Pod 27's - Orca

 The weather in the morning was not really good enough to consider going out photographing with rain and strong winds, over night reaching a recorded 73mph in the south mainland.

News came in the Pod 27's had worked their way down the east coast and had appeared in Sandwick and then continued to move south

With the sun coming out i decided to chance it and went down to Levenwick just as the pod moved through the bay and round the headland.

The male was quite close in as i reached the top of the cliffs out of breath. I managed to get a couple of photos before it dived and was lost for a while before surfacing well past the few observers.

I managed to catch up with the pod briefly before they motored south it heavy swell.

Quickly i returned to the car and headed down to Dalsetter and up onto a blustery cliff top. News came in that they were in the bay at Troswick just up from us.

With several pairs of eyes watching we managed to catch a glimpse as they appeared opposite us, then disappearing underwater.

They were not hanging about and ploughed through the sea heading towards Boddam. It was here i saw them for the last time, far out near the point.

It was good to see the Orcas again after a long absence from the south mainland, they had spent at least a month feeding around the Faroe's and then a week around the north  mainland and Yell

Shetland Orcas

We were having lunch when we had a message saying Orcas had just arrived at Broonies Taing, just where we used to stay on holiday

They came round Noness and came close to a boat

Couldn't believe this, a paddle boarder going out to see the Orcas, no life jacket

 They moved down the coast scaring a few seals and then moved out slightly making steady progress

 This is pod 27 with 8 animals present, increase from 4 in 2008

 Last month this pod was seen in Fair isle

They move towards Lerwick and could be seen there about 4 hours later. Today the same pod was seen early in the morning at Nesting