Otter signs

I have been interested in otters for a good number of years. Having read a few books on otters I decided, back in the late 1970's to take part in the first UK otter survey. I joined a group studying Welsh rivers and had signs on four of the six we surveyed. The 1977-1978 survey became the benchmark for future surveys which have been carried out every seven years .In those days otters were extremely rare and chances of seeing one was restricted to the remote islands or the west coast of Scotland.

The methods employed, was to walk  a 600 m transects along a suitable river looking for Otter spraints       (droppings), especially under bridges or where rivers met. Although we did find a number of spraints on large rocks close to the river as well . In between my survey visits , four in all, I actually saw four otters while visiting the west coast of Scotland. Out of six people in our group only the leader had seen otters in the wild and although we had received training we didn't expect to see Welsh otters as they were considered to be nocturnal.

                                                Taking part in the first Otter survey

 Our first encounter with otters is still very vivid,  I can clearly recall seeing an otter in broad daylight swimming along catching fish in Little Lock Broom, then coming onto land to devour a larger prey item. This sighting last over 20 minutes. Since then i have seen other otters on the West coast of Scotland and the inner Hebrides,as well as Shetland.

Books such as Tarka the otter and Hugh Miles book on Shetland otters, whetted my appetite for more, we even visited Gavin Maxwells retreat on the remote West coast of Scotland.

Shetland on the other hand is the best place to see otters in the whole of Europe. They estimate around 1200 animals but I am sure this is a slight under estimate as lots of young cubs are seen each year. Again the otters can be seen during day light.

We have had over 25 sightings while spending holidays in Shetland, the best was on our last visit. We had parked up in a line of cars at Toft waiting for the ferry to Yell. We were the four car in line. Having got out to scan round for seabirds, along with a couple of others we were amazed to see two otters appearing in front of the line of cars, and then proceeded to run towards us until they were six feet away then they split up and went back into the sea. I had left my camera in the car, but two other people close by were unable to react to this amazing sight and missed the opportunity as well.

You might be lucky enough to see otters on any visit to Shetland but it is always worth looking out for different signs such as tracks and otter spraint sites

                                                         Otter tracks - Norwick Beach, Unst


                            Otter tracks

                                                                       Otter spraint

Again it just goes to show that you have to expect the unexpected !!!!. Otters have even been reported in Sheffield along the river Don, how amazing is that. I can even remember seeing an otter on the local TV which has been caught on a CCTV camera going across a car park in Leeds, this was several years ago.

           Sign at Mavis Grind, Shetland

With water pollution less evident along our rivers& otter hunting banned you can now find otters in every county of England. However you cannot beat finding your own otters in Shetland, set among beautiful coastal scenery, alone, using your knowledge and expertise to see one of these fascinating animals.

Noss

Back in the 1970's  i had read a book - Shetland Sanctuary  by Richard Perry , which provided a lot of inspiration. I imaged a wild, isolated place far from anything I had experienced so far in my life. Yes i had spent alot of time in the Western Highlands of Scotland, but felt that the pull of being on an island full of wildlife was something that I needed to do. While other friends jetted off to hot places in the south, i wanted to go to the colder, wind swept north. Not just John o'Groats but the real far north of Britain, Muckle Flugga and all the other exciting islands as well.

I had heard about Noss from someone who had given a talk on National Natures Reserves to our local wildlife group and added to the very detailed account written by Richard Perry i vowed to visit Shetland as soon as possible. Richard Perry provided such a vivid account of the bird life on Noss that I felt that it provided more excitement than a safari in Africa, and it was in the UK too.

                                                               The Noup Noss

So on our first trip to Shetland, back in 1987, I was lucky enough to have the weather on our side and managed to get over to Bressay then onto meet the boat which would take us across to Noss. However I wasn't expecting to go by inflatable dingy!

                                                                      The boat

The wind had picked up and made an interesting experience going across the sound and especially landing as the swell caused difficulties getting up onto the rocks with my camera equipment. Luckily having spent a full day on the island the weather was calmer on our return.

                                                                    Gungstie , Noss

Time seems to go slower in Shetland, which is great as you can get so absorbed in watching the seabirds that hours shoot by. Close encounters with Gt Skuas, then Gannets, Fulmar, Kittiwakes, Puffins, Guillemot, Black Guillemot and Gt Black Back Gulls were imprinted on my mind, as well as the smell and noise.

The towering cliffs provided homes to 1000's of birds and you could easily understand how Richard Perry had spent months studying the birds on this island. He provides detailed accounts of the daily lives of each species especially the Gannet and Gt Skua, and since the first read I have constantly picked the book up to relive my own small encounters.

Each year we are on Shetland we go back to Noss, it is such a great place and each time it is different with so much to see. Once we get up to Shetland to live we will be able to see the island during different months, each month revealing secrets that only time allows to the patient observer.

Where do you get your Shetland inspiration from, please let me know

Shetland opens up far more photographic opportunities than around Sheffield. For one, being near the coast is a massive bonus, we currently have to travel around 70+ miles each way to the east coast from Sheffield. So I am really looking forward to having the coast on the doorstep as no where in Shetland is more than 3 miles away from the sea.

The light in Shetland is superb and seems a lot crisper than down here. No problem from heat haze to blur your photos. If you look deep in to the natural world, it will reward you with a never ending array of subjects to photograph. All you need is the time to photograph things in a way that only you see them and then to share with others via the web or other means. I am able to share my photography by giving  illustrated wildlife talks to a wide variety of people. I am sure that you will have heard that a photo is worth a thousand words, but a presentation/ lecture is both .  Sorry to rabbit on folks, I am sure that i will reach a thousand words soon !!!!

Once photography enters your blood stream, its like a disease.

The light and weather in Shetland is constantly changing , where the landscape appears different each minute of the day. You just have to get out with your camera in all weathers to make the most of these great opportunities. I have purchased rain-gards for my camera and lenses from Wildife Watching supplies and would recommend these to anyone undertaking outdoor photography. This should help and keep the salt and wet weather at bay.

I saw a great quote the other day from Jon Sexton on '' Light''

''It is light that reveals, light that obscures, light that communicates. It is light I listen to. The light late in the day has distinct qualities, as it fades towards the darkness of the evening. After sunset there is a gentle leaving of the light, the air begins to still and quiet descends,  I can see the magic of dusk, I feel quiet.
A sense of magic prevails. A sense of my sky and a time for contemplating, listening - a time for making photographs''.

If you have seen the Simmer Dim, where darkness never sets in late Spring and Summer, where there is 22 hours of daylight and you haven't enough energy to see the whole day through, then you have experienced a magical moment in Shetland.

                                            Midnight early June, time of the Simmer Dim
I have been asked by many people which is my favourite photo, i nearly always respond that it is the one I am going to take tomorrow (In Shetland). Well in a few months hopefully.

Shetland Bird Report

Recently received the 2011 Shetland Bird Report which is excellent as usual. As I  have previously indicated, I support the objection to the 103 wind turbine wind farm in the central mainland of Shetland. The editorial says it wants more support to stop the development before it is too late. This area of moorland supports a good number of declining Whimbrel and other waders as well as Artic Skua (Red listed bird) with a 56% decline from 1987 to 2008. I would urge you all to support the opposition on environmental grounds by writing to the SNP government as soon as possible.

The report also details the Shetland breeding seabirds in 2011. This information has been collected for over 30 years by a large dedicated band of bird watchers. It is well worth purchasing this report, or better still join the Shetland Bird club. Contact Rory Tallock (01595 810268)

A number of people have asked me when I am giving the next illustrated Shetland talk. Here is an up to-date list

7 2 13  RSPB Sheffield - Shetland Birds
22 2 13 Oddfellows Group (Doncaster) - Puffin around Shetland
15 3 13 Oddfellows Group (Nottingham) - Puffin around Shetland
18 3 13 RSPB Grimsby - Shetland Birds
  3 4 13 RSPB Mansfield - Shetland Birds
17 4 13 Sunny Bank Gardening Club - Shetland Flowers
21 5 13 Rotherham Probus - Shetland- the past 25 years

Snowy Owl

When you watch a regular patch you always come across a surprise or two. Whether its an increase or decrease in some bird species or locating a new species for the area, it can be very rewarding. Imagine then , Bobby Tullock discovering a new breeding bird not just for Shetland but for the UK and having to keep quite while finishing off a bird watching tour.

Snowy Owls are not little brown jobs, the are big and conspicuous. But its surprising how well thy blend into the Fetlar landscape. During the 1960's a small number of Snowy owls became resident in Shetland, and in 1966 there were two males and a female resident on Fetlar. Then Bobby Tullock discovered a nest with eggs in June 1967 and the rest is history. Over the next nine years 56 eggs were laid and 23 young fledged, mainly by one pair although two nest were found 1973-1975.

On our first visit to Shetland in 1987 we visited Fetlar and found one female behind the school. It few a short distance before settling down for the 1/2 hour we watched it . It was well camouflaged against the hill side. This was one of two females left from the young hatched up to 1975. We then fell lucky as we saw another bird on Unst two years later. Apparently the birds had moved away from Fetlar when the rabbit population fell. Recent sightings are scarce.

Snow Buntings

My first encounter with snow bunting was back in the late 1970's up at Inverpolly, western Scotland, followed by sightings in the Cairngorms in the mid 1980's. This is a rare breeding bird in the UK, they normally are found breeding around the Artic from Scandinavia to Alaska, Canada and Greenland, we see more in winter.

In Shetland I was lucky enough to come across one in late May a couple of years ago on Ronas Hill, a superb male. Late May is normal for late spring sightings in Shetland and can occur anywhere in the isles.

This year snow buntings started to appear on the 12 September, with a bird at Lamba Ness. Birds continued to be seen throughout the month will larger numbers on Unst by the 29 September with 60 birds present. Throughout October numbers continued to build again with 120 at Belmont on the 8th, but by November numbers started to fall to 20-30 birds and the last 3 on the 28 November,  8 birds on Yell 30  December was the last of the year, with many birds moved south.
The excellent Nature In Shetland website great for details of sightings of all birds.

The white plumage evokes images of a snowstorm as the birds take flight. Being 70 + miles from the coast we don't come across birds in and around Sheffield, except for a few on migration and these are usually found calling while flying over.

Most snow buntings are found along the coast feeding in open weedy and grassy fields or along shorelines. I have come across flocks at Cleethorpes, Filey, and in Lincolnshire and North Norfolk. and they are normally very confiding . Two races have been identified, Iceland and Greenland / Scandinavia

Winter

With Shetland having yet more snow and ice recently which forced the closure of Sumburgh airport and several schools, its a worrying time for wildlife. They have to survive the cold and often deep snowy conditions. Those that cannot feed need to move south to more open areas otherwise they will die. Migration comes early to Shetland as winter visitors move through from October on and sometimes only stay in Shetland for a short time to feed and build up enough energy to continue their journey.

                                                                      Waxwings

Most Waxwings left Shetland by the 5 December, having spent a  few weeks feeding up on berries, apples and pears.

Down in Sheffield, numbers of Waxwings have fallen from the 700 hundreds to perhaps just over a 100 birds, moving around trying to find berries.

 In 2010 Sheffield experienced one of the worst winters since the war. We live on a hill and had 24 inches of snow making it impossible for ground feeding birds to survive in their normal woodland habitat. Most moved to nearby gardens or left the area.

Walking through the woods nearby no birds were encountered on the snow days , with only the occasional Robin moving back in a few days later, finding shelter in holly bushes. Other people reported wrens sheltering in nest boxes, in one 34 Wrens were found in one box, finding warmth together. Roosts of Pied wagtails could be found on top of buildings, at Meadowhall I counted 78 one evening.

So it is important to keep feeding the birds and also putting out water as well, with such as massive drop in bird numbers these last few years we cannot afford to loose any more. Birds like the Kingfisher move away from inland haunts to the coast where it is generally milder and ice free

                                         Kingfisher at Kelham Island Sheffield

Next Blog will cover the snow birds , keep visiting