Shetland's summer spectacle

Wednesday, 1 September 2010 12.58

Ben Fogle visits Mousa, as does the most colourful yacht in the world

Posted by helen moncrieff

Hello

I can hardly believe this is the first day of September!  It felt like summer (I use the term loosely) ended quite a while ago, with the land and the skies being all autumnal (winter waders returning, a scattering of warblers turning up, farmers cutting the silage, shooting stars and so on).  Outwith nature's signs of seasons changing, we're starting to take down signs and such like on the reserve (they can't cope with the autumn gales) and our South of Shetland Assistant Warden Rob finished his summer contract last week.  Rob has had a busy summer of doing all sorts of tasks, from general reserve maintenance to monitoring seabirds to leading guided walks and more.  Thanks to Rob for all his work this summer and we hope autumn brings him lots of smashing migrant birds. 

Before he finished last week, Rob was revising everything to do with seals as "The One Show" BBC crew were turning up to film on Mousa for a piece about uninhabited islands.  They hoped to film interviews about the island's importance for seals, storm petrels and the broch.  The crew of three (producer, cameraman and Ben Fogle as presenter)  had a very tight schedule - arrive in Shetland at 19.30 and depart 15.00 the next day!!  Fortunately, the weather was on their side and a night trip to Mousa was arranged and went well.  Lit by the full moon, PhD student Hannah gave an excellent interview about her storm petrel study.  As it is later in the season and darker for longer, fewer birds were evident in comparison to midsummer, but the team managed to film the tiny seabirds return to the broch.  We got home around 2.30am and returned to Mousa at 7.30 the next morning.   The Historic Scotland archaeologist gave an interesting interview about the broch and the lives of people who lived there millenia ago.  I was impressed to hear that it took over 2000tonnes of stone to build the broch.  And then it was time to do the seal piece.  But... time ran out and the it was dropped.  Bummer! 

Although the BBC didn't film the seals, the crew of the most amazing looking yacht came ashore and interviewed us about Mousa's wildlife.  The crew from the Basque Country are sailing on the Pakea Bizkaia and are in the early stages of a fantastic voyage and educational project connected with sustainable living, biodiversity, navigation and more.  Take a look at their website for photos.  We were lucky enough to be invited aboard in the evening for a tour and glass of rioja.  Having never been aboard such a craft, it was difficult to be persuaded to leave - especially at the prospect of being a stowaway, sailing onwards to Nordcapp in Norway, then Greenland and Newfoundland and (eventually) Antarctica.  I can dream...

If any readers are based in Shetland, do try and squeeze in a visit to Mousa before the ferry comes out of the water.  The common (harbour) seals are hauled out for their moulting period, so there is super views to be had.  It is also a good chance to study the difference betweem the two species of seal as both are seen in close quarters.  As you walk around the island, storm petrel chicks may be heard here and there, cheeping away.  There's one in the broch which is particularly vocal.  Also, at the pier, keep an eye out for a wren which has pure white feathers in its wing.  Quite bizarre.

All the best

Helen