Shetland Christmas

Its very nearly Christmas

Are you ready for Christmas, well it looks like another one under the threat of the Corona Virus with restrictions already in place in Scotland.

Its not stopped the many people who have been busy decorating hay bails, this one at Quendale

This one at Hillswick

Minnions enjoy Christmas as well

Phone box dressed up for Christmas , this one at North Roe

Just waiting for the snow which is due on Christmas day and beyond

Zombie Christmas, you may look like this after a few drinks

 Had a few snow showers over last few weeks, none stayed long. This at Cunningsburgh

Well folks, thanks for looking at my website and I hope you have a great Christmas- stay safe.

Quieter times in Shetland

 Great news, after selling out in 12 weeks a new batch of Shetland Aurora Books are on the way. If you would like a copy you can collect if in Shetland, otherise it is £16 +£4.75 postage and packing for UK only. Contact me for rates outside UK

Work looks as though it may start in Fair isle next year on rebuilding the bird observatory and also a grant has been promised for a new boat. The one below is the Good Sheperd IV

Light at this time of year can be dramatic as shown here with a view over Scatness towards Fitfull Head

but taken with a telephoto lens from the Sumburgh Head road, just near the quarry

Its been a busy few weeks but now most of the birders have returned south leaving a quiet environment, just as I like it

It doesn't happen too often but this plane is due to take off on the north - south runway

More dramatic skies over Spiggie in the south mainland taken from Noss farm

Hope you managed to watch the BBC 1 Drama Shetland which started last Wednesday at 9pm. Managed to watch two filming sessions for series 7 due to air next year

10 years in Shetland- Jimmy Perez

Not us, but the BBC 1 Drama ` Shetland', and with series 6 starting  Wednesday 20 October at 9pm  i cannot wait to see it as most of it has been filmed in Shetland.

They have just about finished series 7 as well, which is supposed to be the last one and have been out and about at various locations in Shetland

It was good to catch up with filming down at Sandsayre a few mins from where we live. I was amazed to find out that they usually only get 4-5 mins of footage from 12 hours out in the field. At Sandsayre they got about 40 seconds footage in 3 hours

I cannot give anything way about any series as i have only seen a few shoots but they are protective about the plot, but cannot stop you watching as its in a public area.

I was pleased to see that Douglas Henshall, aka Jimmy Perez,  has been commemorated by a `Star' flagstone, just outside his film home at the Lodberries in Lerwick. This is similar to the ones in Hollywood.

Shetland' has been  great publicity and many people have visited as a result of the programme, especially Norwegians.

It's good to see they have virtually been to all the scenic places in Shetland and for anyone who has visited i am sure it will bring back happy memories. 

At the moment its the birders that are here in numbers, more than i have seen before. All drawn to Autumn migration (see shetlandsfp.blogspot.co.uk)

My new book `Shetland Aurora Hunter' sold out in 12 weeks (see Shetland Aurora Hunter on Facebook) for the latest Aurora action. I am now arranging another run on the aurora books, with plenty of pre-orders already, send me a message to shetlandaurorabook@gmail.com if you want to buy one - £16

Shetland up north

Its always good to get up north, this time to North Roe

I like humorous items like this fence post

Great to see this house painted in a sea theme, this is Kenny's house

A lot of Red phone boxes have now been adopted by the local community for £1, most turned into libraries.

Seat anyone

another fence post

aircraft in the garden

Tesco a long way a way, best go by boat

Viking wind farm destroying our landscape. I gather because of the concret shortage they have been importing concrete from Ireland

Fog is a common problem in summer, often stopping flights in and out of Sumburgh

Lots of fields now have grass cut for silage leaving nice patterns on the rig

The heather has been very colourful this year, not had hardly any rain over the past two months

 Lots of visitors up, more caravettes and caravans this year with covid stopping a lot of accomodation from openning fully.

Filming for the 7th Shetland BBC1 drame series has started but some of the crew have now gone down with covid symptoms . They are due to start filming in Sandwick this Thursday