From soaring gannets above Shetland’s wild waters to a young Highland calf staring curiously into a camera lens, Scotland delivered some truly unforgettable moments this week. And readers were right there to capture every second. A selection of photographs sent in between May 1 and May 8 tells the story of a country fully alive in spring, packed with wildlife, deep tradition and natural drama from north to south.
Up Close with Gannets on the Shetland Seas
Colin and Alison McCormack from Glasgow made the journey north to Shetland for one of the most extraordinary wildlife photography experiences the UK has to offer. They boarded the Noss Boat to get alongside the gannet colonies around the islands of Bressay and Noss, and came back with a photograph that is genuinely hard to look away from. Noss is home to one of Scotland’s most significant and accessible seabird colonies. It was established as a National Nature Reserve in 1955 and has since been recognised as a Special Protection Area and a Site of Special Scientific Interest. The cliffs on Shetland’s east coast tower 181 metres high, forming the spine of one of Europe’s most spectacular seabird sites.
- Home to 25,000 Northern gannets lining the towering sandstone cliffs of Noss National Nature Reserve
- Gannets are the largest seabird in Britain, with white plumage, a yellowish head and black-tipped wings
- Gannets strike the water at 100 kilometres per hour when diving for fish
- Shetland is home to millions of seabirds through the summer months, with 22 species breeding there
- Alongside the gannets, Noss is also alive with guillemots, kittiwakes, puffins, razorbills, arctic terns, shags and skuas
**Getting up close to the gannets at Noss is widely regarded as one of Britain’s finest wildlife spectacles, and Colin and Alison’s photograph proves exactly why.** The Noss Boat tours offer a unique experience with gannets diving and feeding right alongside the boat, giving photographers a front-row seat that no clifftop walk can replicate. The McCormacks’ image, taken on a sunny morning with the Bressay Lighthouse visible in the background, shows a pair of gannets in mid-flight. Up close. No zoom needed.
Glasgow’s Highland Calf Stops Visitors in Their Tracks
Helena Ward did not travel far for her May moment. A trip to Pollok Country Park in Glasgow’s Southside was all it took to come face to face with a young Highland cow, wide-eyed and curious, staring directly into the lens. Highland cattle were first brought to Pollok Country Park over 180 years ago in the early 19th century by the Maxwell family, who owned Pollok Estate and lived in Pollok House. The park is Glasgow’s largest and the only country park within the city. With a fold of around 50 Highland cattle to see all year round, a trip to see them is a must. **Spring is calving season at Pollok, and in 2025 the park expected to welcome 31 new calves between March and June.** These young Highland cattle have gone viral on TikTok, with several videos reaching hundreds of thousands of views. One Canadian visitor said: “I saw it on TikTok when I was looking up places to go in Glasgow.” The calves are cared for by Glasgow City Council’s livestock team to ensure their wellbeing during their first months. A group of Highland cattle is called a fold rather than a herd, because historically in the Highlands they were brought into a stone building called a fold to protect them from rustlers and thieves. Helena’s close-up captures the gentle, inquisitive personality that has made these animals so beloved by locals and tourists alike.
Fire, Music and Tradition at Girvan Folk Festival
The Girvan Traditional Folk Festival wrapped up its three-day run on Girvan beach in the most dramatic fashion possible. A straw devil sculpture was set alight, flames blazing against the coastal sky, and Craig Bradshaw was there to capture every second of it. **The 2025 edition was no ordinary gathering. Girvan celebrated its 50th anniversary this year, cementing its place as one of Scotland’s most cherished cultural traditions.** Held every May Day holiday weekend since 1975, it is one of Scotland’s longest-established gatherings of traditional musicians and a significant economic driver for the local area. The festival run by Girvan Folk Club features open sessions, concerts, workshops, a ceilidh, storytelling, talks and children’s events. The 2025 programme brought together a packed weekend of tradition and spectacle:
- Concerts, workshops, open sessions and competitions
- Step-dance, storytelling and the spectacular Seilach Fire Show
- Children’s events and a traditional festival fair
- Scotland’s foremost folk troubadour Dougie MacLean, himself celebrating 50 years of performing in 2025
- A weekend finale with the traditional burning of the devil on Girvan beach
The burning of the straw devil is a striking and memorable way to close a folk festival. Fire has deep roots in Scottish folk tradition, serving as a symbol of endings, renewal and community coming together. Craig’s photograph, with the figure fully ablaze and the flames at their absolute height, captures the raw energy of a night nobody in attendance will forget.
Why Scotland in May Is Worth Every Camera Click
May is arguably the finest month to photograph Scotland. The days are long, the evening light stretches late, and the whole country feels as if it has finally shaken off winter. Wildlife is active and out in the open, festivals are returning to beaches and town squares, and every corner of Scotland is presenting something worth pointing a camera at. Shetland alone is home to millions of seabirds through the summer months, with the seabird colony at Noss supporting one of the largest and most diverse concentrations of seabirds anywhere in Europe. And while Shetland is at one end of the country, Glasgow sits at the other, offering its own version of Scottish wildlife right in the middle of a major city. **No professional camera setup required. Just curiosity, a clear day and the willingness to go out and look.** The BBC Scotland reader photography series pulls together these moments every single week. What these three photographs from May 1 to 8 show is that Scotland’s magic does not wait for the weekend trips or the planned tours. It turns up on a Tuesday in a park in Glasgow’s Southside. It swoops alongside a boat off the coast of Shetland. And it blazes on a beach in Ayrshire long after the music has stopped. Scotland in spring is unlike anywhere else on earth, and this week’s reader photographs are all the proof anyone should need. Whether it is a gannet skimming past a lighthouse, a fluffy Highland calf gazing into the lens, or a straw devil disappearing into the flames of a fifty-year-old festival, these images do something remarkable. They make you want to go outside and see it for yourself. If this week’s photos have stirred something in you, share your favourite Scotland spring memory in the comments below and pass these stunning images on to someone who needs reminding just how special this country really is.
