The tour begins at 1800 in the Sumburgh Hotel reception where you will be met by us. Over dinner as we get acquainted we discuss the program, species, and locations and enthuse about the images we endeavor to facilitate your shoot. If weather conditions allow there will be an after-dinner shoot on the close-by Sumburgh Head. Overnight- Sumburgh Hotel.

Begin the morning at Sumburgh Head Reserve for the first of three locations to work on Puffins. Here there may also be opportunities for other seabirds such as Fulmar, Razorbill, and Shag. Later we drive north to Shetland’s main town, Lerwick from where we take the short ferry crossing to Bressay, bound for the small uninhabited island of Noss National Nature Reserve. Puffins and Gannets will be our two target species here. We are boated across the very narrow channel to the island by the island’s wardens and once we reach the east side of the islands are rewarded with the sight and spectacle of the sheer cliffs and the impressive colonies.

Today we return to Lerwick to join Shetland Seabird Tours for the sensational spectacle of a Gannet feeding frenzy off Noss NNR. Having enjoyed the previous day shooting here from the clifftops, today we enjoy the views and opportunities from sea level and after the exhilarating session of Gannet feeding frenzy, we also cruise close beneath the towering sea cliffs and the spectacular Gannetry, which supports over 13,000 breeding pairs. Here we will also work on other seabirds such as Puffins, Common Guillemot, and Kittiwake.

Our base for the next four nights will be at a guest house on Fetlar.

Over these three days based on Britain’s most northerly island, we will work on two assignments. Each day guests will be paired with leaders to work on assignments to target otters at various locations on Unst and Yell whilst the rest of the group heads out to Hermaness National Nature Reserve.

Arguably the most breath-taking of seabird cities in Britain, here we will target Gannets and Puffins. With spectacular panoramic views of sea cliffs and stacks, there are superb opportunities to show these fabulous seabirds in their environment. The reserve here is home to an impressively high breeding density of Great Skua, better known in Shetland as Bonxies across the surrounding moorland which we can see and take time to shoot on the journey across the footpath of the reserve to the cliffs. The cliffs are home to over 22,000 pairs of Gannets here, spread over several colonies and there can also be some exciting options to shoot Puffins here too.

Over these days there will be at least two leaders taking guests on otter rotations. This is a tantalizing assignment where guests learn about field craft, otter behavior, and perhaps most importantly, how to work towards shooting opportunities with these marvelous and notoriously elusive mammals.

Whilst on Unst we will also embark on an exciting boat charter from an on-the-sea perspective of the awe-inspiring seabird cities, including the sea stacks and Muckle Flugga Lighthouse that we have been enjoying from above. In addition to the spectacular opportunities to photograph the colonies and their inhabitants, at sea level we also enjoy exciting opportunities to capture the action of Bonxies mobbing Gannets, not to mention flocks of puffins on mirror-calm black water, beneath the shadows of the towering cliffs.

On our final full day, we leave Unst for return shoots at Noss and Sumburgh Head. In the evening over dinner, we enjoy looking back over our week, the places we have been, species we have shot, and images we have taken before saying our goodbyes.

After breakfast, you are transferred from Hotel to the airport and sadly we say our goodbyes here.