I just heard that Gordon and Jesse have had success with shooting orca (on camera of course!!). Woohooo! On that website, you can also see a wee bit of Gordon going down memory lane at our RSPB reserve Sumburgh Head, puzzling over fulmars being around in the autumn. I'll write about fulmars in a future post (having gone on about projectile vomit previously!). The RSPB has an Autumnwatch related webpage here http://www.rspb.org.uk/autumnwatch/
Killer whales are at the top of the foodchain. They rely upon healthy seas. Working on seabird reserves and being a Shetlander (whose father was a fisherman) I need no convincing that we need to look after our sealife, for all sorts of reasons. However, if you are looking for a dramatic reason why we need to look after the marine ecosystem, make sure you tune into Autumwatch this Friday.
Of course, you can visit Shetland's RSPB reserves next year for the chance of seeing killer whales. It is only the fortunate few who get to experience whales in Shetland. However, if you visit at the right time of year, everyone can enjoy the seabird experience. If you cannot make it to Shetland, take a look through the RSPB website to find a seabird colony nearer to you. It's special.
Cheerio from the chilly north.