Yule 2011

Yule has come to 60N, and with it, the longest night of the year (22 Dec), hissing gales and freak hail showers. Snow has vanished once again. Every year, Norway gifts us with wonderful spruces, as a token of friendship. All three adorn and grace Lerwick, like this one, photographed at Market Cross. 

Night comes early.

By 1530, the islands have sunk in blackness. Short days with our star at about 6.5 degrees' elevation may not give us much time to wander around in the field very long, however, encounters with our winter wildlife remain fruitful, whenever we can. Besides, we shall begin to regain precious seconds . 

Today, I photographed the sun at its zenith.

Winter light graced our sky most of the day. And, although we had to finish off seasonal shopping for the festive season, we began with a detour around the southern end of the main island for a spot of wildlife photography. We left our home at around 1300 and made the most of what's on offer in that area of wilderness. We left Da Ness with a boannie harvest of avian species:

Greylag geese, blackbird, hooded crow, raven, herring gull, common gull, robin, snipe, starling, fieldfare, redwing, whooper swan, wigeon, mallard, ggb gull, moorhen, golden plover, turnstone, rock pipit and rock dove. 

As cloud and darkness engulfed our nordic sky, we begged goodbye to Spiggie Loch and we drove back northbound to the town for a spot of food shopping.

Yule may not turn white around the final days of December this year, however, this will not stop us from wishing you all a peaceful & joyful festive season, with our very best wishes for 2012.

Have a fantastic Yuletide!