Hugh Harrop Wildlife Photography & Sound Recording

Siberian Rubythroat

2011-11-02T16:29:00.004Z

We've had lots of emails over the last week from folk requesting colour prints of the male Siberian Rubythroat that have been featured on the Shetland Wildlife Facebook page. We have a choice of 4 images for sale (see pic below) and can offer glossy prints in the following sizes:

6 x 4 print:
£3.00 each - order 2 or more different images in the same size and get them for £2.00 each

7 x 5 print:
£5.00 each - order 2 or more different images in the same size and get them for £4.00 each

A4 print:
£10.00 - order 2 or more different images in the same size and get them for £7.00 each

Please add £1.50 p&p per order.

If you'd like a print, please choose which one you'd like from the pic below (they are referenced 1 - 4), pop a cheque in the post made payable to Hugh Harrop and then send to Shetland Wildlife, Longhill, Maywick, Bigton, Shetland ZE2 9JF. We can also accept credit card (Visa or Mastercard) orders over the phone and also handle orders by email using Paypal. Just drop us an email.

Red-necked Grebe - Sept 2011 Wallpaper

2011-09-01T15:06:00.000+01:00

September 2011 wallpaper is a Red-necked Grebe. To set the picture as your computer desktop wallpaper background, double click on the image to open it in full size then right-click the mouse while it's over the picture. Select the 'Set as Background' menu option, or the 'Set as Wallpaper' option, depending on your browser type. If you want to learn how to take images like this, click here to join us on an instructional pho-tour.

Focus on Shetland 2012 NOW BOOKING

2011-08-01T08:24:00.000+01:00

The best Shetland pho-tours on offer! Outstanding opportunities to photograph an array of breeding waders and seabirds such as Red-necked Phalarope, Storm Petrel, Black Guillemot, Great & Arctic Skua plus seals, arctic alpines, Otters and a good chance of Killer Whales!

Our groups are limited to six, we have nearly 20 years of unrivalled hands-on pho-tour experience and because we live here, we know where, when and how to photograph our unique wildlife.

Let us show you why we do it better than anybody else and why we don't need to hire pho-tour guides from outside of Shetland, who, on their once-a-year visit are perhaps more interested in getting images for themselves, than for you.

Our three scheduled 2011 Focus on Shetland departures sold like hot cakes, so we have now opened up our 2012 dates and they are available for booking.

The 2012 dates are:

Saturday 2nd - Saturday 9th June 2012
Saturday 9th - Saturday 16th June 2012
Saturday 16th June - Saturday 23rd June 2012

Given the demand for 2011 trips, we would advise bookings to be made as soon as possible.

So photograph the best birds with the best resident photographic guides - all organised for you by Shetland's No.1 wildlife holiday company.

Further details can be found by clicking here

Fin Whale - August 2011 Wallpaper

2011-07-31T09:20:00.005+01:00

August 2011 wallpaper is a Fin Whale surfacing. To set the picture as your computer desktop wallpaper background, double click on the image to open it in full size then right-click the mouse while it's over the picture. Select the 'Set as Background' menu option, or the 'Set as Wallpaper' option, depending on your browser type. If you want to learn how to take images like this, click here to join us on an instructional pho-tour.

Finland & Arctic Norway Winter 2012

2011-07-27T14:29:00.006+01:00

It remains as popular as ever, so it was no surprise that our exclusive winter pho-tour to Finland and Arctic Norway from 10 - 17 March 2012 sold out! We have therefore arranged an additional week to meet demand and we are now taking bookings for 17 - 24 March 2012. Read all about this awesome trip here and please e mail or call our office on 01950 422483 if you require any further information.

To see what great opportunities this trip offers for bird photography, visit our Facebook gallery created from the 2011 trip and click here, here and here!

Autumn Birding in Shetland 2011

2011-07-25T19:47:00.006+01:00

Shetland's track record for attracting rare and scarce migrant birds every Autumn is second to none. Our track record for getting you to see them, is unrivalled. We are already extremely busy for Autumn 2011 with a total of five trips running. Our three 'new style' Fair Isle Autumn migration holidays sold out but 2 places have just become available on the 17 - 24 September departure. Autumn Gold proves as popular as ever and we have 2 spaces left on the 24th September - 1 October trip and 1 space left on the 1 - 8 October trip. Get in touch if you'd like more info or would like to book. See the best birds with the best birders - all organised for you by Shetland's number one and ONLY full-time professional wildlife holiday company!

To whet your appetite, Dave Fairhurst has summed up the autumn of 2010:

"August saw the summering drake Surf Scoter lingering around Burra and Trondra on and off throughout the month. During the month two different Paddyfield Warblers were seen on Unst, and an adult Greenish Warbler was in the Sumburgh Hotel garden for a couple of days - at times it was heard singing! The undoubted highlight of the month was a Sykes's Warbler up on Unst along the Burrafirth Burn The early September highlight from the East was the discovery of Britain's 15th-ever Eastern Olivaceous Warbler in Ireland near Bigton by Hugh & Alan and from the west came two North American Buff Bellied Pipits, both of which gave great views for our travellers! The first bird associated with Meadow Pipits around the North Light on Fair Isle during our first trip of the autumn, and as we watched the bird it was joined firstly by a Yellow Browed Warbler and then incredibly by a male Bluethroat: it could only happen on Fair Isle!! The second bird out at Eshaness was also particularly obliging. Nearby, also from the Canadian Arctic, were up to three Buff Breasted Sandpipers which were completely oblivious to their admirers, often passing within a few metres of us!

As well as the Buff Bellied Pipit our first Fair Isle trip had many memorable birds including: Citrine Wagtail, Barred Warbler, Yellow Browed Warblers, Ortolan Bunting, Common Rosefinches, large numbers of Lapland Buntings, Buff Breasted Sandpiper, Jack Snipe, Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll, and a classic Fair Isle bird which we discovered early one morning - a Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler. On our return to the mainland we were also able to catch up with a rather showy Arctic Warbler in the roses at Sumburgh Head.

Still a true rarity, Red Flanked Bluetail must be one of the most mythical birds to see. With a recent westward range expansion, this autumn has been the best ever for seeing them and our Shetland Wildlife groups didn't miss out. Our groups managed to see three of these enigmatic Robin-like birds which breed in the Siberian Taiga - perhaps the best one being one that we found ourselves up on Unst! Britain's most northerly island was also the place where we caught up with another stunning Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll. Breeding in Northern Greenland and Canada, these snowballs' are much larger and paler than their Scandinavian cousins and as seems to be typical of this species, can be very approachable, this bird being no exception. Being particularly skulky and tricky to identify, Blyth's Reed Warblers are another sought-after rarity and we were lucky this year with our groups seeing three different individuals. This species breeds in Central Asia and winters on the Indian Subcontinent making it all the more incredible that they turn up in Shetland at all. Western Bonelli's Warblers are one of the smartest looking leaf' warblers from Southern Europe and we managed to catch up with two different individuals this autumn including one bird feeding in sycamores at Seafield in Lerwick. Equally as confiding was the Radde's Warbler at Sumburgh Farm.

Now treated as a full species, the Sykes's Warbler is a very rare vagrant from north east Arabia and Iran, and we were fortunate enough this autumn to see two individuals: the first was a long staying bird at Channerwick, and the second a far more confiding bird on Fetlar. In early October we were very lucky to connect with another Shetland speciality, this time a Lanceolated Warbler. This bird was favouring the walls and garden at Britain's most northerly house on Unst. Lanceys' can show very well at times, and this bird was no exception with us watching it down to just a couple of metres! Despite the lack of westerly winds (a good thing as far as we are concerned!), a Swainson's Thrush was found in Levenwick in early October and several of our groups enjoyed views of this diminutive North American thrush. Also hailing from America, a Spotted Sandpiper was seen on Strand Loch for just one day in mid October.

We did very well for shrikes this autumn with both Red Backed and Great Greys seen on several occasions but it was the superb Isabelline Shrike at Spiggie that stands out. Present for five days in October the antics of this bird were arguably the highlight of the autumn for many. At times the bird could be watched devouring small birds and tearing rodents apart from one of its several larders! Nature at its best!

Our final trip of the season was to Fair Isle and we weren't disappointed! We were able to get some of our newly arrived guests onto both Pallas's and Sykes's Warblers within an hour of their arrival here on Shetland! Our highlights on the island included Blyth's Reed Warbler, Olive Backed Pipit, Radde's Warbler, Little Bunting, several Barred Warblers (including one bird feeding on the window ledge of our guest house!), Short Eared Owl, Red Kite (a very rare bird up here on Shetland), Jack Snipe and an excellent number of Lapland Buntings. It might not be the rarest of birds for the trip list, but the sight of a Long Eared Owl perched at 'the shop' will last long in the memory."

Long-tailed Skua - July 2011 Wallpaper

2011-07-07T14:03:00.001+01:00

July 2011 wallpaper features our summering Long-tailed Skua, photographed on Monday 4 July 2011. To set the picture as your computer desktop wallpaper background, double click on the image to open it in full size then right-click the mouse while it's over the picture. Select the 'Set as Background' menu option, or the 'Set as Wallpaper' option, depending on your browser type. If you want to learn how to take images like this, click here to join us on an instructional pho-tour.

Great Reed Warbler: Great Garden Tick!

2011-06-18T14:43:00.005+01:00

Am currently guiding trips from dawn until dusk at this time of year, so very little time to update these pages - but you can keep up to date with day-to-day news on our Facebook page. Last Sunday, I stepped outside and was amazed to hear a singing male Great Reed Warbler in our garden - a superb garden and patch tick! The bird gave Michelle and I good views from the house but with the cameras in the van, the bird stayed deep in cover when I attempted to photograph it. However, it continued to 'sing' in short bursts so I at least managed a few decent sound recordings before having to meet our pho-tour group and head over to Mousa!

Killer Whale: June 2011 Wallpaper

2011-05-28T13:15:00.002+01:00

June 2011 wallpaper is a Killer Whale, photographed in Mousa Sound in July 2006 whilst we were working with the BBC film crew making the Nature of Britain series. To set the picture as your computer desktop wallpaper background, double click on the image to open it in full size then right-click the mouse while it's over the picture. Select the 'Set as Background' menu option, or the 'Set as Wallpaper' option, depending on your browser type. If you want to learn how to take images like this, click here to join us on an instructional pho-tour. For even more inspiring Shetland Killer Whale images, see our Facebook page by clicking here and following the 'photos' link on the left hand menu bar. We have created an album with over 100 images of these majestic creatures!

Finland & Norway Winter Pho-tour 2012

2011-05-16T06:02:00.000+01:00

All the arrangements for our exclusive 2012 winter pho-tour to Finland and Arctic Norway are now in place and the trip will run from Saturday 10 - Saturday 17 March 2012. We have just three spaces left as of today, so if you are interested in joining this unique trip, please refer to the itinerary and booking instructions by clicking here. 2011 was once again a complete sell out - and we even added an additional tour to meet demand. Book early!

Hungary Pho-tour Images

2011-05-07T08:57:00.015+01:00

A small selection of images from the April 2011 Shetland Wildlife pho-tour to eastern Hungary. Over 100 images from the trip have been uploaded to an album on our Facebook page so click HERE to view them. We will be running this superb trip again in 2012 from 28 April - 5 May. Further details are here. The trip is strictly limited to just 6 photographers; 2011 was another sell-out so we would advise early reservations to be made for 2012.

Red-footed Falcon: May 2011 Wallpaper

2011-05-03T12:06:00.005+01:00

May 2011 wallpaper is a preening female Red-footed Falcon, photographed on our pho-tour to Eastern Hungary last month. To set the picture as your computer desktop wallpaper background, double click on the image to open it in full size then right-click the mouse while it's over the picture. Select the 'Set as Background' menu option, or the 'Set as Wallpaper' option, depending on your browser type. If you want to learn how to take images like this, click here to join us on an instructional pho-tour.

Fair Isle Autumn 17 - 24 September 2011

2011-04-18T10:06:00.002+01:00

Due to a cancellation we have two spaces on our Fair Isle Autumn Migration holiday running from 17 - 24 September 2011. Please e mail us for further information or refer to the 2011 trip HERE for itinerary and prices.

Shetland Killer Whale Images

2011-04-16T15:50:00.003+01:00

With the season now well and truly underway, we thought we'd share some of our favourite Killer Whale images taken during our wildlife tours and holidays here in Shetland over the last 15 years. We hope it brings back great memories for the hundreds of guests who shared the experience with us! To see the 70+ images (with even more pictures due to be added), go to our Facebook page HERE and if you'd like to follow us, just click 'like'.

Keep up to date with Shetland Wildlife!

2011-04-04T12:56:00.006+01:00

Keep up to date with Shetland Wildlife sightings as they happen! Want to know where and when exciting Shetland wildlife like Killer Whales were seen? Want to know which way they were heading or where the best place to go and look for them might be? Want to be kept up to date with our news and all other major wildlife sightings as they happen during your visit to Shetland? If you are a Facebook user click HERE and join the Shetland Wildlife community by clicking 'like'. By doing so also means that you can configure Facebook to view news on your iphone, Blackberry or Smartphone and even have our updates delivered by SMS text. Not on Facebook? Not a problem - we have also linked our Facebook page via RSS from our Twitter page so all major sightings will still be 'tweeted'.and both platforms updated - even when we are 'out-in-the-field' watching the wildlife we want you to see!

Killer Whales!

2011-04-02T19:00:00.002+01:00

Here is a record shot of one of the 3 Killer Whales we saw off Dalsetter and Troswick earlier this afternoon. Even distant photos like this can prove useful in identifying individual Killer Whales. The fin shape (unusually rounded at the tip) and 'indent' on the rear edge means we should be able to get a 'match' and I'm certain we've already found it in the Killer Whale ID catalogue - have sent this image away for confirmation. Will update once we get a response. Thanks to the crew of the MV Good Shepherd for discovering this pod and getting the news out!

Red-throated Diver: April 2011 Wallpaper

2011-03-29T20:23:00.007+01:00

April 2011 wallpaper is this Red-throated Diver, photographed on Fetlar, Shetland in June 2010. To set the picture as your computer desktop wallpaper background, double click on the image to open it in full size then right-click the mouse while it's over the picture. Select the 'Set as Background' menu option, or the 'Set as Wallpaper' option, depending on your browser type. If you want to learn how to take images like this, click here to join us on an instructional pho-tour or click here to win one!

Eurasian Teal Recordings

2011-03-27T19:16:00.006+01:00

Managed a few sound recordings of Eurasian Teals today:

2011 Shetland Photo Competition

2011-03-21T13:33:00.004Z

Promote Shetland and Shetland Wildlife - sponsors of the 1st prize - are pleased to announce the 2011 Shetland Photographic Competition. The competition is open to resident and visiting amateur photographers. We are looking for unique and inspiring images that capture your imagination and record a moment in time.

We want you to capture breathtaking and original images which reflect and portray the outstanding wildlife Shetland has to offer. Subjects may include anything that is wild: birds, wild flowers, whales & dolphins, otters, seals etc. Please do not submit images of captive wildlife or livestock (sheep, ponies etc). Landscapes which portray wildlife in a natural setting (eg. Seabird colonies) are acceptable. Photographs must be taken in Shetland between 1st February 2011 and 31st March 2012. All entries will be judged by Hugh Harrop and the Promote Shetland team. The winner will be announced soon after the competition closes on 5 April 2012.

1st Prize - a superb 7-day photography holiday donated by Shetland Wildlife to be taken in June 2012 - worth over £1,000.00 !!!

2nd Prize - A delicious Shetland hamper from the Shetland Fudge Company

3rd Prize - a signed copy of Simon King's new 'Shetland Nature Diaries' book

So cameras at the ready!

For further information click here or please contact Promote Shetland on 01595 98 98 98.

To view the 2010 winning entries, click here.

Terms & Conditions:-

1. The Shetland Photographic Competition is organised by Promote Shetland, in association with Shetland Wildlife.
2. The competition is open to resident and visiting photographers.
3. Photographs must be taken in Shetland between 1 Feb 2011 and 31 March 2012.
4. Photos must be submitted in a digital format via our entry form.
5. Images should be no larger than 5MB and saved in JPEG format. Only minor manipulation is allowed and we may request to see the original file for any short listed entries we consider.
6. The limit is one photograph per entrant and it must be accompanied by a description, preferably as detailed as possible (up to100 words).
7. All entries must be the sole work of the photographer and the submitter of the photographs must be the copyright owner.
8. Entry into the competition will permit use of the photographs in Promote Shetland's online image gallery.

Eider eating a Spider!

2011-03-18T16:22:00.003Z

Not an arachnid - but a crab! This young drake Common Eider offered incredible photo opportunities as it devoured this Spider Crab by first of all eating the legs and then swallowing the body whole!

Red Grouse

2011-03-17T20:44:00.002Z

Red Grouse are always fantastic birds to try and photograph. Here are a few images from the moorland session earlier in the week...

Arctic Hares

2011-03-15T19:45:00.003Z

A few pictures of Arctic Hares from a really good photo session in the hills...

Rough-legged Buzzard

2011-03-14T19:58:00.004Z

Arctic Hares and Red Grouse filled my memory cards today but I'll post some images of the Toft Rough-legged Buzzard which made a nice diversion and showed quite well. Thanks to George Graham & Roger Tait for the news!

Pilot Whale Video

2011-03-06T16:21:00.002Z

Some HD video of the Bressay Sound Long-finned Pilot Whales shot with the Canon 1D Mark IV. The spy-hopping behaviour is amazing!

Pilot Whales in Shetland

2011-03-05T15:45:00.011Z

An early morning text alerting us of a pod of 'dolphins' in Bressay Sound could not have been timed better! Jon was on his way to the ferry terminal to pick up Kim & Ji who were starting a two-day trip with us, so a quick diversion and an instant result - they weren't dolphins - they were a magnificent pod of 20+ Long-finned Pilot Whales! For the next couple of hours we enjoyed incredible views of these animals from the main pier in Lerwick as they spy-hopped, fluked and lob-tailed. The pod appeared to be a nursery group comprising mainly females and younger animals, and there were at least two tiny calves. Awesome!

Blue-winged Teal: March 2011 Wallpaper

2011-03-01T13:43:00.004Z

Continuing the theme of reflection images, our March 2011 wallpaper is this handsome drake Blue-winged Teal photographed in Colorado in April 2009. To set the picture as your computer desktop wallpaper background, double click on the image to open it in full size then right-click the mouse while it's over the picture. Select the 'Set as Background' menu option, or the 'Set as Wallpaper' option, depending on your browser type. If you want to learn how to take images like this, click here and join us on an instructional pho-tour.

Reflection Photography

2011-02-27T21:39:00.002Z

Some lovely light and reasonably calm seas today meant good opportunities for reflection photography. Here are a couple fresh out of the card. The Long-tailed Ducks are building up in numbers around the harbour and they look just fantastic at the moment!

Long-tailed Ducks

2011-02-25T21:39:00.000Z

After ten days of grey skies and constant gales, we finally got some sunshine! So, a few hours photographing in the harbour produced some fantastic opportunities with Long-tailed Ducks:

...good opps with diving birds:

...and some dapper drake Eiders...

And a very approachable 1st winter Glaucous Gull...

Otters @ 60 mph!

2011-02-17T20:55:00.006Z

An IPT on Tuesday was hard work to say the least - photographing in winds gusting at nearly 60mph and getting blasted by the incredible salt spray, we questioned our sanity by the minute! But it was worth it as the day offered some dramatic opportunities for seascapes, birds 'n' backdrops and this feeding Otter...

Iceland Gulls?

2011-02-12T09:46:00.005Z

A bit of 'normality' was restored yesterday with a couple of Iceland Gulls offering some great photographic opportunities. 'White-winged' gulls have been very scarce in Shetland this winter. The third-winter bird certainly showed a few pro Kumlien's-type features.

All images above taken with a 1D Mark IV and a 400mm f4 DO.

POSTSCRIPT
Look away now if gulls don't interest you! The publication of these images and my mention of the subtle pro-Kumlien's features have opened up some worthy discussion on the variability of glaucoides vs kumlieni so here are a few more images showing the exact detail of the upperwing (particularly p9 and p10) of this bird:

I've seen a few individuals of what I have presumed to be kumlieni in NE Canada showing patterns akin to the bird above and just to show British birders just how poorly marked kumlieni can be, even in adult plumage, here is a bird Harri and I found in Varanger in March 2009. Imagine how this bird may of looked in 3rd winter pluamge...

RSPB Birds of Britain & Europe

2011-02-07T17:01:00.006Z

I have spent the last couple of years gradually working my way through a list of recordings that were specially commissioned for the new edition of RSPB Birds of Britain and Europe by Rob Hume. I was delighted to finally receive my copy in the post today and listen to the 100 CD recordings that accompany the book, 30 of which were provided by me, with other recordings coming from top sound-recordists Hannu Jännes, Dave Farrow and Jan-Erik Bruun.

Long-tailed Duck: Feb 2011 Wallpaper

2011-02-02T12:30:00.003Z

February 2011 wallpaper is this Long-tailed Duck (I much prefer the North American name 'Oldsquaw'), photographed in Arctic Norway in March 2009. To set the picture as your computer desktop wallpaper background, double click on the image to open it in full size then right-click the mouse while it's over the picture. Select the 'Set as Background' menu option, or the 'Set as Wallpaper' option, depending on your browser type. If you want to learn how to take images like this, click here and join us on an instructional pho-tour in 2011.

'Redhead' Smew

2011-01-28T17:00:00.003Z

A couple of images of the 'redhead' Smew that has been at Clickimin Loch for the last week or so...

Up Helly Aa

2011-01-27T19:51:00.009Z

Fresh out of the memory card - a selection of pictures from the Lerwick Up Helly Aa. As always, a fantastic spectacle and many, many thanks to Guizer Jarl John Hunter - aka Johan Sanderrevet of Valsgärde - and his squad, for making these pictures possible.

Want to witness this incredible event for yourself? Join our annual Up Helly Aa & Winter Wildlife trip in 2012 - details are here - but book early, as this trip is extremely popular.

Waxwing Recordings

2011-01-14T16:12:00.004Z

We've been lucky enough to have up to 8 Waxwings in the garden for the last couple of days. It's been a bit gloomy for pictures, but we've had some great sound recording opportunities. Enjoy!

Mousa Storm Petrels helping the plight of South Georgia Seabirds!

2011-01-10T11:36:00.004Z

We are delighted to be providing our sound recordings of Mousa Storm Petrels to Professor Tony Martin, who will use them to bring the plight of South Georgia seabirds to the ears of people as part of his lectures.

Mousa Storm Petrel 'singing'

Remote and beautiful, the island of South Georgia in the Southern Atlantic was once the crucible of global whaling. Less recognised is that the island’s seabirds were subsequently decimated by stowaway rats. In his lectures, Professor Martin describe how science and technology will remove every single introduced pest but leave the wildlife intact, allowing nature to recover and South Georgia again to be the World’s greatest seabird sanctuary.

Professor Martin said:

"It's difficult to get across to a lay audience the concept that (a) rats are appalling predators of native birds on islands, and (b) why it matters. For me, the most poignant evidence of what's going on is to go out at night on the mainland of South Georgia and just listen. On a still night there is something approaching silence. But go out on one of the small satellite (rat-free) islands, and your senses are overwhelmed by the cacophony, smells and sight of myriad birds zipping about, silhouetted against the sky. I can't bring the smell into the lecture hall, but I can bring a sense of the noise, and that's where your Storm Petrel recordings will come in. I want to give them something shocking to remember, and the unexpected sound of petrels and shearwaters around your head and under your feet will do the trick".

For more information on the project, click here

Shetland In Snow

2011-01-05T17:20:00.003Z

A few snowy scenics of Shetland from December...

Bressay Light

Foula from a frozen Spiggie Loch

& several of St Ninian's Isle & Fitful Head

Sound Recordings - all files now embedded

2011-01-02T12:01:00.002Z

Our external service provider who hosted our archive of sound recordings proved unreliable so we have now embedded all the sound recordings directly in to this site. We hope to publish a stand alone page of recordings very soon but in the meantime you can access all pages containing recordings of bird song / call by clicking here

If you find any broken links, please let us know. Thanks.

Great Grey Owl: January 2011 Wallpaper

2010-12-30T20:50:00.006Z

January 2011 wallpaper is this Great Grey Owl, photographed in Finland in 2009. To set the picture as your computer's desktop wallpaper background, double click on the image above to open it in full size then right-click the mouse while it's over the picture. Select the 'Set as Background' menu option, or the 'Set as Wallpaper' option, depending on your browser type. If you want to learn how to take images like this, click here and join us on an instructional pho-tour in 2011.

Sumburgh King Eiders

2010-12-29T19:17:00.005Z

The first winter drake and female King Eiders were still in West Voe of Sumburgh today - and slightly closer in than the last time I saw them a couple of weeks ago:

Canon 7D Samples & Custom Functions

2010-12-28T15:00:00.010Z

I've had a couple of e mails over the last few days asking me what custom function settings I use on the Canon 7D, so they are listed below. The 7D really is an awesome body for the price and I would urge anybody to buy one as a main body or certainly as a back up to their 1D Mark IV or 1D Mark III. I use my 1D Mark IV for nearly all of my wildlife photography but here are a few images of Little Gull, Robin and Lapland Buntings all taken with a 7D from the autumn:

For a detailed look at the 7D custom functions click here. Also, the latest firmware update (Version 1.2.3) is now available for download here

My 7D CF settings:

I-Exposure
1-0
2-0
3-0
4-0
5-0
6-1
7-2

II-Image
1-0
2-0
3-0

III-Autofocus/Drive
1-0 (varies but typically at default)
2-0
3-0
4-0
5-0
6- all options enabled
7-0
8-0
9-0
10-0
11-0
12-1
13-0

IV-Operations/Other
1-default
2-0
3-0
4-0

Happy shooting!

Teals on Ice

2010-12-27T20:13:00.003Z

With the snow and ice due to thaw, I have tried to fit in as much photography as possible over the last few days. Cloudless skies, calm winds and superb light made it a real joy to be out and about. I could not have asked for better conditions!

Whoopers also on ice...

and a Water Rail which took me by surprise...

Waxwing at Sunrise

2010-12-23T16:22:00.007Z

We had another Waxwing in the garden at dawn which allowed some lovely opportunities for a silhouette against the rising winter sun...

Lunar Eclipse from Shetland

2010-12-21T19:40:00.003Z

We had the latest sunrise time in the UK today which meant we had an absolutely superb view of the lunar eclipse here in Shetland. The reddish colours when the moon was in deep shadow were incredible!

Spiggie Whooper Swans

2010-12-20T21:05:00.007Z

The big freeze continues here in Shetland. These Whooper Swans at a pretty much frozen Loch of Spiggie proved irresistible in the lovely soft afternoon light...

Boiling Seas & Ground-lit Geese!

2010-12-18T21:29:00.006Z

Drake Eider in a 'boiling' sea...

...and close to our house, I noticed that the Greylags were dropping in to drink from a tiny area of open water from an almost frozen Vatsetter Loch. When the birds departed they flew up high against the valley sides providing some nice ground-lit images. Positioning myself on the 'high' road meant the birds flew by incredibly close. The constant sortie of Greylags included the Greenland White-fronted Goose...

Reed & Bush Warblers

2010-12-15T14:40:00.001Z

With 14 images published in this mammoth book, I'm delighted to be a contributor to this sumptuous work of reference by Pete Kennerley, David Pearson & Brian Small. Surely the best bird book of 2010...

King & Queen Eider

2010-12-12T17:35:00.006Z

Although always extremely distant and offering record-only images, these King Eiders (1st winter drake and female) were still in West Voe of Sumburgh today. Hopefully they'll both stay around for the winter - and maybe even come closer!

OK - so you can see the birds in the picture (female is bottom left and first winter drake is third bottom left) - now test your field skills and see if you can find the birds in this short video (best to double click and enlarge to bigger size)...

Hungary Photour SOLD OUT

2010-12-07T17:32:00.001Z

Our new photour to Hungary in April 2011 has now sold out; we'll be announcing 2012 dates very soon!

Whooper Swans

2010-12-04T20:16:00.000Z

The freezing temperatures continue here in Shetland and most of the smaller lochs are still frozen. The northern end of Loch of Spiggie had a few pockets of open water and held good numbers of Whooper Swans. The contrast between ice and open water made a nice backdrop for these flying birds:

Arctic Redpoll - December 2010 Wallpaper

2010-12-03T08:30:00.001Z

Wallpaper for December 2010 features an Arctic Redpoll in late afternoon sunshine. I photographed this beautiful bird in Lapland in March 2009. To set the picture as your computer's desktop wallpaper background, double click on the image below to open it in full size then right-click the mouse while it's over the picture. Select the 'Set as Background' menu option, or the 'Set as Wallpaper' option, depending on your browser type.

Arable Finch Flocks!

2010-12-02T16:53:00.008Z

We have had snow on the ground for nearly a week now which has offered some great photographic opportunities. We currently have a superb mixed flock of Twite, 'Mealy' Common Redpolls, Bramblings and Chaffinches close to home in an SRDP 'Wild Bird Seed' crop and I have spent most of my time this week concentrating on getting 'ground-lit' images...

A nice surprise as I was photographing the finches was this fly-by Greenland White-fronted Goose:

Jack Snipe Photography

2010-11-28T20:33:00.007Z

Heaven knows how many Jack Snipe winter here in Shetland but one thing we have learned in the 20 years of living here is that they are best found when the ground starts to freeze and when we get lots of snow - which is exactly what has happened here in the last few days. We are currently keeping an small lead of water flowing for both Jack Snipes and Common Snipes and we have a hide up for photography / filming. The hide will remain up for the duration of this cold snap so get in touch if you'd like to use it.

Twite Recording

2010-11-27T18:25:00.001Z

A large flock of Twite are currently using the wild bird seed crop. The birds are incredibly vocal, allowing for great sound recordings - this bird was even singing away in the snow!

Shetland Bird Report 2009

2010-11-23T19:49:00.003Z

The 2009 Shetland Bird Report is now available! Copies cost £10 inc p&p and by purchasing a report you'll also receive a complimentary membership to the Shetland Bird Club for a year.

Order your copy from:

Shetland Bird Club Sales (Dept SWBL)
Longhill
Maywick
Bigton
Shetland
ZE2 9JF

Please make your cheque payable to 'Shetland Bird Club'.

Coues's Arctic Redpoll

2010-11-20T20:49:00.003Z

Found this stunning Coues's Arctic Redpoll in the valley this afternoon with a mobile flock of Mealy Redpolls...

The Mealy Redpolls also gave great photographic opportunities...

Shetland Photo Competition - RESULTS!

2010-11-19T15:55:00.002Z

The winners of the Promote Shetland 2010 Photo Competition sponsored by Shetland Wildlife have now been selected and announced:

WINNER - Bonxie & photographer by Juan Sola

2nd Place - Killer Whales by Josie Jamieson
3rd Place - Puffin by Anthony Marston

The winning photographs and Hugh's reasons for selecting them can be viewed here. The competition attracted some stunning and highly creative photographs and selecting winners was not easy! Hearty congratulations from all at Shetland Wildlife to all three and we look forward to welcoming Juan back to Shetland to accept his winning prize - a Focus on Shetland photography holiday with Shetland Wildlife. Josie wins a day out for two with John Campbell of Shetland Otters and Anthony wins a a signed copy of Simon King's 'Shetland Nature Diaries' book.

Waxwings III

2010-11-16T20:21:00.005Z

Waxwings have pretty much moved out of Shetland now but we still have a couple of birds coming to feed on rose hips in the garden or feast on the Cotoneaster berries in Bigton. They were particularly vocal towards dusk which made for some more really nice sound recording opportunities...

Waxwing Recording #1

Waxwing Recording #2

Snow Goose II

2010-11-15T20:49:00.002Z

The Snow Goose that was on Burra in late October did the decent thing and flew the 5 miles or so south to spend ten days here in the Maywick Valley with the Greylags - before heading back to Burra! I even managed to get it on our garden list as it flew to the Vatsetter Loch for a wash & brush up!

Waxwing Video

2010-11-12T07:45:00.001Z

A video of one of the Waxwings enjoying the sun in Bigton / Ireland!

'Central Asian' Lesser Whitethroat

2010-11-10T19:31:00.000Z

After a fairly quiet sea-watch, I found this 'Central Asian' Lesser Whitethroat (ssp. minula or halimodendri) in the quarry at Sumburgh Head early on Tuesday morning. Given the complexities of sub specific Lesser Whitethroat ID (eg. the 1999 Fair Isle bird - see Birding World 12: 281- 283), the bird was later trapped for ringing by Roger and a full set of biometric data / photos of the tail pattern were taken. More info as it becomes available...

Pine Grosbeak: Happy 10th Anniversary!

2010-11-09T13:41:00.004Z

10 years ago today, we were enjoying this superb young male Pine Grosbeak in the Maywick Valley, just down the road from our house. It represented only the 11th record for Britain & Ireland and is still the best bird on our 'valley list' (with the Baillon's Crake coming second!). This picture is a scan from a Fujichrome 400 slide and I used a Canon EOS1 body and a Canon 500mm f4. How photography as changed since then!

More Waxwings!

2010-11-08T19:16:00.007Z

Still a few Waxwings here in Shetland, which are proving irresistible to photograph and sound record! These recordings were made in Lerwick on Sunday morning. Special thanks to Ramsay Napier for cooperation!

Waxwing Recording #1

Waxwing Recording #2

One of three Waxwings present today in Bigton:

'Queen' Eider

2010-11-06T16:12:00.003Z

Took time out from BTO Atlas work to see this female King Eider at West Voe...

More Waxwing Recordings

2010-11-05T15:48:00.003Z

I recorded these Waxwings at Sandgarth earlier in the week. Thanks to Tony & Beth Gerrard for their kind cooperation!

The recording was made with the Nagra Ares PII and a Sennheiser ME66 microphone (& a 20 dB booster). A wind jammer was also used - essential in a force 8 gale!

Winter Photours - 2011 SOLD OUT!

2010-11-04T18:59:00.000Z

Our exclusive photour to the far north from Saturday 12 - Saturday 19 March 2011 has now SOLD OUT so we added an additional departure to run from Saturday 19 - Saturday 26 March 2011. This has now also SOLD OUT so please email us to register interest for 2012. For details of this unique itinerary, click here. To gauge what photo-prospects this superb trip offers, please click here

Whooper Swan Dawn Chorus

2010-11-01T17:14:00.004Z

With a forecast for still conditions at dawn this morning, I headed to Loch of Spiggie to sound record Whooper Swans. There were several family parties, all of which were in good voice. What a magical hour!

Whooper Swan Recording #1

Whooper Swan Recording #2

High Seas

2010-10-30T18:08:00.000+01:00

A force 9 SW gale, fantastic light and an afternoon high tide meant only one place to go and photograph! Lots of great action shots on offer including birds riding over and even through waves! Here are few fresh out of the camera...

Hornemann's Redpoll

2010-10-28T18:56:00.003+01:00

This 'snowball' of a Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll gave brilliant views in Toab this morning...

Waxwing Recordings

2010-10-26T20:20:00.009+01:00

Finally managed some reasonably 'clean' sound recordings of the Lerwick Waxwing flock today. The bell-like trill is one of my favourite bird calls...

Waxwing 1:

Waxwing 2:

Waxwing 3:

Waxwings

2010-10-24T20:36:00.002+01:00

With a trickle of Waxwings seen in the last few days, Rob, Anya and I headed to Lerwick and found a flock of around 25 birds in the Gremista area. The birds were very vocal but the high winds and traffic noise made sound recording a bit of a nightmare! On returning home we were greeted by a Waxwing in our garden!

Snow Goose

2010-10-23T20:19:00.001+01:00

Spent the morning with Rob & Anya Still on Burra searching for the white morph Snow Goose. We searched high and low and just as we were about to give up, we were treated to a magnificent fly-by as it flew over us and headed to Loch of Houss with the Greylags. Fantastic!

Lapland Buntings

2010-10-19T20:27:00.006+01:00

There are still good numbers of Lapland Buntings in Shetland. As well as having a Twite feeding station set up for our winter photours, we also have two more superb sites where up to 30 buntings are coming to seed. We hope they stay!

Autumn Sound Recordings

2010-10-17T20:10:00.007+01:00

A couple of recordings from the weekend:

Yellow-browed Warbler:

Bramblings & Chaffinches leaving a roost site:

A compilation of Shetland Autumn bird sounds - among the Skylarks, Redwings and Fieldfares can you pick out the Red-breasted Flycatcher and Yellow-browed Warbler? Several other species are also included. An ideal way to test your ears and bird call ID skills.

All recordings were made with the Nagra Ares PII and a Sennheiser ME66 microphone with a 20 dB booster.

One more Bluetail...

2010-10-17T19:17:00.001+01:00

Just finished editing the Red-flanked Bluetail images from Friday - couldn't resist posting this portrait of the bird on the 'forest' floor.

Isabelline Shrike IV

2010-10-16T21:14:00.001+01:00

Another visit to see the Isabelline (Daurian) Shrike which had caught a Twite and impaled it at one of the larders. After a session of unsuccessful hunting, the bird returned in the mid-afternoon sunshine and started to devour it; watch the video to see it feasting below...

Red-flanked Bluetail

2010-10-15T20:07:00.001+01:00

News of yet another Red-flanked Bluetail saw us heading north to Kergord Plantations this morning. I have been lucky enough to see over a dozen Bluetails in Shetland in the last twenty years and have photographed many of them. This bird however ranks as my personal favourite for many reasons. Firstly the setting - a mature plantation with lots of natural perches and 'dappled' forest light. Secondly, the behaviour - the bird would feed incredibly actively just a few metres in front of us and was also heard to call (sadly I'd left my recording gear in the van). And finally, the crowd' of admirers numbered no more than eight people at any one time. Shetland birding at its very best I'd say. It made the celebratory coffee with Brian at Weisdale Mill taste even better!

Isabelline Shrike III

2010-10-14T21:09:00.001+01:00

More great opportunities with this superb bird. In the afternoon I watched it take a mouse from the fields above the loch - amazing! The bird has three larders and one of them contained a Brambling and a Robin!

Isabelline Shrike II

2010-10-13T19:52:00.000+01:00

An absolutely brilliant morning spent watching and photographing the shrike. It brought three mice to the larder in just under an hour and impaled them with ease! Later in the day we found another larder containing two more mice and a Robin. Thanks to Alan & Kathleen Sinclair for their cooperation and allowing us access on their land.

Isabelline Shrike

2010-10-12T21:54:00.001+01:00

The run of first-class rarities continues! This female Isabelline (Daurian) Shrike was found at the north end of Spiggie in the early afternoon by Shetland Wildlife traveller Jim Wood. The bird showed exceptionally well and visited a larder where it had stored a Blackcap.

Red-breasted Flycatcher

2010-10-10T21:23:00.002+01:00

This first-winter Red-breasted Flycatcher offered some nice opportunities at Channerwick this afternoon. The rotting kelp held lots of flies and thus it spent a lot of time on the beach!

Pallas's Warbler

2010-10-09T22:00:00.000+01:00

This stunning Pallas's Warbler spent the day feeding actively along the stone walls at Sumburgh Farm:

Red-flanked Bluetail

2010-10-08T21:07:00.000+01:00

It was one of those special Shetland days with lots of good birds being found today. This stunning Red-flanked Bluetail graced Geosetter during the afternoon...

Little Gulls

2010-10-07T20:45:00.002+01:00

Little Gulls are scarce birds in Shetland so I was happy to find a group of 4 birds (an adult and three first winters) here on my home patch.

Buff-bellied Pipit II

2010-10-06T21:00:00.002+01:00

Spent the day in the North Mainland with visiting photographer Martin Booth. We had excellent photo opportunities once again with the Buff-bellied Pipit and I also shot some video with the 1D Mark IV. I was very happy to get a shot of the bird wing and tail stretching, showing the pattern of the outer tail feathers:

Two Buff-breasted Sandpipers were still at Eshaness and gave superb views...

Radde's Warbler

2010-10-04T20:19:00.001+01:00

A selection of images of the Radde's Warbler at Sumburgh Farm. The bird spent most of its time in dense thistles but would often feed out in the open. As always, very many thanks to Jim Irvine for allowing unrestricted access on his land.

Booted Warbler

2010-10-02T20:48:00.001+01:00

This Booted Warbler at Quendale offered reasonable views during the morning...

Lapland Buntings

2010-10-01T20:32:00.003+01:00

A huge influx of Lapland Buntings has been obvious for the past few weeks. I spent the early part of the week sound-recording and photographing in the North Mainland, when in one day alone I saw over 140 birds!

Buff-bellied Pipit Recording

2010-09-29T19:54:00.001+01:00

Headed back to Tangwick for the Buff-bellied Pipit again, which gave incredible views once people had realised that the best ploy to see this bird was to just sit and wait! As the bird was coming and going, I decided to lay a wireless microphone in the grass in the hope of getting some calls - for once, it worked and below is a recording as it took flight - it reminds me of a cross between a Meadow Pipit and a Grey Wagtail...

Buff-bellied Pipit

2010-09-28T22:03:00.004+01:00

A late afternoon message with news of the first Buff-bellied Pipit for Shetland away from Fair Isle and Foula had me heading north to Tangwick. After a short wait, the bird obligingly flew back to its favoured area and gave absolutely wonderful views. Fortunately, one of the Shetland Wildlife autumn birding groups were nearby and diverted west to see the bird - which turned out good for everybody as the group who headed to Unst first found a Red-flanked Bluetail - and most of the participants in that group saw the Buff-bellied Pipit on Fair Isle last week! Our sincere thanks to the finder of the pipit - Graham Smith.

Buff-breasted Sandpipers

2010-09-27T21:02:00.004+01:00

After spending the best part of the yesterday sound-recording and photographing Lapland Buntings, I headed back to Eshaness at dawn to see if the two Buff-breasted Sandpipers were still present - and was pleasantly surprised to find that two had become three - and I had found a new bird with them! The light was absolutely amazing for the first few hours of the day, allowing the 1D Mark IV to really bring out intricate detail in the plumage.

Another Arctic Warbler!

2010-09-23T16:05:00.003+01:00

A case of Déjà vu - this Arctic Warbler was in exactly the same clump of roses at Sumburgh Head as the one earlier in the month! This bird is clearly an adult - easily aged by the abraded primaries and the worn greater coverts.

Scottish Birds

2010-09-22T18:44:00.004+01:00

Thrilled to have the front cover image on the September 2010 issue of Scottish Birds, published by the Scottish Ornithologists Club. For more information on the journal and the SOC click here

Common Rosefinch

2010-09-20T19:51:00.000+01:00

These two Common Rosefinches at Quendale offered some nice opportunities in the early morning sunshine...

Slavonian Grebes

2010-09-18T20:13:00.000+01:00

A hectic week of work concentrating on photographing nothing but common migrants - passerines and non passerines - with some dramatic seascapes also on offer during a fierce force nine gale! These Slavonian Grebes took me by surprise at Boddam Voe early on Friday morning as I was there to photograph waders in a tapestry of colourful seaweed. Fortunately I was already at a low angle when the birds appeared right in front of me!

Canon 1D Mark II FOR SALE

2010-09-16T20:12:00.004+01:00

We have a Canon 1D Mark II pro body for sale on ebay at the moment. This is a great entry level pro-camera and has taken many stunning pictures - 90% of the 100 or so images published in the Birds of Scotland were taken using this body! Click here for more information. We are also looking for a spare 7D body that is in mint condition with less than 10,000 actuations - so if you have one to sell to us, then get in touch

CALLING ALL UK PHOTOGRAPHERS 16 - 24

2010-09-16T07:03:00.000+01:00

The John Muir Trust is a leading UK charity dedicated to the protection of wild land for both nature and people. Scottish-born John Muir inspired the name and ethos, as the first person to call for action to be taken to protect wild land, and an instrumental figure in the modern conservation movement. The Trust was founded in 1983 to safeguard the future of wild lands against development and to promote awareness and recognition of the value of such places. The John Muir Trust educates people about the value of wild places through the John Muir Award. It was started in 1997 to offer people of all ages and backgrounds the opportunity to learn about wild places.

The Trust has developed a new project to link young aspiring photographers with professional photographers to create a 20 month picture diary of an environmental project. There are only 20 places in the whole of the UK - and they have guaranteed one for Shetland.

For those interested in wildlife/ landscape photography it’s a fantastic opportunity with real career prospects. If you are aged between 16 and 24 and would be interested in participating please contact keithturner@shetland.gov.uk

Curlew Sandpipers

2010-09-14T17:06:00.003+01:00

Along with lots of other migrants, (including the Eastern Olivaceous!), really happy to have these three Curlew Sandpipers on my patch for a few days last week:

Eastern Olivaceous Warbler

2010-09-12T19:05:00.008+01:00

A superb day! Before migrant-hunting close to home in the valley, I decided to start off by trying to get some more photographs of the 3 juvenile Curlew Sandpipers that had been around the Bigton area since Friday. As I sat looking at any empty foreshore, Alan Wheeler had come to find me to inform me of a grey Hippolais warbler that he had seen go to roost the previous evening in his garden. He'd seen the bird early on this morning once again, and his description was more than interesting - especially when he mentioned it to be tail-pumping. We discussed the finer points of Hippo ID and everything seemed to be adding up to one species, which I already felt Alan had pretty much got all the features for - Eastern Olivaceous Warbler.

On arriving at Alan's house and looking at the photographs on the back of his camera, it looked exactly as Alan had described it and after an anxious 15 minute wait in Alan's (and Jane's) kitchen, the bird in question appeared in the roses, offering the briefest of views. A few minutes later, the bird hopped out in full view, started tail pumping and looked an absolute dead-cert for an Eastern Olivaceous. I personally did not want a repeat performance of the 2006 Olive-tree Warbler scenario, so we waited for the bird to return to the garden and I took plenty of photographs and some video through Alan's (incredibly clean!) kitchen windows.

On arriving back home I had a good look through my images, reference papers and books before being 100% certain - and very happy - that we had indeed been watching an Eastern Olivaceous Warbler - only around the 15th record for Britain - and could put the news out on the local grapevine. A fantastic bird - well done Alan!