Tag Archives: Hermaness

Shetland: Bonxie Bathing

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On our travels around Shetland, one of the best wildlife sights was of a Bonxie bathing spot not far from Hermaness National Nature Reserve.

Great Skuas, or Bonxies as they are known locally, are a bird highlight of the islands. These large, heavy-weight birds are known for their aggression and they frequently mob passers-by if they get too close. I was on the receiving end of their dive-bombing out on a walk in Orkney a few years ago but fortunately in Shetland we didn’t have that experience, despite some quite close encounters. Skuas are also known as ‘pirates of the sky’ as they spend much of their time robbing other birds of their food.

The bathing spot is in a large freshwater lake in a valley behind Hermaness. The first time we drove past we counted around 70 individuals in the water or standing on the nearby lakeside. The second time, we stopped and used the car as a birdwatching hide and managed to get a few photos as they argumentatively cleaned themselves.

The real close-up pictures in the set below are actually from a small pond on Hermaness itself. As we hiked up the boardwalk we came across a very obliging Bonxie that didn’t at all seem bothered by our presence.

Shetland: Atlantic Puffins

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For many people, a standout bird of Shetland has to be the Atlantic Puffin. I have a mixed relationship with these familiar birds. On one hand they’re one of the most charismatic species the UK is lucky to have but on the other hand, due to that charisma, they often take the limelight away from other species. Despite their attraction, they are on the UK Red List for birds, which puts them at the highest level of conservation concern.

We found these bird in a number of places in Shetland, from the northern-most spot, at Hermaness, to the most southern, at Sumburgh Head. The latter gave the best views of these birds including during an early morning wander around the lighthouse which gave is the perfect light for some of the photos below.

The two images below are my particular favourites. Both taken in that early morning light. The first is a ‘ball of Puffin’ sitting cosily on the edge of the North Sea, looking east towards the sun. The second is of a jaunty Puffin, as it came out of its burrow high up on cliffs.

Like so many seabirds, Puffins have experienced long term declines in their numbers but it was good news to hear that the UK has closed its sand eel fishery. These are the main food source of Puffins and it’s a pity we weren’t in Shetland to get some of those lovely images of parent birds bringing in bills full of sand eels to their growing pufflings…perhaps next time!