A soft atmospheric light, as the sun sets on this much photographed view.

The island of Colsay, west of Shetland’s south mainland, revealed by a warm, low sun on an ideal photographic evening in May.

I put the camera on the 10 second self-timer, so I could scramble across the rocks to place myself in the foreground of the photo.

Good to see the Tirricks (Arctic Terns) back in Shetland for the summer. Photographed the tirrick above on a very fine evening in May last year.

The distinctive silhouette of the island of Foula on the horizon.

Frogs very active this weekend in my neighbours' garden.

A photo from this time last year. Here’s hoping for a sunny weekend!

The sun shining through the waves as this Long-tailed Duck, resplendent in it’s winter plumage, rides the swell.

According to Nature in Shetland there have been four Sanderling wintering in the south mainland of Shetland - I photographed this one last weekend.

One of Shetland’s winter visitors - a Purple Sandpiper - feeding on worms amongst the sand at the beach this weekend.

Tuned into BBC One tonight to watch the new drama ‘Shetland’, based on Ann Cleeves’ novel Red Bones and set and filmed in Shetland (the outdoorsy bits anyway). I enjoyed it, and am looking forward to the concluding part tomorrow night (Monday 11th, 9pm, BBC One). If you missed the first part, you can still watch it on BBC iPlayer.

Lots of Shetland scenery featured in the programme, albeit in a somewhat random order! View more Shetland photos on the blog.

Northlink Ferries' MV Hjaltland photographed on a fine evening, as it plies between Shetland, Orkney and Aberdeen.

One final photo from my holiday in the USA, and another contrast with Shetland: a view in the White Mountains National Forest, New Hampshire. Photographed after a long hike (accurately described in the guidebook as a relentless climb). Not being used to forests, I didn’t see much wildlife - though was keeping a look out for bears, and did cross the path of a few snakes.

A photo showing the Manhattan skyline as seen from Staten Island; very different from Shetland at night!

Although my trip to the USA wasn’t a photography holiday, you couldn’t visit New York without photographing Manhattan’s skyscrapers; this photo showing the classic tourist view from the Observation Deck at the Rockefeller Center.

A Shetland wren, photographed busily hopping amongst the rocks by the sea.