Snow buntings, feeding on a frosty morning, was an apt wildlife sight during the recent severe winter weather.

Watching the twittering flock descending to feed during the icy New Year blast was a memorable start to the year. The flock in Lerwick reached a peak of 16 birds with smaller numbers also reported from Yell and the North Mainland.

Also referred to as “snowflakes” in old bird accounts, snow buntings were once more numerous in Shetland with huge flocks wintering here in the 19th century. In fact, they were so common that they were trapped as supplementary food in some areas.