Shetland's Nature
Shetland - An Accessible Wilderness
Shetland is a birdwatcher's paradise - one of the major seabird breeding and feeding areas of the North Atlantic. More than a million birds breed in very large colonies such as Hermaness, Foula, Mousa, Noss, Sumburgh Head and Fair Isle.
What makes these Shetland seabird cities so special is not just the quantity and variety of birds but their spectacular setting. Nowhere else in Britain, and hardly anywhere in Europe, can you get so close, so easily, to so many seabirds (including some very rare species) in such awe-inspiring scenery.
Wilderness within Reach
This is one of Europe's most accessible wildernesses. Within a few miles of Lerwick you can sail in a boat right alongside seabird cliffs almost 600 feet (180m) high. Walkers on the Noss and Hermaness National Nature Reserves can approach to within three metres of Puffins without causing disturbance.
At the RSPB's Sumburgh Head reserve you can actually drive to the edge of a Puffin colony (a car makes a good hide!) - and at Mousa's ancient Broch tower you can sit within a metre or two of tiny Storm Petrels.
The islands also have large breeding populations of moorland birds (some of which, like the Lapwing, are becoming rare on mainland Britain) as well as the famous Shetland sub-species of Wren and Starling.
Birding All Year Round
In spring and autumn the migration brings rarities, particularly to Fair Isle, and many Arctic species spend the winter in the islands, including magnificent Whooper Swans and Great Northern Divers.
Singing Sea Mammals
Shetland is the sort of place where seals 'singing' on the beach below your B&B really can keep you awake at night. You're guaranteed close encounters with Common and Grey Seals in large numbers, all year round. As with Puffins, you can park your car right next to some of the best seal-watching spots.
With patience there's a good chance of seeing one of our shy and elusive Otters - about 1,000 live in the isles, making this one of the Otter's main strongholds in the UK.
There are frequent, almost daily, sightings of Harbour Porpoises (particularly in Mousa Sound and Yell Sound) and occasionally dolphins and whales. We make no promises, because Shetland is not the best place to see cetaceans other than porpoises, but you may be lucky enough to see Orcas ('Killer Whales') hunting seals close inshore, or a school of White-sided Dolphins chasing a shoal of fish.
Botanical Highlights
Although Shetland is mostly well grazed by sheep - trees are a rarity - botanical attractions include rare arctic-alpine plants, wildflower meadows, mosses, lichens and a surprisingly dense and rich "relict" vegetation on ungrazed holms and ungrazed cliffs.
Submarine Shetland
Perhaps the richest part of Shetland, biologically, is the dense kelp forest that fringes most of the 900-mile (1,500km) coastline in waters less than 100 feet (30m) deep.
The Hidden Forest
Dozens of seaweed species provide food and shelter for crabs, starfish, sea urchins, sea slugs and fish, while sea anemones and other strange animals are anchored to rocky outcrops. Submarine Shetland is only just beginning to be explored and can be seen on a some boat trips using a remotely-controlled, mini-submarine fitted with a video camera.
The Shoreline
Shetland's very long shoreline with its very varied habitats is the main reason why wildlife finds the islands so attractive. In summertime shoals of small fish are the main food source for breeding seabirds but in winter, because the sea here doesn't freeze, there's still always something for birds to eat: wriggly things in piles of seaweed driven ashore by winter gales; or fish and shellfish in the kelp-forested shallows where Otters, Seals, Shags, Eiders and Tysties can feed all year round. And Shetland makes a natural and very welcome stepping stone for birds migrating from Scandinavia to Scotland, particularly those that can't swim!
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