Another splendid Shetland month, featuring many beach walks and a lot of auk watching.
Reporting Days: 31
Location: Shetland
Distance Walked: 330 km
Distance Driven: 995 km
Days including a walk on Quendale Beach: 31
Days including a visit to the auks at Sumburgh Head: 25
Species of auk photographed: 4 (puffins, razorbills, guillemots & black guillemots)
Quendale Beach
One of the real bonuses of living on Shetland is having Quendale Beach just a few minutes walk from the front door. My ideal day would start with an early walk on the beach, preferably with a gentle breeze and at low tide. And probably end with a sunset walk too.
![]() |
Quendale Beach - low tide |
![]() |
Sunset Walk - Quendale Beach |
Razorbills (local name Sea Craa)
I've not made any secret of my enthusiasm for razorbills, they are without doubt the coolest of the auks. They do however tend to build nests and raise their young in rather (from the photographers perspective at least) out of the way places. So I was delighted that a couple of pairs opted for more visible nest locations at Sumburgh Head this summer.
![]() |
The Coolest Auk... |
![]() |
Razorbill jumpling - ready to jump |
![]() |
Breakfast Delivery |
Guillemots (Longwi)
The adult guillemots are very easy to see. They don't bother with nests, they just huddle up together and lay their eggs on bare cliff ledges and hope that they are densely enough packed to ensure that predators can't see the eggs or the hatchlings. Every now and again the groups will shuffle apart to offer a glimpse of a youngster. And as soon as they able, the youngsters will be steered to the cliff edge to earn their name 'jumplings'. Once they've jumped the chicks will be escorted out to sea by their fathers and paddle off in the general direction of Norway.
![]() |
Guillemot dumplings |
![]() |
Ready to Jump |
Black Guillemots (Tystie)
The tysties are the exception in my Shetland auk catalog - they do nest around the south end of Shetland, but not (as far as I know) at Sumburgh Head. They are stunning birds particularly in their summer plumage.
![]() |
Tystie in Summer plumage - great feet |
![]() |
And matching gape! |
![]() |
Tystie pair |
Puffins (Tammie Norie)
The razorbills may be the coolest auk, but the puffins are (for most visitors to Sumburgh Head) the stars of the show. They always seem to be ready to pose for the camera.
![]() |
Striking a pose |
![]() |
Exploring the cliff-top furniture |
![]() |
Crowd control |
Sumburgh Head
Sumburgh Head is a splendid location to visit at any time of year, but it is particularly special during the long summer days when the cliffs are busy with birds. In addition to the auks I've been watching this month there are kittiwakes, shag, fulmar, greater black-backed gulls breading all around the Head and Shetland wrens nesting in the drystone walls around the lighthouse site. And if you watch for a while you'll probably catch sight of a patrolling predatory Great Skua (aka Bonxie) or Raven (Corbie). If you want to learn more about the wildlife or the history of the site there's an excellent visitor centre and cafe (just in case the weather isn't a good as in the pictures).![]() |
Sumburgh Head |
![]() |
Sumburgh Head is a great place for sunsets |
No comments:
Post a Comment