Catherine Gemmell

Wishing everyone a wonderful festive break to rest and recharge ready for another year of ocean optimism and action! A huge thank you to everyone I have had the pleasure of working and volunteering with this year - can't wait to see what we can achieve together in 2025🌊

Orcas hunting the shallows in Mousa Sound, Shetland last week.

Lovely views today of Risso's Dolphins with calves - some only a few days old - off Levenwick, Shetland. Absolutely wonderful to see! Note the extensive scarring on the mothers - on most individuals this is generally conspecific and, like saddle markings on Orcas, form the foundations for individual photo ID.

It's not just the weather Gods shining on us at the moment - the Orca Gods are too! An amazing morning for our @ShetlandWild 'Walk Shetland' group as we watched the '65s' pod - and the huge bull 'Busta' - close inshore off Gulberwick and Easter Quarff and points south to Sumburgh. Our fourth consecutive week of encounters!

ORCAS!!! Last week we witnessed this amazing scene as we watched the '65s' Orcas hunting right beneath us as we stood on the cliffs at Kirkabister in the east Mainland, Shetland. Incredible! @Seasaver @whalesorg @kasmunro @Britnatureguide @NLFerries @Mammal_Society @mcsuk @cathgem2000 @sharontrys @NatureScot @marcrileydj @ShetlandWild

@brendon_queiroz @SarahChampionMP @mcsuk We Def need to discuss some doggo ...I mean marine litter policy soon ... right?!

It was great to discuss all things Ocean with @SarahChampionMP on behalf of @mcsuk today. I maybe/definitely wanted to say hello to your pups! Would it be appropriate when doing intros in meetings to also allow for pet introductions? This is Jasper - he loves a teams call!

Slo-mo ORCAS filmed off the east Mainland of Shetland this week. Enjoying life as nature intended - in the ocean and not in a swimming pool. @Seasaver @whalesorg @kasmunro @Britnatureguide @NLFerries @Mammal_Society @mcsuk @cathgem2000 @sharontrys @NatureScot @marcrileydj

ORCAS!!! Our 'Ultimate Shetland' group enjoyed a fabulous encounter with Orcas yesterday in the east Mainland of Shetland. The grouping comprised the '65s' (including the huge bull 'Busta') and three of the 27s pod. Enjoy these excellent pics by Hannah Loughnane.

20 years ago today I photographed this bull Orca off Bressay, Shetland as I led a @ShetlandWild group around Noss. The photograph I took would prove to be the first-ever documenting image taken of him and little did we know that 20 years on, he would be one our 'regulars' and a very much-loved Shetland - and Scottish - Orca. He's a member of the '65s' pod, his catalogue name is '032' but he's more affectionately known as 'Busta'. I've encountered him many times every year since that day in 2005 and the thrill of seeing him is as magical now as it was back then. Here's to the next 20 years big fella! 🖤🤍

What type of #litter annoys you most? Cigarette butts? Poo bags? Drinks cans? Bottles? These Jelly Fruit Blasts are often found on walks - an example of unnecessary single use plastic waste. What others are your pet hates? #protectanimals #dogcharity #binitforbracken

Lovely displays of Edmonston's Chickweed (aka Shetland Mouse-ear) on the serpentine fellfield at Keen of Hamar last week for our 'Ultimate Shetland' group. This Cerastium is endemic to the island of Unst and found nowhere else in the World. A must-see for our visiting guests!

Great to see my amazing friend and fellow Scottish Killer Whale Photo ID catalogue co-author Karen Munro @kasmunro chatting with @HamzaYassin3 on @BBCCountryfile this afternoon. If you'd like to download a copy of the latest catalogue, go to bit.ly/2QQ6oOJ. WIP already for an updated version!

Exciting news - we were on @BBCTheOneShow last night! Our Policy and Advocacy Manager, @cathgem2000 was talking to JJ Chalmers about the effect that ghost fishing gear can have on marine wildlife Catch-up in iPlayer (our segment starts at 2mins 15secs): bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episod…

This 50m #beachclean was a shocking dumping of #fishinglife net cuttings 697 cut bits of rope ! @ScotGovMarine @ScotIslandsFed @scotruralnet @ScotCoastClean @sascampaigns @mcsuk @cathgem2000 @NatureScot @Natures_Voice @WWFScotland

@SuilanSpink @benedictallen @ChrisGPackham @NatGeo @ScotIslandsFed I do love watching the waves thank you! 😊

@cathgem2000 @benedictallen @ChrisGPackham @NatGeo @ScotIslandsFed Sea Therapy for you all. My gifts from the sea, for #beachClean days seems to be A daily #heart shaped stone 🌝 Always brings a smile to my face. You can see how plastic gets so smashed up. A 1950’s Vim bottle?

I took my #Autistic one for some #wild #Oceans #Therapy, quite high tide, I thought I’d be asked to ‘touch a rock’ their expression to turn around, end of #beach a rocky outcrop; but this day they wanted to go further.,past the next point we might turn. Took me to ‘the cave’🌊💙

And breathe... Slo-mo footage of the lone bull Orca at Olnafirth up in the north Mainland of Shetland this week. @Seasaver @whalesorg @mcsuk @SeaWatchersUK @NLFerries @Mammal_Society @NatureScot @kazcustard @saana_is @kasmunro @jcqsutherland @cathgem2000 @marcrileydj @SunnysidePri @sharontrys

Lovely views of this bull Orca up in the north Mainland of Shetland today. Not an individual we recognise from our Scottish photo ID catalogue and hoping for a 'match' from elsewhere. Amazing to see the blow hanging in the calm early morning air.

Backlit Orca ploughing through Atlantic swells off the west Mainland of Shetland earlier this month. 🖤🤍

A short video featuring all nine members (including the two calves) of the Northern Isles Community '27s' #Orca pod together off the east Mainland of Shetland last week. 🖤🤍🧡 @Seasaver @whalesorg @mcsuk @SeaWatchersUK @NLFerries @Mammal_Society @NatureScot @kazcustard @saana_is @kasmunro @jcqsutherland @cathgem2000 @marcrileydj @SunnysidePri

Meet the family: all nine members of the Northern Isles Community '27s' #Orca pod off the east Mainland of Shetland last week. The latest additions to the pod are calves born in November 2024 (third from right) and November 2022 (fourth from left). Magical to watch and film.