SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Rare  Bird  Alert  News

AMERICAN COOT still, opposite Noss Junction, Loch of Spiggie.

American Wigeon 1w. drk still at Loch of Hillwell.

Little Auks x 4 flew past Sumburgh Head.

Siberian Chiffchaff at West Voe, Sumburgh.

Bufflehead ad. drk still on Da Mill Loch, Isle of Foula.

Glaucous Gull again at Uyeasound, Unst.

https://www.nature-shetland.co.uk/latest-sightings.

A very busy day at work and then a hellish evening with more stress from poor Lucy about the heating and hot water not working, after another tradesman spent 4-5 hours mending it, not! Sent a long and strongly worded email to both managers – Lucy has had enough and I have had enough! Lucy's fan heater arrived for her today, so at least she won't freeze. Then Lucy rang at again at 11pm this evening as she was worried about the boiler making funny and unusual nosies and couldn't get hold of any staff – she did eventually. Hope she is safe in that flat! A fun and festive time!

SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Rare  Bird  Alert  News

Kumlien's Gull at Bigton.

Green-winged Teal at Loch of Semblister, SW of Tresta

Bufflehead ad. drk still on Da Mill Loch, Isle of Foula.

https://www.nature-shetland.co.uk/latest-sightings.

Scousburgh Sands

I'm more than probably the last birder in Shetland to go and see the American Coot, so headed south around midday to see if I could see it. With a map of favoured areas kindly sent from Hugh H. I searched Spiggie Loch as much as I was physically able to in the strong winds. I found Whooper Swans, Curlews, a Golden Eye, lots of Wigeon, Mallards, Starlings, Ravens and Hooded Crows. I couldn't even find a Eurasian Coot, but I guess its out there somewhere still. I will have another look over the festive season when I have more time and maybe when its a bit calmer.

Jill and Rob popped round late afternoon and very kindly gave me a Christmas present and card. I now have presents from Vivien and Jill & Rob. Lucy isn't bothering this year she told Vivien and I! At work tomorrow and Tuesday and then off for five days and the same the following week.

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SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Saturday 21st December

Rare  Bird  Alert  News

Little Auks x 11 flew south past The Lookout at Sumburgh Head.

Glaucous Gull, Iceland Gull at Leebitten, north of Sandwick.

 

https://www.nature-shetland.co.uk/latest-sightings.

SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Rare  Bird  Alert  News

Red-necked Grebe still at Laxo.

AMERICAN COOT still, Little Auk on road at Loch of Spiggie.

 

Iceland Gull at Hermaness, Unst.

 

https://www.nature-shetland.co.uk/latest-sightings.

 

Had a lovely meet up for a coffee at Cornerstone Cafe in Scalloway with Jane P. who is an OT, who I worked with in the first few months of my job here. Jane was a bank OT and covering for a post that wasn't filled at the time. She is one of the most interesting and exceptional people I have ever met. Jane and her partner Mike live in Burra, but they also travel back to their home in New Zealand every now and again. They travel to the most amazing places in the world and Jane writes up her daily travels on Facebook and its always a fascinating read – she could easily be a travel writer. Jane always has so many enthralling stories to tell!

Lucy has had more issues with the heating system not working in her flat and to be honest I'm fed-up with it not being fixed properly, so with Lucy's permission I bought her (with her money) a Dimplex fan heater, which is arriving with her on Monday, along with a 2025 cat calendar that she wanted. Lucy has received my Christmas presents via Amazon and Vivien and Ray have received theirs via an Amazon locker where they are moored up for the Winter. I was very impressed with the expensive looking wrapping paper, bow and gift card that I paid extra for from Amazon to wrap everyone's presents, it was worth paying for!

 

A few weeks ago, the Photographic Editor of Dutch Birding Réne Pop, contacted me to ask if he could use my Pechora Pipit in the next magazine. Yesterday I received a copy of Dutch Birding and was overjoyed to see I had an entire half page! The date was incorrect though, it says 2nd October and was in fact 28th September. The design and reproduction of the magazine is stunning, I was very impressed and it gave me a boost, its been a long time since I've had anything published, but to honest I haven't exactly tried that hard, so its my own fault.

https://pennyshotbirdingandlife.blogspot.com/2024/09/mega-pechora-pipit-at-quendale-mill.html

 

SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Thursday 19th December 2024

Rare  Bird  Alert  News

Bufflehead ad. drk still at Ham Voe, Isle of Foula.

 

https://www.nature-shetland.co.uk/latest-sightings.

SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Rare  Bird  Alert  News

Glaucous Gull at Graven, Sullom Voe.

Glaucous Gull, Iceland Gull at Leebitten, north of Sandwick.

Glaucous Gull at Boddam Voe.

Bufflehead ad. drk still at Ham Voe, Isle of Foula.

 

https://www.nature-shetland.co.uk/latest-sightings.

SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Rare  Bird  Alert  News

AMERICAN COOT off Littleness, Loch of Spiggie.

Red-necked Grebe still at Laxo.

Little Auks x 30 from the "Good Shepherd", 2 miles south of Sumburgh Head.

Little Auks x 16, Iceland Gulls x 2, Blue Fulmar off Isle of Foula.

 

https://www.nature-shetland.co.uk/latest-sightings.

Update on Wayfair. I decided to ring Wayfair again to clarify the costs of delivery and spoke to a very helpful man called 'Yousef' who said that he was unware of these new shipping charges and seemed genuinely cross about it and said he would be speaking to the management team and said 'this needs to stop'. I was impressed with everything he said, we will see what happens. I pointed out that they would be losing a lot of money and to pass this on to management – money talks as they say! He said he will email me with the outcome.

I went back to Shetland Woolbrookers on Monday evening and bought some wool to match my carpet off cut and some very tough needles from "Loose Ends" and will be hand sewing the edges of the carpet myself with blanket stitch – it will take a while, but I'll get it finished eventually!

With the way Christmas and the new year falls, I will end up having Wednesday, Thursday and Friday off next week and the following week, being as I don't work Fridays and here in Shetland we have the 1st and 2nd January off as public holidays!

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RBA Weekly Round-Up 10th to 16th December!

By Jon Dunn

https://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/WeeklyRoundup2024_51.aspx?s_id=78099847

SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Rare  Bird  Alert  News

Little Auks x 2 flew past Sumburgh Head.

Glaucous Gull juv. at Scatness.

Glaucous Gull ad. at Loch of Spiggie.

Snow Buntings x 8 flew over Dalsetter, Boddam.

Iceland Gull at Westing, Unst.

Bufflehead ad. drk still at Ham Voe, Isle of Foula.

https://www.nature-shetland.co.uk/latest-sightings.

See post yesterday – I phoned Wayfair when I returned home from work to find out that they have started to charge for all deliveries to Shetland around a month ago! If only I had known this beforehand. There is no way I will be paying £179.99 delivery charge, so don't know what I'm going to do now. Its extremely hard to find bookcases that need to be 220cm high. They told me that £179.99 is the maximum charge, but when I let other folk in Shetland know about this on one of the Facebook pages, one lady had been charged £300 for a large piece of furniture to be delivered! So, either she has been incorrectly charged or they have informed me incorrectly! Alot of people buy from Wayfair here, because of the free delivery over £40 – they will lose alot of sales, but I don't expect they will care too much.

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SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Rare  Bird  Alert  News

None.

https://www.nature-shetland.co.uk/latest-sightings.

https://www.fairislebirdobs.co.uk/latest_sightings.html

 

Heavy rain and strong winds. Busy day writing Christmas cards and organising presents for my sisters. Took the plunge and proceeded to order my large bookcases (to divide the living room from the dining room) on Wayfair and to my horror they now want £179.99 to deliver! It didn't tell me this until I hit the purchase button, so I quickly declined the acceptance of payment on my banking app, I'm not paying that! The same brand of bookcases I ordered for the studio/office were free to deliver in September – I will be ringing them tomorrow to find out why.

 

Added a few photos of my Christmas decorations to liven up the blog!

 

The painting over the fireplace is one of the family pictures I got re-framed and restored – it was painted for my parents and as many of you will recognise, is of The Firs, Holme Bird Observatory and The Broad Water at Holme-next-Sea, Norfolk. The fairy on the Christmas tree was one of my "Pippa" dolls, which I re-created into a fairy many years ago, but looking slightly battered now, I might give her a facelift next year.

 

My newly painted fireplace looks much better in white and gives the whole room a lift. The cat is always asleep and very well behaved 😉. Some of my new curtains arrived this week (via Amazon), a few more to arrive. I don't do these themed Christmas trees, where people do one colour of baubles etc – every branch on the tree should be full of every colour and variety of decorations! My last house wasn't worth decorating, my forever home is!

 

 

M E R R Y   C H R I S T M A S

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SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

 Rare  Bird  Alert  News

AMERICAN COOT still in NE corner, Glaucous Gull, Blue Fulmar at Loch of Spiggie.

American Wigeon 1w. drk still at Loch of Hillwell.

White-billed Diver at South Nesting Bay.

 

Bufflehead ad. drk on small lochan, NE of Rossie's Loch on Isle of Foula.

Iceland Gull at Uyeasound, Unst.

https://www.nature-shetland.co.uk/latest-sightings.

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SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Friday 13th December

 Rare  Bird  Alert  News

AMERICAN COOT still in NE corner of Loch of Spiggie.

Red-necked Grebe still, east of ferry terminal, Laxo.

https://www.nature-shetland.co.uk/latest-sightings.

https://www.fairislebirdobs.co.uk/latest_sightings.html

I realised I had to do third coat of paint on my fireplace and its now finished and looks very smart. Vivien was visiting Lucy again and we did a WhatsApp video, lovely to see them both together. Lucy has a new bookcase and the staff put everything in place for her, all looking good in her flat.

From my new carpet remnants, I measured and cut out a piece the same width as the fireplace and put this in the car. On the way to this evenings party, I got to Shetland Wool Brokers just in time before they closed at 5pm. They brilliantly bound the edges of a piece of carpet for me in my office/studio and the plan was to get this piece bound and placed under my Sheepskin rug and also to protect the main carpet next to the hearth. My heart sank, when a lady in the shop told me that they are not providing that service any more, as the machine they use is not capable of stitching it well enough. I will have to find someone to do this, or else see if I can buy a needle strong enough to do it by hand, I will get it done somehow!

Jen organised a lovely OT Christmas Party at Saffron Restaurant in Lerwick. A very good turn out of the Community OT Team and our Acute Team. Lovely to see everyone dressed up instead of being in our uniforms. The Christmas decorations in Saffron were on another level, wow! The food is exceptional here and I had my usual Vegetarian Biryani and Peshawari Naan. Lovely end to the week. We hardly get to see any of the much larger Community Team, so I don't know many of them very well and didn't feel comfortable taking any photos, in fact I don't think anyone took any pictures.

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SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Thursday 12th December

 Rare  Bird  Alert  News

AMERICAN COOT still in NE corner of Loch of Spiggie.

Red-necked Grebe off ferry terminal, Laxo.

American Wigeon 1w. drk still at Loch of Hillwell.

 

Bufflehead ad. drk on small lochan, NE of Rossie's Loch on Isle of Foula.

https://www.nature-shetland.co.uk/latest-sightings.

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SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Wednesday 11th December

 Rare  Bird  Alert  News

AMERICAN COOT still in NE corner of Loch of Spiggie.

 

Bufflehead ad. drk on small lochan, NE of Rossie's Loch on Isle of Foula.

https://www.nature-shetland.co.uk/latest-sightings.

 

My fireplace looks brilliant in Crown Trade "White Glove"– its amazing what a coat of paint and picking the right colour can do! Looks like I have a new fireplace, second coat tomorrow night after work.

 

I really need to sort out writing and posting Christmas cards this weekend and presents for my sisters.

🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄

SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

 Rare  Bird  Alert  News

AMERICAN COOT still in NE corner of Loch of Spiggie.

American Wigeon 1w. drk still at Loch of Hillwell.

https://www.nature-shetland.co.uk/latest-sightings.

 

This evening I sanded down my fireplace surround, sugar soaped and now ready to paint the first coat tomorrow night (had advice on correct paint) . Then I revamped my wood burning stove with "Hotspot Black Stove and Grate Polish" and also the fire companion set – this really works very well indeed and all looking very smart. OT Christmas Party this Friday!

RBA Weekly Round-Up 3rd to 9th December!

By Jon Dunn

https://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/WeeklyRoundup2024_50.aspx?s_id=82704927

SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

 Rare  Bird  Alert  News

AMERICAN COOT still in NE corner of Loch of Spiggie.

Snow Bunting at Sumburgh Head.

https://www.nature-shetland.co.uk/latest-sightings.

https://www.fairislebirdobs.co.uk/latest_sightings.html

SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

 Rare  Bird  Alert  News

AMERICAN COOT still in NE corner of Loch of Spiggie.

Little Auks x 4 past The Lookout, 1 Snow Bunting at Sumburgh Head.

 

https://www.nature-shetland.co.uk/latest-sightings.

https://www.fairislebirdobs.co.uk/latest_sightings.html

 

My best Christmas tree decorations ever! Also fixed up lots of lights everywhere with the brilliant "Command" hooks. With the new carpet in place, I just had to remove the flowery curtains, will order some plain ones asap – I can see the end results now, all looking good and very cosy! I didn't get the fireplace painted, too exhausted.

SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Rare  Bird  Alert  News

AMERICAN COOT still in NE corner of Loch of Spiggie.

 

https://www.nature-shetland.co.uk/latest-sightings.

https://www.fairislebirdobs.co.uk/latest_sightings.html

 

My builder came round and cut a small amount off my living room door and eventually put back up, after several attempts to get it to shut correctly (old door). I spent the morning unpacking every single RAR painting, other bird paintings and all my framed artworks – they have been packed up since I left King's Lynn in May 2023. I ended up with a humongous pile of cardboard, bubble wrap and plastic, which I then packed up into the car and took to the dump. Went to A1 Flooring to pay the remainder owed for carpet and blinds, did a bit of shopping in Lerwick and then returned home.

 

I spent the evening putting up my new "Balsam Hill" 6ft pre-lit Christmas tree, which took two hours, but looks absolutely fabulous. Now hanging up ornaments! Tomorrow I'm going to sand down the fireplace surround and then give it two coats of Crown "White Glove" paint. I have two flat packs to put together in the office/studio and loads more stuff to arrange in there – busy bee!

SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Rare  Bird  Alert  News

AMERICAN COOT still in NE corner of Loch of Spiggie.

Little Auks x 3 flew past Sumburgh Head.

American Wigeon 1w drk still at Loch of Hillwell.

Siberian Chiffchaff at Pool of Virkie.

Rose-coloured Starling ad. again at 12a Magnus Street, Lerwick.

Siberian Chiffchaff at Baltasound, Unst.

 

https://www.nature-shetland.co.uk/latest-sightings.

https://www.fairislebirdobs.co.uk/latest_sightings.html

 

My hairdresser was ill, so appointment cancelled. I had four people fitting my carpet and blinds this afternoon. The living room feels and looks warmer already, so glad I made the decision to carpet this room. Alex (builder) did some more work on the leaky back door and also put out two brackets for hanging baskets outside the door and tomorrow he is coming back to cut some of the bottom of the living room door off, as it had to be removed after fitting the carpet.