Tuesday, 25 August 2015
Wednesday, 17 June 2015
The past few weeks- in summary
Over the past few weeks I have been out birding, though I haven't been keeping up to date with the Blog.
There's a few reasons behind that, a) technical problems with the Laptop and b) getting around to actually doing the blog post,
So here I'm going to summarize what I've been doing over the past weeks, notifying a few of the birds and trips along the way.
Over the past two and a bit weeks I've added 2 species to my Shetland list in the shape of a Hoopoe on Unst on the 22nd of May with Jim Nangle, and a Nightingale on Noss on the 24th of May when I took a trip out there to twitch it.
Another trip to Unst on the 4th of June got me a Lifer and a few year ticks with Great Reed Warber being the lifer along with a good host a birds and I also met a South birder, Sean Gauton, all is on my most recent post found here
The year list has gone up by 16 species with trips to Unst, Noss and the South Mainland, though many more year ticks have popped up that I haven't been able to go for, Greenish Warblers, Canada Goose, Rustic Bunting, Quail, Great White Egret, Rosefinch, Nightjar, White-billed Diver, Bee-eater, King Eider, Hobby and Bluethroat, most of these mixed between Unst & Fair Isle.
Ringing has been slightly slow with the waders, Raven season is over and the waders aren't exactly in full spring with some Oystercatcher chicks and a few Lapwings, more Redshanks though, seem to be around.
So yeah its been a good few weeks and hopefully tomorrow I'll be twitching White-billed Diver so wish me luck!
There's a few reasons behind that, a) technical problems with the Laptop and b) getting around to actually doing the blog post,
So here I'm going to summarize what I've been doing over the past weeks, notifying a few of the birds and trips along the way.
Over the past two and a bit weeks I've added 2 species to my Shetland list in the shape of a Hoopoe on Unst on the 22nd of May with Jim Nangle, and a Nightingale on Noss on the 24th of May when I took a trip out there to twitch it.
Another trip to Unst on the 4th of June got me a Lifer and a few year ticks with Great Reed Warber being the lifer along with a good host a birds and I also met a South birder, Sean Gauton, all is on my most recent post found here
The year list has gone up by 16 species with trips to Unst, Noss and the South Mainland, though many more year ticks have popped up that I haven't been able to go for, Greenish Warblers, Canada Goose, Rustic Bunting, Quail, Great White Egret, Rosefinch, Nightjar, White-billed Diver, Bee-eater, King Eider, Hobby and Bluethroat, most of these mixed between Unst & Fair Isle.
Ringing has been slightly slow with the waders, Raven season is over and the waders aren't exactly in full spring with some Oystercatcher chicks and a few Lapwings, more Redshanks though, seem to be around.
So yeah its been a good few weeks and hopefully tomorrow I'll be twitching White-billed Diver so wish me luck!
Tuesday, 16 June 2015
The Great Twitch (for a Great Reed)
On Wednesday the 3rd of June, news broke of a Great Reed Warbler in a garden at Baltasound, Unst.
At the time I was preparing to take a group of my young birders around Mid Yell for a look so I couldn't get up and twitch it, though seeing Lesser Whitethroat made the day all so better and confirming a Red-backed Shrike at West Sandwick which was part of an influx that day.
That night I was able to organise a way around Unst, so the next day I headed up twitching.
After hitchhiking up north I arrived in Baltasound,
I headed into the shop to find out where Davy Leask lived as I didn't actually know where he lived so they'rd be no chance of finding my bird!
Luckily the people at the shop did know where he lived so I set off to his house, via Halligarth.
At Halligarth I spotted a car sitting around which I picked out as Robbie Brookes' car, he started turning around as I came and this bird large ish bird landed in a bush but I waited till I'd finished speaking with Rob before I checked it out.
Rob told me that the Great Reed Warbler had been seen in Halligarth in the morning but I'd be lucky to see it as it hadn't been seen since, several Icterine Warblers, Red-backed Shrikes, Quail, Reed Warbler and Sedge Warbler had also been seen around so I kept an eye out for that.
Rob drove off home and I went back to looking for the bird I'd seen fly into one of Brydon's bushes,
getting closer to the bush something big flew out and I ran back to the road.
The bird dropped down onto the ground and I waited for it to come back up, it skulkly popped into another bush and it looked big, I mean BIG, it was a light browny colour but I couldn't get an ID on it.
The large warbler thing flew into Halligarth and I followed, it was hopping around in the sycamore and the views were much better, it was the GREAT REED!! then it darted into the sycamore and another acrocephalus type thing skulked around as well.
Suddenly this car rolled up with a birder in it, he asked me if I'd seen the Great Reed Warbler, my answer was I'd just seen it! so he parked up and we started looking.
Within a couple of minutes we found the bird again in Brydon's garden, ok views were obtained before it flew off again, also a Lesser Whitethroat happened to be knocking around.
At the time I was preparing to take a group of my young birders around Mid Yell for a look so I couldn't get up and twitch it, though seeing Lesser Whitethroat made the day all so better and confirming a Red-backed Shrike at West Sandwick which was part of an influx that day.
That night I was able to organise a way around Unst, so the next day I headed up twitching.
After hitchhiking up north I arrived in Baltasound,
I headed into the shop to find out where Davy Leask lived as I didn't actually know where he lived so they'rd be no chance of finding my bird!
Luckily the people at the shop did know where he lived so I set off to his house, via Halligarth.
At Halligarth I spotted a car sitting around which I picked out as Robbie Brookes' car, he started turning around as I came and this bird large ish bird landed in a bush but I waited till I'd finished speaking with Rob before I checked it out.
Rob told me that the Great Reed Warbler had been seen in Halligarth in the morning but I'd be lucky to see it as it hadn't been seen since, several Icterine Warblers, Red-backed Shrikes, Quail, Reed Warbler and Sedge Warbler had also been seen around so I kept an eye out for that.
Rob drove off home and I went back to looking for the bird I'd seen fly into one of Brydon's bushes,
getting closer to the bush something big flew out and I ran back to the road.
The bird dropped down onto the ground and I waited for it to come back up, it skulkly popped into another bush and it looked big, I mean BIG, it was a light browny colour but I couldn't get an ID on it.
The large warbler thing flew into Halligarth and I followed, it was hopping around in the sycamore and the views were much better, it was the GREAT REED!! then it darted into the sycamore and another acrocephalus type thing skulked around as well.
Suddenly this car rolled up with a birder in it, he asked me if I'd seen the Great Reed Warbler, my answer was I'd just seen it! so he parked up and we started looking.
Within a couple of minutes we found the bird again in Brydon's garden, ok views were obtained before it flew off again, also a Lesser Whitethroat happened to be knocking around.
Lesser White at Halligarth
After seeing the Great Reed it flew off down the road towards an abandoned house, just as visiting birder, Ray O'Riley, appeared around the corner with his partner, looking for the bird!
So the four of us headed in the direction of the bird and it soon gave us a flyby and landed in a far away bush.
As you can see, Great Reed Warblers in flight aren't exactly the best for taking photos of
Sean and I decided we'd stick together and find the birds as he didn't know the sites and I didn't have any mode of transportation.
We spent another hour at Halligarth and it was well worth the wait, by the end of it we'd tallied up a male & female Red-backed Shrike, singing Icterine Warbler, flycatching Spotted Flycatcher, Blackcap, two Swallows and singing Chiffchaff!
Female Red-backed Shrike, Unst tick along with most of the birds seen at Halligarth!
Icterine Warbler
Spotted Flycatcher
Next came the Haroldswick Pools, Ray O'Riley had told us of a Wood Sandpiper he'd found there so we decided to check it out.
It didn't take long before we found the Wood Sand but there was a good deal of things around, a Sedge Warbler was singing in the bushes, a Short-eared Owl was being mobbed by a flock of Starlings, two Garden Warblers were sitting out in the open and a Reed Warbler was skulking in the bushes!
Another good deal of time was spent watching the birds and I even managed some recordings of the Sedge Warbler song!
Hiding Sedge Warbler
Short-eared Owl
Also a male Red-backed Shrike which I forgot to mention!
Wood Sand on the Pool
And one of the Garden Warblers
Next came Vaylie, Norwick and something odd was calling in the trees, I couldn't quite put my finger on it but I was thinking Twite.
Soon we located this odd bird, a Brambling! it was calling away in the top of a tree before it flew off.
Time was catching up with us so we headed south, meeting Hugh Harrop at Haroldswick who'd just been on Fetlar and then onto Baltasound where we tried for Quail outside of Brydon's.
Brydon spotted us and he gave us a wave over, he was just checking to make sure we'd got the Great Reed, we had a peerie chat and a cup of tea and then it was time to head to the ferry after an excellent days birding.
Finally leaving Unst after a truly great day
And a sunset to end it off
Tuesday, 19 May 2015
East meets west! Ducks, Crakes & Egrets
For this weekend I intended to spend it on Yell for my siblings birthday party, but due to a sickness going round we had to cancel and I still stayed in Yell.
On the morning of the 17th of May, I headed out to find nesting birds and maybe a few migrants, Blackbird nests were logged and even a migrant Redpoll but nothing else, then news broke of a Little Egret at Spiggie in the South.
I'd said to myself if anything turned up on Sunday then I'd go for it so I did, within the next two hours I'd journeyed down to the Mainland and with the help of Paula we went down for it.
Hugh Harrop and one of his tour groups had found a singing male Corncrake down at Boddam the day before, nowadays this species is quite difficult to find in Shetland since they've stopped breeding but this bird was said to be quite easy to see so we decided to head to it first as I have never seen one,
We rolled up to Boddam, parked up and waited (after being told where to park by Roger Riddington), 40 minutes passed, we'd heard it call many times, this weird insect like noise and then Paula spotted it but it disappeared again.
My hopes slowly started to dwindle but it called again and then Paula spotted it again, skulking through the grass away from us! I got good views and a photo before it wandered off.
The rain came back on and the bird seemed unlikely to come out again so we headed off to Spiggie for the Little Egret.
We arrived to Spiggie and from a distance we could see Jim Nicolson parked up (most likely photographing the Egret).
Suddenly Paula spotted this white bird fly up from the marsh and up comes the Egret! it flew overhead and then lands on the cliffs! Certainly an easier Shetland tick than the Corncrake!
No.234 on my Shetland List so I'm not doing to bad.
I got a few photos of the Egret before Jim rolled up and we spoke for half an hour before heading off to Hillwell for a Garganey.
Arriving at Hillwell I whipped out the scope and started scanning the Loch, first of all I noticed a large number of Swallows, 2 Knot and a pair of Shoveler.
One male Pintail was picked up among the reeds and then a pair flew in! I tried to get Paula onto them (who was using binoculars) and in the process I spotted my first Garganey in Shetland! a splendid male which very quickly disappeared into the reeds.
It was around 3 o'clock by this time and we were needing to head back north so we headed off.
We were heading through Cunningsburgh and I got a call from Hugh Harrop (I assumed it was about the Garganey) so I picked up.
He asked where we were and I said Cunningsburgh and he told us to quickly turn around and get to South Punds, Levenwick, he'd just found two drake Ring-necked Ducks!
After a slight rearrangement of plans we doubled back south and were enjoying these North American beauties within 10 minutes!
Next came the actual trip north, I ended in Brae and found myself a year tick of 3 Siskins in the Plantation between the school and "Toy Town", so not a bad end to the day!
But big thanks to Paula for taking me around, I would of never seen them without her help!
On the morning of the 17th of May, I headed out to find nesting birds and maybe a few migrants, Blackbird nests were logged and even a migrant Redpoll but nothing else, then news broke of a Little Egret at Spiggie in the South.
I'd said to myself if anything turned up on Sunday then I'd go for it so I did, within the next two hours I'd journeyed down to the Mainland and with the help of Paula we went down for it.
Hugh Harrop and one of his tour groups had found a singing male Corncrake down at Boddam the day before, nowadays this species is quite difficult to find in Shetland since they've stopped breeding but this bird was said to be quite easy to see so we decided to head to it first as I have never seen one,
We rolled up to Boddam, parked up and waited (after being told where to park by Roger Riddington), 40 minutes passed, we'd heard it call many times, this weird insect like noise and then Paula spotted it but it disappeared again.
My hopes slowly started to dwindle but it called again and then Paula spotted it again, skulking through the grass away from us! I got good views and a photo before it wandered off.
Well its a record shot!
The rain came back on and the bird seemed unlikely to come out again so we headed off to Spiggie for the Little Egret.
We arrived to Spiggie and from a distance we could see Jim Nicolson parked up (most likely photographing the Egret).
Suddenly Paula spotted this white bird fly up from the marsh and up comes the Egret! it flew overhead and then lands on the cliffs! Certainly an easier Shetland tick than the Corncrake!
No.234 on my Shetland List so I'm not doing to bad.
I got a few photos of the Egret before Jim rolled up and we spoke for half an hour before heading off to Hillwell for a Garganey.
Flight shot
The bird seemed to like sitting on the cliffs
Not the typical spot for a Little Egret
Arriving at Hillwell I whipped out the scope and started scanning the Loch, first of all I noticed a large number of Swallows, 2 Knot and a pair of Shoveler.
One male Pintail was picked up among the reeds and then a pair flew in! I tried to get Paula onto them (who was using binoculars) and in the process I spotted my first Garganey in Shetland! a splendid male which very quickly disappeared into the reeds.
It was around 3 o'clock by this time and we were needing to head back north so we headed off.
We were heading through Cunningsburgh and I got a call from Hugh Harrop (I assumed it was about the Garganey) so I picked up.
He asked where we were and I said Cunningsburgh and he told us to quickly turn around and get to South Punds, Levenwick, he'd just found two drake Ring-necked Ducks!
After a slight rearrangement of plans we doubled back south and were enjoying these North American beauties within 10 minutes!
It may be distant but you can make out the white line on the bills if you zoom in
Next came the actual trip north, I ended in Brae and found myself a year tick of 3 Siskins in the Plantation between the school and "Toy Town", so not a bad end to the day!
But big thanks to Paula for taking me around, I would of never seen them without her help!
Wednesday, 13 May 2015
The Patch, some Migrants and the Odd bit of Ringing
The weekend of the 24th was pretty good in my terms.
First of all the 25th started with a bang, two patch ticks of Willow Warbler and Common 'Mealy' Redpoll turned up on Clickimin, in the same tree! so I was delighted about that.
Later on in the day I headed out with Paula and a trip to Ladysmith Road got me a Hawfinch (year tick along with the above birds), a Goldfinch and a Goldfinch x Greenfinch Hybrid! a really odd but fascinating bird and probably the first one in Shetland, of course credit goes to the finder Jim Watt who lives in the house where the bird was seen.
The next day the 26th I headed out with Dave for some Raven ringing, my first shot at ringing Ravens after I went twitching for a Cretzschmar's Bunting last year (and dipped) instead of ringing.
It was a truly amazing experience, the chicks were so fat and the bellys huge so I found it difficult to hold them/pick them up.
We were doing one nest and this pair kept squawking until one flew down and landed just a foot short of where I was, I've never been that close to an adult Raven and even Dave was amazed!
A total of 7 chicks were ringed and hopefully we are to do some the next weekend.
Though my story is not done, after Dave dropped me in Brae just before 4, I got ready for tea, then he texted with news of a BLACK KITE at Exnaboe, now going from Brae to Sumburgh to see a bird of prey which may fly off and roam the Shetland cpountryside is quite risky, though I like my risks....
I ended up phoning one of the finders Roger Riddington (The other finders were Rob Fray & Gary Bell) to see if the bird was still around, he said it was happily sitting on a fence post and looked like it would sit around, I asked him to keep me posted and we shot off!
An hour later we arrived to see Jim Nicolson & Roger at the site at North Town, Exnaboe looking at a plowed park.
I got out, got directions and raised the bins to the Kite sitting on the ground a few hundred metres away! Black Kite! Shetland tick/lifer no.232 and also no.105 on the year list! I rattled off a few record shots and we spent a minute or two admiring the bird.
I don't really see myself as a twitch and go kinda person but I have to be at times, such as needing to catch a ferry and so on, so we left and thanked Roger for helping out.
I don't really see myself as a twitch and go kinda person but I have to be at times, such as needing to catch a ferry and so on, so we left and thanked Roger for helping out.
We headed off and I spotted some Curlew ish sized birds in the park below Paul's so we checked them out, I very happily raised by bins to not 1 but 4 Whimbrel! year ticks! (106) I was actually more excited to find these 4 Whimbrel than the Kite! it did round off a great day so we headed north and that conludes this blog post.
First of all the 25th started with a bang, two patch ticks of Willow Warbler and Common 'Mealy' Redpoll turned up on Clickimin, in the same tree! so I was delighted about that.
Male Gadwall, one of only a pair that are on Clickimin now, first Shetland breeding record?
Mealy? Lesser? Its a Redpoll anyway
Stretching Willow Warbler
The head colour looks quite subdued but you can still see the red
Bressay in the background, quite an odd sight
The beast itself, captive escape? wild hybrid? who knows but it is odd
I also had time to go out on the patch and the snow was rising as steam off the hills
Seal at Seafield
Sleepy Seal
And this beauty! patch year tick of a Razorbill, quite the treat also around was a White Wagtail (patch year) and 18 Tysties
Also the old Sea Kale is growing more everyday
Water droplet upon the leaf
Closer up shot of the droplet
Purple Sandpiper "KKU" ringed in Svalbard
This guy was found by Kevin Bryant and has been around for a few days
It was a truly amazing experience, the chicks were so fat and the bellys huge so I found it difficult to hold them/pick them up.
We were doing one nest and this pair kept squawking until one flew down and landed just a foot short of where I was, I've never been that close to an adult Raven and even Dave was amazed!
A total of 7 chicks were ringed and hopefully we are to do some the next weekend.
I ended up phoning one of the finders Roger Riddington (The other finders were Rob Fray & Gary Bell) to see if the bird was still around, he said it was happily sitting on a fence post and looked like it would sit around, I asked him to keep me posted and we shot off!
The Deep Blue (not really the right name for a red ship)
I got out, got directions and raised the bins to the Kite sitting on the ground a few hundred metres away! Black Kite! Shetland tick/lifer no.232 and also no.105 on the year list! I rattled off a few record shots and we spent a minute or two admiring the bird.
I don't really see myself as a twitch and go kinda person but I have to be at times, such as needing to catch a ferry and so on, so we left and thanked Roger for helping out.
Record shot or what? still good to have a memory of it- Black Kite
We headed off and I spotted some Curlew ish sized birds in the park below Paul's so we checked them out, I very happily raised by bins to not 1 but 4 Whimbrel! year ticks! (106) I was actually more excited to find these 4 Whimbrel than the Kite! it did round off a great day so we headed north and that conludes this blog post.
In the field I have difficulty sometimes separating them from Curlew but its from lack of experience
Its good to get them again, hopefully more birds will return in the next week
Tuesday, 12 May 2015
Journey for a Junco!
At 1100hrs on the 11th of May, news broke that would send a majority of the Shetland birding community racing to see it. A DARK-EYED JUNCO, a rare North American bunting with only four previous records and the first since 2003 was found by Donald Robertson in his garden at Toab (not a bad one for the garden list!).
A photo online asking for an ID of this shocked many of those who looked at it, it probably took them a second to quickly put out the news but soon people were flocking.
And me? well I was playing football during breaktime in Mid Yell and I just stopped there and then, gawking at the text I'd just received.
Over the course of the next like 3 hours, I was trying to figure out a way to get down there to see this rarity, luckily somehow, I managed the bus timetable right, got someone to run me back up to Yell and also got to give the chance for a much younger birder, Joe Petrie, to come and see it!
I took us over an hour and a half to make it down but with the help of Paula Moss, Joe & I made it down the South Mainland.
On the way we phoned up Hugh Harrop who gave us directions straight to the bird (thanks Hugh!) and also he said about two Cranes at Levenwick! I hadn't even heard of them! (presumably the Yell birds because they weren't seen today).
Soon we had made it down to Toab at 1815 and the rain had started, we couldn't see Hugh so I gave him a call and he said two birders were walking towards us so we mobilised.
Roger and Glen appeared around the corner and pointed in the general direction, so the pace evidently picked up.
Right round the corner was Hugh with one of his massive cameras, I did see this dark thing which I took for a Sparrow under a trailer (this was it).
Hugh said it was hopping around on the grass behind the trailer so I crouched down and there it was! Joe and Paula both laid eyes on it and we all enjoyed a very nice Lifer!
So the Junco was my 233rd bird in Shetland and Joe's 42nd ish (we are still working out his list), also my 118th for the year!
Initial shots/views of the Junco
Joe spying at it under the trailer
The Junco happily hopped along the grass before flying off, we headed to Donald Robertson's garden to see if it had returned and I was delighted to see a Sedge Warbler! year tick no.119 and Joe's first ever! that though didn't stay for a photo.
Though soon we were back to the Junco as Paul Harvey was waving us back over to see it.
We got slightly better photos and here's one of the results before it flew off again.
They are beauties these Junco, a stonking male, shame we didn't hear it call
Well anyways it was time to head so we said our goodbyes and nipped up to South Punds, Levenwick for the Cranes.
A few minutes initial searching and I spotted them pretty close in, a year tick for me (120), Paula's first in Shetland and Joe's first!
The pair, I've seen photos of them mating, maybe Shetland's first breeding record?
Joe and Paula watching the Cranes
Two happy Crane twitchers
So we headed back north, Joe managed another lifer in the form of a Swallow and soon we were up at the ferry waiting to catch the 2015 home.
A happy boy with 11 (!!!) Lifers under his belt including the Junco, he's hardly passed 50 yet!
Well it was some day, I can't help but thank those who helped out, Dave for sending me the news, Hugh for the directions and help to see the birds and Paula who drove us there and back so we could see it. Who knows though, maybe we'll be doing something similar next week, how about Spectacled Warbler on Whalsay?
Thursday, 30 April 2015
Spring is here... well almost
Well its been a while!
I haven't been very up to speed these past two months with my blog posts, it hasn't really been quiet but that that busy either though I've been out and about a bit and I've already surpassed 100 species for the year! over 20 ahead of last years pace.
But anyways here's one from the 18th of April when I went down Da Ness.
Saturday the 18th April 2015
I came down from Yell in the morning to meet up with Paul Harvey at 1130 in Sumburgh, we tried once before to organise a bit of birding but a few things got in our way so we ended up doing it today.
After I accidentally missed my stop at the Hotel, Paul picked me up just outside of Grutness and we headed round there for our first part of the morning.
Paul took me round his usual Sumburgh patch, going over quarries, parks and farms to see what species we could muster as well as speaking to several locals who Paul knew well.
After Sumburgh/Grutness was complete we ended on a total of 2 Bonxies, 15 Wheatear (year ticks), 4 Pied+1 White Wagtail, Goldcrest (calling), 3 Redwings and also another bird of note was a Collard Dove at Toab.
Next came a stop for denner at Paul (and a look at his stunning collection of books) before we left for Spiggie in hope of Green-winged Teal and a few other bits and pieces.
On arrival at Spiggie we didn't much, a piece further along the road we came to the turn to Noss where two cars were parked up looking for the Green-winged Teal which had been present.
Richard Ashbee was one of the car owners (we also saw him at Grutness as well) and he said that he'd briefly seen the bird in the ditch running into the Loch but it was out of sight.
We drove on further and we caught a glimpse of it in the ditch before it lifted and landed on the Loch, luckily I managed a horrendous record shot which you can see below and I spotted an Iceland Gull while we were enjoying this American vagrant.
After our slightly distant views of the Teal we drove off and headed north to Geosetter, doing the trees there we managed some Chiffchaffs before coming south again.
Going along the western side of Spiggie, just north of Littleness, this bird flew in front of the car, I watched it for a moment and it was a Swallow! both me and Paul's first for the year!
Hillwell/Quendale was next but both were kinda poor bar from a Iceland Gull, 46 Lesser Black-backs (!!!) and some Redwings so along came Virkie.
We scanned the Pool and among the Black-headed Gulls, Paul picked out a Sandwich Tern! I haven't seen one for two years but this was no.98, a piece further along and no,99 popped up, a Bar-tailed Godwit!! pretty close to 100.
Scatness came next, I was hoping for a few ducks and I got that, right on the far side of the Loch, Paul picked out a pair of both Shoveler and Pintail! two year ticks bringing my total up to 101! well ahead of last years pace.
A few more ducks were on the Loch, Wigeon, Tufted Ducks and the odd Goldeneye along with Kittiwakes.
Sumburgh came again and we took a quick venture up the head and then Grutness again, but both brought nothing.
But of course time was drawing to a close and my bus was soon to arrive so we called it a day just afore 5.
It was an excellent day for me, I managed a good boost to the year list and I got to have some fantastic company for the day, who was full of stories and generally made it a great trip.
So onto the next blog post! I've got a Fair Isle one from the Easter holidays to finish and one from last weekend to start so stay tuned!
I haven't been very up to speed these past two months with my blog posts, it hasn't really been quiet but that that busy either though I've been out and about a bit and I've already surpassed 100 species for the year! over 20 ahead of last years pace.
But anyways here's one from the 18th of April when I went down Da Ness.
Saturday the 18th April 2015
I came down from Yell in the morning to meet up with Paul Harvey at 1130 in Sumburgh, we tried once before to organise a bit of birding but a few things got in our way so we ended up doing it today.
After I accidentally missed my stop at the Hotel, Paul picked me up just outside of Grutness and we headed round there for our first part of the morning.
Paul took me round his usual Sumburgh patch, going over quarries, parks and farms to see what species we could muster as well as speaking to several locals who Paul knew well.
After Sumburgh/Grutness was complete we ended on a total of 2 Bonxies, 15 Wheatear (year ticks), 4 Pied+1 White Wagtail, Goldcrest (calling), 3 Redwings and also another bird of note was a Collard Dove at Toab.
Next came a stop for denner at Paul (and a look at his stunning collection of books) before we left for Spiggie in hope of Green-winged Teal and a few other bits and pieces.
On arrival at Spiggie we didn't much, a piece further along the road we came to the turn to Noss where two cars were parked up looking for the Green-winged Teal which had been present.
Richard Ashbee was one of the car owners (we also saw him at Grutness as well) and he said that he'd briefly seen the bird in the ditch running into the Loch but it was out of sight.
We drove on further and we caught a glimpse of it in the ditch before it lifted and landed on the Loch, luckily I managed a horrendous record shot which you can see below and I spotted an Iceland Gull while we were enjoying this American vagrant.
Drake Green-winged Teal, also my fourth one and all I've seen on the Shetland Mainland
After our slightly distant views of the Teal we drove off and headed north to Geosetter, doing the trees there we managed some Chiffchaffs before coming south again.
Going along the western side of Spiggie, just north of Littleness, this bird flew in front of the car, I watched it for a moment and it was a Swallow! both me and Paul's first for the year!
Hillwell/Quendale was next but both were kinda poor bar from a Iceland Gull, 46 Lesser Black-backs (!!!) and some Redwings so along came Virkie.
We scanned the Pool and among the Black-headed Gulls, Paul picked out a Sandwich Tern! I haven't seen one for two years but this was no.98, a piece further along and no,99 popped up, a Bar-tailed Godwit!! pretty close to 100.
Fourth from the right (in the centre) is the Sandwich Tern, had my first one here two years ago as well!
Bar-tailed Godwit, extreme record shot, like most of my photos from today.
Scatness came next, I was hoping for a few ducks and I got that, right on the far side of the Loch, Paul picked out a pair of both Shoveler and Pintail! two year ticks bringing my total up to 101! well ahead of last years pace.
A few more ducks were on the Loch, Wigeon, Tufted Ducks and the odd Goldeneye along with Kittiwakes.
Sumburgh came again and we took a quick venture up the head and then Grutness again, but both brought nothing.
But of course time was drawing to a close and my bus was soon to arrive so we called it a day just afore 5.
It was an excellent day for me, I managed a good boost to the year list and I got to have some fantastic company for the day, who was full of stories and generally made it a great trip.
So onto the next blog post! I've got a Fair Isle one from the Easter holidays to finish and one from last weekend to start so stay tuned!
Sunday, 29 March 2015
Mother's Day - Doon Da Ness
It's Mother's day and it seems spring has come again!
The birds are slowly trickling through with Chffichaff, Goldcrest, Stonechat and Lesser Black-backed Gull all making an appearance, migrants are being found and its soon going to be time for more rarities to be making appearances.
Though just before any of this happened, Dave and I went down to the South Mainland for a look on the 15th.
Our first stop was the Loch of Clumlie, we did 'try' to catch Greylags here last year but without success.
It was virtually desolate, though I did see this odd bird in the middle of the Loch, bins were raised and I was confused at what it was.
To be fair I haven't seen one for many months so it'll take a minute before I can identify one, Dave got his eyes on the same bird and ID'd it as a Red-throated Diver! summer plumage as well!
Not bad at all, another was about 50 metres to the left, which took of and circled the Loch while calling! nice way to start the day.
Boddam was next but that was empty so roll on the Pool of Virkie, now that had something, well ducks, 6 Shelducks were roaming the mudflats, year ticks, but not any 'different' waders, Scatness for a quick look but it was a bit rough, so onto the Hotel and the Head.
We met Rob Fray on the way out of the Hotel and he said there wasn't much around.... well we could still try.
A quick look in on the beach at Grutness produced my first Sanderling and Dunlin of the year, two more year ticks bagged before going up the head.
On the head, the Guillemots were back on the cliffs, it was cold and nothing else was showing so we drove on down, nearly at Grutness I spotted a Robin on the fence, and I got Dave to stop, but no it wasn't a Robin, it was a Stonechat! I was actually amazed, year tick!
I got the camera out and snapped away before it shot off so here's the results.
Like all birds do, this one ended up flying off so we moved on, Hillwell was next, maybe a chance of a grebe or a coot?
Well we did get the latter, a single Coot (year tick) was on the loch along with 8 Moorhen and some ducks, not much but something.
Roger Riddington was also scanning the loch so we went and spoke to him, he'd had a Peregrine at Sumburgh but that would be extremely difficult to locate and also he'd seen our Stonechat as well (just several hours before us), but besides that all was quiet so we carried on.
Everywhere else was quiet so we ended the day going into Lerwick, with a grand total of 5 year ticks added to my list.
The birds are slowly trickling through with Chffichaff, Goldcrest, Stonechat and Lesser Black-backed Gull all making an appearance, migrants are being found and its soon going to be time for more rarities to be making appearances.
Though just before any of this happened, Dave and I went down to the South Mainland for a look on the 15th.
Our first stop was the Loch of Clumlie, we did 'try' to catch Greylags here last year but without success.
It was virtually desolate, though I did see this odd bird in the middle of the Loch, bins were raised and I was confused at what it was.
To be fair I haven't seen one for many months so it'll take a minute before I can identify one, Dave got his eyes on the same bird and ID'd it as a Red-throated Diver! summer plumage as well!
Not bad at all, another was about 50 metres to the left, which took of and circled the Loch while calling! nice way to start the day.
Boddam was next but that was empty so roll on the Pool of Virkie, now that had something, well ducks, 6 Shelducks were roaming the mudflats, year ticks, but not any 'different' waders, Scatness for a quick look but it was a bit rough, so onto the Hotel and the Head.
We met Rob Fray on the way out of the Hotel and he said there wasn't much around.... well we could still try.
A quick look in on the beach at Grutness produced my first Sanderling and Dunlin of the year, two more year ticks bagged before going up the head.
On the head, the Guillemots were back on the cliffs, it was cold and nothing else was showing so we drove on down, nearly at Grutness I spotted a Robin on the fence, and I got Dave to stop, but no it wasn't a Robin, it was a Stonechat! I was actually amazed, year tick!
I got the camera out and snapped away before it shot off so here's the results.
A nice addition to the year list though my first for Shetland was only seen in October last year!
Having a stare off with the camera
They are quite good looking birds
Like all birds do, this one ended up flying off so we moved on, Hillwell was next, maybe a chance of a grebe or a coot?
Well we did get the latter, a single Coot (year tick) was on the loch along with 8 Moorhen and some ducks, not much but something.
Roger Riddington was also scanning the loch so we went and spoke to him, he'd had a Peregrine at Sumburgh but that would be extremely difficult to locate and also he'd seen our Stonechat as well (just several hours before us), but besides that all was quiet so we carried on.
Everywhere else was quiet so we ended the day going into Lerwick, with a grand total of 5 year ticks added to my list.
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