Polycera quadrilineata or Four-lined Polycera. A small but relatively common nudibranch found in rockpools and along piers and pontoons, if you have the patience to sift through the wracks. #Nudibranch #MarineLife #Polycera #Rockpool #Tidepools #Shetland #VisitShetland #SeaLife #Wildlife #Nature

Moulting adult Sanderling, 28 Black-tailed Godwit and 9 Ringed Plover on the River Mersey east of the Gateway and south of Moss Bank this afternoon #SankeyValley #PatchBirding

Solar-powered Sea Slug - Elysia viridis, from a Rockpool in Shetland. Flashing part of its "solar panel" that is filled with chlorophyll harvested from the algae it grazes on. #Rockpool #Tidepool #Nature #Shetland #Wildlife #SeaSlug #Nudibranch #MarineLife

A lovely evening Safari with 7 entrepid rockpool explorers. We found some of the largest Sea Lemons I've ever seen, and a great selection of other intertidal beasties from Sea Stars to Squat Lobsters. #SeaLemon #Nudibranch #Rockpool #Tidepool #MarineLife #Nature #Wildlife

European Cowrie or Groatie Buckie in Shetland dialect. So much more interesting like this than the dead shells you might find on the beach! #Cowrie #MarineLife #SeaSide #Rockpool #Tidepool #Nature

I recently posted this as Cadlina laevis (White Sea Slug) but on review think it might be Jorunna tomentosa. If anyone on here knows and can talk me through the ID I'd really appreciate it! #Nudibranch #Shetland #MarineLife #Rockpool #Tidepool #Nature #Wildlife

Elysia viridis - Solar-powered Sea Slug This fascinating little creature ingests chloroplasts from its food algae, then uses them for photosynthesis to supplement its food supply. The folds on its back fan out to increase surface area to aid this process. #SeaSlug #Shetland #Rockpool #MarineLife

Fancy learning about what lies just beneath the surface of Shetlands wonderful shores? All ages welcome! Check out our website and book your tour. If you aren't visiting soon, enjoy the gallery of some of our favourite finds! #Rockpool #WildlifeTour #Nature #Shetland #Starfish #Crab #Nudibranch

We've got spaces on tours in the last week of July: Thu 24th @ 5:00pm Sat 26th @ 6:00pm If you are in Shetland, why not book on one and learn about some of the creatures below (Beadlet Anemone, common starfish, european cowrie, white sea slug) #TidePool #RockPool #Wildlife #SeaLife #Shetland

Some recent Nudibranch finds whilst rockpooling around Shetland. Identifications in Alt text. The variety, colour and alien-ness of Nudibranchs never ceased to amaze me! #Shetland #Rockpool #Tidepool #SeaSlug #Nudibranch #Seashore #MarineLife #UkWildlife #ShetlandWildlife #Nature

Come rockpooling with us! We love rockpooling and are excited to be starting a new venture - offering guided rockpool safaris here in Shetland. Check out our website for more details and dates of sessions! #Rockpool #Rockpooling #Shetland #Tidepool #Wildlife #Seaside

The stunning breeding plumage female Grey (Red) Phalarope at Spiggie, Shetland, this afternoon. What an incredible looking bird! Not often seen looking like this in the UK. My only other sighting was about a decade ago at Brandon Marsh, Warks! #Phalarope #Waders #Wildlife #UkBirding

So many photos to go through from my time in Pine Marten heaven - Ardnamurchan, West coast of Scotland. Such wonderful characters, I watched them for hours climbing over rocks and trees behind the hours. #BritishMammals #PineMarten #Wildlife #Nature #Ardnamurchan

A week long holiday on the Ardnamurchan peninsula provided some incredible Pine Marten encounters from the comfort of our accommodation. Amongst Atlantic rainforest, these mustelids evoke strong feelings of wilder times gone by. #PineMarten #BritishMammals #Nature #Wildlife #BritishWildlife

A Purple Heron this afternoon at Boddam Voe gave Shetland another slice of the recent spring migrant action after yesterday's elusive Black-crowned Night Heron. #UKBirding

The Killer Whale pod known as the 27s visited my local Shetland coastline today, or at least 4 of them did. 27 herself and Bull 34 put on a show. Lovely weather but still very cold in the wind 🥶 #KillerWhale #Orca #SeaLife #MarineMammals #Wildlife #Shetland

The solo bull Orca hanging around near Voe in Shetland right now. Lots of long feeding dives, there must be some good fish down there, he's been here for days now! #Shetland #Orca #KillerWhale

Brilliant campaigning from @wwtworldwide.bsky.social ft Megan McCubbin in spoof video at the Duck & Cover restaurant. The use of humour as a campaign tool shouldn't be underestimated. #BanLead #Ornithology raptorpersecutionuk.org/2025/02/11/t...

Feisty little dudes. I'm almost used to calling them Curruca instead of Sylvia now. Scratchy songs, angry fire eyes, good colour schemes, but lose a point for being a bit too skulking = 8/10 #birdart #birds

Shetland has the highest density of European Otter in the world. I saw at least 7 today in 4 different encounters. This youngster was the first I saw, at a popular walk location. Being downwind, I was fortunate to watch it feed for some time from close range. #Otter #Draatsi #Shetland

Your 2025 Le Creuset x bird color guide

My son James caught up with booted eagle at Marazion this morning - nice pale phase

New research has investigated the motivations for dog owners keeping their pet on a lead in natural areas, and suggested the creation of dedicated dog exercise space as a solution:

@cairngormsnews.bsky.social statement on suspected illegal release of lynx in the Cairngorms National Park cairngorms.co.uk/park-authori...

Tailing off now but we nipped out beyond the garden for a few more photos and to just take it all in.

The sky just exploded with colour above our Shetland house. One of the best displays I've seen. Many colours visible to the naked eye and it was dancing and flowing and changing constantly. Breathtaking! #AuroraBorealis #NorthLights #MirrieDancers #Shetland

A great day of Otter encounters on Friday! Started off with a mother and 3 cubs fishing and playing right next to us. Whilst watching them, Beth looked down and saw a male fast asleep barely 5m from us. On the drive back another family party of 4 were feeding under Trondra bridge. #Shetland #Otters

Seen a few folks astonished by my lack of support for ChatGPT and similar. Because AI, right? Yeah, no. What we have right now is glorified autocorrect. Glorified autocorrect that takes the energy of an entire city to do what it does, plus half of Lake Erie to cool down while it's doing it.

A big highlight of Gambia was seeing Black Heron doing it's thing, otherwise known as the "Night-time Day-time bird" 😂 It caught something almost every time it created it's fake shady fish refuge!

A few more Gambia pics. We saw 9 Egyptian Plovers on one day during the trip - amazing birds! #Birding #Nature #Gambia

Back from a brilliant Bird tour in Gambia with Inglorious Bustards. Many many photos taken. Mostly of birds but so much other life to take in. Will post some every few days as I go through them all. IDs in alt text. #Birding #Gambia #Africa #Wildlife

The 2nd Shetland record of American Coot on Loch Spiggie this afternoon, with a Eurasian for company. Subtle differences, but it showed moderately well on the western shore. Top marks to Phil for finding it #Coot #Shetland #UKbirding

This mornings walk along the beach at Easington for the Shore Larks was beautiful. Amazing to think it was thick snow flurries and grey skies an hour later. The Hume's Warbler showed briefly in Church field too. #UKbirding

A sunny lunch time wander along Grutness beach provided some lovely views of the Sanderlings and Calloos (Long-tailed Ducks). A seaweed skulking Water Rail gave itself up briefly by screeching at a Redshank. A Yellowhammer up at Sumburgh a belated addition to my Shetland list! #UKbirding #Shetland

Today's ornithology fact - the world's smallest bird of prey (a falconet) is smaller than the world's largest hummingbird (Giant Hummingbird) 🧪🪶

Is there anything better than a flyover Hawfinch in Shetland winter sun? The answer is yes when there's an Eye-browed Thrush in Orkney, but I still really enjoyed this big brute of a finch as it flew over my house this morning! #UKBirding

Autumn in Shetland has been great so far despite missing the "biggy", an Eastern Crowned Warbler. Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler was a much sought after lifer. However I can't deny it's just not been as brilliant as previous years when Nearctic gems have graced us with their presence! #UKBirding

Turtle Dove on the patch list! Also new for me in Shetland, despite having already seen Oriental a few years back 😂 #UKBirding

The last hour has been pretty epic for the #MirrieDancers in Shetland. Some amazing shapes and movements visible to the naked eye with a brilliant intense green. Much enhanced by the camera these shots do at least show the swirls and patterns you could see. #AuroraBorealis #NorthernLights #Shetlanc

Any birders on the Northlink from Aberdeen to Shetland tonight? Some friends about an hour into journey gave a very good description of two Great Shears. Not birders but had binoculars and at least one of them has seen Greats before. They've looking online and are pretty happy with that ID #Seabirds

Some slightly misleading Aurora shots from Sandsayre, Shetland tonight. Taken on a Google pixel 6 pro, with minor tweaks 😂 it was cool to see but the camera does lie! #Aurora #NorthernLights #NightSky

Wilson’s storm-petrel records are being obliterated once again on Scilly Pelagics this summer with over 300 recorded in Scillonian waters so far, & still with three full weekends of pelagics remaining! This moulting individual gave a typically superb performance last week 🌊 #seabirds

Lesser Grey Shrike in Channerwick, Shetland this morning. Found by my old neighbour last night. Shrikes are always brilliant. #UKbirding

More Nudibranchs in Shetland yesterday whilst #RockPooling We think the first is Jorunna artsdatabanksia but confirmation would be appreciated. The last picture shows 1 of 2 Polycera quadrilineata seen. These were the first and last critters we found in an hour's search - funny how it works out!

My trip to Scilly summed up in just 2 images. Taking part in the Scilly60 race, running around all 5 inhabited islands, was incredible. Seeing a lifer Solitary Sandpiper the next day, on somewhat wobbly legs, really topped off a brilliant trip! #Running #Birding #Scilly

Since moving to Shetland in 2021 we've been getting into #RockPooling and identifying #MarineLife and my favourite thing to look for has to be Nudibranchs! Highlight finds so far are these tiny guys, IDs in Alt text. There's so much life under the surface. Next step is to get my head round crab ID 🦀

Honestly cannot avoid Red-backed Shrikes at the minute in Shetland. Only wanted to nip to the local shop c250m away, but took my bins just in case. Proved the right decision when this flew out of Swinister burn and onto a fence line.

Some nice local birds in Shetland recently in an exceptional spring for drift migrants. Wonder if there will be many breeding attempts after this influx.

Aurora Borealis, or the Mirrie Dancers in Shetland, showing well tonight despite the moon and cloud. #Shetland #Aurora #NorthernLights #NightSky #DarkSkies

Enjoying the Bluesky vibes 🙌 Whilst my contribution will inevitably be bird-heavy, Scilly’s glistened shores are a treasure trove of drifting oceanic gems! Some recent offerings from the vast Atlantic Ocean 🌊☀️ #Scilly