Dates:

• Friday 24th May – Friday 31st May
  (holiday commences pre dinner 18:00hrs and ends after breakfast on 31st)

Shetland in spring and summer is a very special place, marked by a heady cocktail of breathtaking scenery, isolation and tranquillity. The wealth of stunning wildlife-watching opportunities mixed with a rich cultural heritage combine to enthral and delight visitors to the islands. The reward for travelling this far north is a dazzling combination of wildlife, so rich and varied it’s hard to squeeze into a few words.

Led by Martin Garner of Birding Frontiers this holiday focuses on the excitement of Shetlands spring bird migration as well as the islands renowned summer specialities.

For the birder every year spring produces quality scarce migrants such as Common Rosefinch, Icterine Warbler, Red-backed Shrike, Wryneck, Marsh Warbler, Bluethroat and Golden Oriole whilst species such as Rustic Bunting, Red-throated Pipit, Subalpine Warbler and Thrush Nightingale are all but annual. And better still they are all in their summer splendour.

Then there are the much sought rarities and ‘big finds’; such as Great Reed, Blyth’s Reed and Savi’s Warblers whilst recent years have included Squacco Heron, Little Crake, Franklin’s Gull, Moltoni’s Warbler, Iberian Chiffchaff, and Thick-billed Warbler.

This against the backdrop of some of Britain’s rarest and most enigmatic breeding birds (such as the Red-necked Phalarope and Red-throated Diver); the highest density of Otters anywhere in Europe; breathtaking sea cliffs, 2 -3 species of Skua, spectacular displays of wildflowers, home of over a million seabirds; and a magical late-night adventure to a world famous Storm-petrel colony.

Add to that regular summer sightings of Killer Whales plus fellow cetaceans such asWhite-beaked, Risso’s, White-sided and Common Dolphins, Minke Whales and also Basking Sharks (which have all been seen on recent holidays). You can see why the Shetland Isles feature in so many natural history documentaries and why ‘Lonely Planet’ listed it as one of its Top 10 regions in the world to visit in 2011: to quote “this might just be the last untamed corner of the United Kingdom”.

All Shetland Nature trips are meticulously planned. This holiday has been designed to showcase the full spectrum of Shetland’s late-spring wildlife like no other. Our holidays are carefully balanced to offer wildlife encounters and a quality of visitor experience simply not possible with larger groups. Limiting our group size to eight clients for this holiday permits not only a much more personal rapport between our guides and their group but, most importantly, increases our opportunities, including a day spent exploring the secret lives of an Otter family.

We feel the quality of our client’s creature comforts to be equally as important as the quality of encounters our Islands have to offer- this is why we use the best hospitality and local cuisine available and this holiday benefits from the knowledge of experienced local naturalists and Martin’s renowned leadership and knowledge of birding.

Itinerary

Throughout the week our itinerary will need to remain relatively flexible as at any time news of a recently discovered rarity can quickly change plans. We will visit most of the main islands and hopefully, weather permitting the rather remote and rarity renowned Out Skerries along with top birding hot spots throughout the isles. The following Excursions/spectacles/species will however be included/targeted;

• Three nights stay on Mainland and four nights on Unst
• Boat trip to Noss National Nature Reserve
• Late night boat trip to Mousa for Storm Petrel
• Fetlar for Red-necked Phalarope
• Hermaness National nature Reserve on Unst