watching holidays during the Austral summer. For 'our' summer, they head north

to work for us here in Shetland or in the Arctic, where they are employed as a wildlife lecturers and guides on board small cruise ships. Both are widely travelled with Chile, Argentina, Australia, Canada, the Falkland Islands, the Bering Sea, South Africa, China and The Galapagos featuring in their journeys. They both have friendly outgoing personalities and look forward to sharing their knowledge of - and enthusiasm for - the 'North' with our guests.

Rob has had a keen interest in wildlife since childhood. Rob has travelled all over the world in search of wildlife, but has a particular fondness for South America. After obtaining a degree in Ecology from UEA he formed his own graphic

design company, producing material for conservation bodies such as Butterfly Conservation, ORCA, and The Neotropical and Oriental Bird Clubs. Rob’s artwork has appeared in such diverse places as a British Birds front cover and the Trinidad and Tobago High Commission in Nigeria! More recently Rob has been the driving force behind WildGuides – a publishing company specialising in wildlife guides that help raise funds for conservation. He has designed and co-authored books on Galápagos and British butterflies. He is responsible for co-ordinating both Shetland Wildlife’s and The Company of Whales brochures and media design and is looking forward to some exciting new publishing projects with Hugh over the next year or so!

Jonathan has been birdwatching and boating around the shores of Shetland since childhood holidays. Born in Oxford to a Lerwick mother, he has lived in Shetland for most of his life. Jonathan is an honorary warden of Noss National Nature Reserve,

a former boatman to the Muckle Flugga Lighthouse, and wrote his Edinburgh University Ph.D. on the historical geography of Shetland. He was inspired to take up wildlife guiding by the late Bobby Tulloch, who taught him much of what he knows about seabirds, seals and otters – and how to get close to them. In the winter and in bad weather he works as an environmental consultant and lecturer.

Judd hails from Cardiff and is employed as a manager within the Civil Service. Judd has been an avid birdwatcher since 1979 and is a founder member of the Glamorgan Bird Club. Since his first trip abroad, to Canada in 1986, Judd has travelled much of

the globe in search of new and exciting species and lists anywhere in South America, India and Europe as his favourite destinations. He developed a keen interest in cetaceans in the mid-1980s when he used to sail across the Irish Sea with Hugh in search of seabirds and still clearly remembers his first encounters with Fin Whales and Orcas! Since 2000, Judd has worked for our sister business, The Company of Whales and has lost count of the number of people he has guided across his favourite piece of ocean, the Bay of Biscay! Judd has also worked as a guide for Shetland Wildlife since 2002 and has travelled extensively within Shetland, Spain, France and Poland in this capacity. Although widely travelled, Judd still dreams of visiting the Antarctic Peninsula and the islands in the South Atlantic, hopefully as a guide for Shetland Wildlife!

Dylan is a professional field naturalist, conservationist and tour guide. Dylan has been involved in a wide variety of conservation projects working with, amongst others, Koala Bears, Loggerhead Turtles and Laurel Pigeons. During the last

few years, he has conducted cetacean and seabird surveys throughout the north east Atlantic from the Faroe Islands to the Canaries, and taken part in research projects on Pilot Whales and Bottle-nosed Dolphins. He has been heavily involved in whale watching and cetacean research in the Bay of Biscay since 1996, helping to set up ORCA (Organisation Cetacea) and co-ordinating sightings data collected by a network of volunteer observers. More recently, Dylan set up UK Cetnet, the country’s first interactive email discussion group on cetaceans and he is currently finishing off a new guide to cetaceans in Europe. A combined appetite for wildlife and travel has taken Dylan to much of Europe, North Africa and Australia. His friendly personality, good sense of humour and unquenchable enthusiasm for nature make him an excellent and highly popular staff naturalist guide.

DR JonAtHAn WILLs

RoB stILL

Meet the Team

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MIcHeLLe HARRoP

HUGH HARRoP

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nIGeL & WenDY MILIUs

Glenn is a very rare beast in the World of natural history guiding in the sense that he joined Shetland Wildlife over ten years ago – as a customer! We were so impressed by his sharp eyes, his incredible knowledge and his immense people skills that we

decided he really should work for us – and he gladly accepted! Since then, he has guided hundreds of folk across the Bay of Biscay with our sister-business, The Company of Whales and worked for Shetland Wildlife in Poland, Finland, Norway and France. Glenn is an experienced birdwatcher and his favourite birding destinations include Scandinavia, Spitsbergen and Eastern Europe. Glenn is also a highly motivated photographer, taking images of natural history and landscapes on his journeys. He lives in Worthing, West Sussex with his wife Terriena and young son Harry

David’s life-long passion for birding and wildlife led him to follow a varied career in conservation for nearly 20 years. Prior to working as a full-time naturalist guide for Shetland Wildlife, he was based at Minsmere in Suffolk, where he

worked on several projects including the role of Senior Research Assistant for the RSPB’s Bittern monitoring programme. Other posts in the UK have included stints with University of East Anglia studying Woodlarks in Dorset, habitat management at Abernethy Forest and species protection on Anglesey. His career has also taken him much further afield, undertaking research in Jordan and Israel and also working to restore fragile island ecosystems in the Seychelles. David is no stranger to tricky bird ID; he was a member of the Suffolk rarities committee for five years, and Suffolk’s County Recorder for three years. His skills as a naturalist guide are matched by very few and he has quickly become an integral part of the Shetland Wildlife team.

Originally from Cornwall, Jon grew up birding and working on conservation projects in Dorset's Blackmoor Vale before moving to Kent to study agriculture, where he developed a keen interest in butterflies and flowering plants. He first visited

Shetland in 1992, and after returning every year for further holidays he finally moved here permanently in 2003. Jon works for the local council as their agricultural officer, a job that takes him the length and breadth of Shetland and to some of the isles' most remote and beautiful locations. He lives on the island of Whalsay, where he runs a small croft and is passionate about finding his own migrant birds. Jon has travelled extensively in the UK and Europe looking for birds, butterflies and orchids.

Harri hails from Oulu, Finland and co-guides our adventures to both his homeland and northern Norway. Harri’s wildlife career started in 1990 at the age of 14 and since 1997, he has been recognised as one of Finland’s top birders and guides. As well

as being a freelance naturalist guide, he also works as a bird survey specialist and is the Chairman of his local records committee. Harri is a keen and extremely creative photographer and in 2007 he secured two top-ten placings in the British Birds Bird Photograph of the Year (unforgivably beating Hugh!). Like most of our guides, pen-to-paper activities are an important aspect of the job and Harri has written several papers and identification articles for journals, magazines and books. Overseas travel has also featured in Harri’s career and he has visited great birding destinations like Israel, Hungary, Spain, India and China.

GLenn oveRInGton

Jon DUnn

DAvID FAIRHURst

JUDD HUnt

DYLAn WALkeR

HARRI tAAvettI

Trav

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shetland Wildlife Terms and Conditions

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1. Reservations & Bookings

A reservation is made when the booking form and appropriate deposit, as described in this brochure, have been received and confirmed in writing by Shetland Wildlife. We are happy to accept bookings by telephone, facsimile or electronic mail but we ask that they are followed by a completed booking form and deposit within 10 days (14 days for overseas clients).

2. Payment of BalanceThe balance is due no later than 90 days prior to departure. If payment has not been received 89 days prior to departure we reserve the right to treat the booking as cancelled and apply the appropriate cancellation fee. In the case of late bookings, full payment will be required with the booking form.

3. Travel InsuranceIt is essential to cover against the usual risks associated with travel from the time of booking your holiday until the time you return home. We strongly recommend you purchase travel insurance for your Shetland Wildlife holiday. Please refer to page 26 of this brochure or call our office for further information.

4. CancellationsNotice of cancellation can only be accepted in writing by the person making the booking and will take effect on the day of receipt. Cancellations made more than 90 days before departure will result in loss of deposit. Thereafter, the following charges will apply:

Shetland Wildlife reserve the right to cancel any tour, whereupon all monies paid to us will be refunded in full. When this is due to insufficient support, notice will be given no later than 60 days before due departure date.

5. Changes in ItineraryAll effort will be made to operate the holiday itinerary as printed in this brochure but situations outside our control may arise which necessitate changes. In such circumstances we reserve the right to alter or curtail the itinerary as is necessary. If major changes are made before the start of the tour, participants may withdraw without penalty and receive all monies paid.

6. Responsibility and LiabilityWe have taken all possible care to ensure that the holidays published in this brochure have been properly arranged and that hotels, airlines, vehicles and other organisations that we use are reputable. We will accept responsibility should (i) the services we are contractually obliged to provide prove deficient or not of reasonable standard. We will also accept responsibility for (ii) the acts and/or omissions of our employees, agents and suppliers save in such causes for claims involving death, personal injury or sickness, other than those covered by (iii). We will accept responsibility for (iii) the negligent acts and/or omissions of our employees, agents and suppliers whilst acting under the scope of their employment in respect of claims arising as a result of death, personal injury or illness to the client. Claims in respect of the above matters shall (in respect of both liability and quantum) fall within the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Scotland. All claims must be notified to us in writing within 28 days of your return from the holiday. Where any payment is made, you will assign to our insurers or ourselves any rights you may have to pursue any third party. In addition, you must give us and our insurers your full cooperation should we enforce such rights.

We shall be entitled to limit our liability in relation to (i) – (iii) above in the manner provided by the relevant national conventions in respect of air, sea and land carriage. We will accept no responsibility or liability in respect of (a) loss or damage to goods; (b) loss, damage or misdirection of your luggage and/or personal effects; (c) death or physical injury resulting from proven negligence: (d) claims arising out of carriage by air or sea (see above).

We will accept no responsibility or liability in respect of (e) claims arising out of your own acts or omissions, or (f) those of a third party not connected with the provision of your holiday and which were unforeseeable or unavoidable: (g) unusual or unavoidable circumstances beyond our control which could not have been avoided even with the exercise of all due care; (h) an event which neither we nor the relevant supplier of services could have forestalled; (i) losses or additional expenses due to events which amount to force majeure. We reserve the right to send home, at their expense, any persons unable or unwilling to conduct themselves in a satisfactory manner. If this situation should arise, Shetland Wildlife will make no refund and will not be liable for any payment of compensation.

7. Bonding and Financial SecurityThe EC holiday regulations state that clients must be fully protected against the insolvency of the holiday operator. When booking with Shetland Wildlife, your money is completely protected. For holidays offering flight-inclusive prices we hold an Air Travel Organiser's Licence (ATOL No. 9151) issued by the Civil Aviation Authority, which authorises us to offer flight-inclusive holidays to the public. Our flight-inclusive holidays are thus are fully bonded which means that the complete cost of the holiday booked with us - not just the flight element - is protected by bonding. For those holidays which do not offer a flight-inclusive price we operate a Clients' Account into which all advance payments are placed and are not withdrawn until after the completion of the tour. This is in line with The Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tours Regulations 1992, which came into force on 31 December 1992.

8. SurchargesWe guarantee that no surcharges will apply to prices advertised on this web site for holidays taking place within the geographical boundary of the United Kingdom. Our overseas holiday prices are calculated at exchange rates many months in advance of our scheduled departure date and are therefore subject to change in the event of adverse currency exchange rate variation. When this variation is not in our favour, we will absorb an effective loss equivalent to 2% of the price of your holiday. Only amounts in excess of 2% will be surcharged. If a levied surcharge means you have to pay more than 10% of your holiday cost you may cancel your holiday within 7 days of receiving your revised confirmation invoice and receive a refund of all monies paid to Shetland Wildlife less any reasonable administration charges.

9. Passports and visasIt is your own responsibility to possess a current valid passport that will not expire while you are away from home. Note that many countries require your passport to be valid for at least 6 months after your return. Visas, if required are also your responsibility.

10. ComplaintsIn the event that you have a complaint, please notify the leader as soon as possible so that we can assist you. If the complaint is not dealt with to your satisfaction there and then, the nature of the complaint should be stated, in writing, promptly and preferably within 28 days of the date scheduled for your return from the holiday. We will not be under any liability in respect of claims of which we are not notified within 3 months of the date scheduled for your return.

11. Data Protection and PrivacyInformation given at the time of order or registration is collated and stored on our electronic database. It is collected lawfully and in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998. Should you wish your details to be removed from our electronic database, please contact us in writing.

12. Group Size Limits and Number of LeadersThe group size limit for each tour is specified in the individual tour itinerary, but is typically between 6-12 participants plus leader(s). Should, however, a couple or two people travelling together apply for the last place on a tour, or if we have someone affected by a late tour cancellation or other exceptional circumstances, we may, at our discretion, increase the group size.

13. Unused ServicesNo refund will be given for any unused accommodation, meals, or other service provided as part of your Shetland Wildlife holiday.

14. GratuitiesWe leave gratuities for guides, porters, hotel staff and drivers at the discretion of clients.

Date of departure

0-28 days 100% of monies paid to, or owing to, Shetland Wildlife

29-89 days 50% of monies paid to, or owing to, Shetland Wildlife

29

Longhill, Maywick, shetland Ze2 9JF

t 01950 422483 e [email protected]

F 01950 422430 W www.shetlandwildlife.co.uk

Otter, North Mainland, Shetland by Nigel McCall

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shetland wildlife 2012

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