The Shetlanders: the naturalist family

Meet the Shetlanders - a series of films featuring people who have chosen to call Shetland their home.

Here we introduce you to the Thomason family, who live in Unst, Shetland's more northerly island.

Keeping Brydon Thomason and his family focused on an interview can be a tricky task. It’s not just that Brydon and Vaila have three very lively kids – Casey, Corey and Nula – but that Brydon, in particular, is constantly aware of wildlife stirring around their home. Brydon is the founder of Shetland Nature, a wildlife tour company that runs otter, birding and photography tours of the islands, ranging from day tours to seven-day trips. In addition to co-authoring an acclaimed book on otters, he has become Shetland’s go-to TV naturalist, and a first phone call for producers of shows like Springwatch, Countryfile and Simon King’s Shetland Diaries. You can see his nature photography across the islands, too, from Lerwick cafes to the North Isles ferry.