SHETLAND – DAY FIFTEEN!

WAXWING

Feasting on an apple in garden at Quendale, Shetland

The closest I have ever been to a Waxwing!

Photographed with kind permission from Hugh Harrop in his garden – thank you

The weather today was gloomy and dull – I prefer it when it rains! I started the day off at Levenwick. On the sea were Black Guillemots, Shags and a Seal playing with a large light orange fish – it was too far out to get a picture of though. Ringed Plovers and Turnstones were feeding along the shoreline. Around the gardens and surrounding fields were Redwings, Blackbirds, Robins, Wrens, Snipe, Greylag Geese, Curlews, Ravens and Hooded Crows.

Went to Boddham to find Otters, no luck with that – lots of Mallards though and at least 20 Snipe erupted from the rocks as I approached. Filled up with petrol just south of here and bought a hot macaroni cheese pie from the local shop – delicious! Headed west to Quendale Mill.

There was very little to see at Quendale Mill –Starlings, House Sparrows, Curlews, Snipe and Greylag Geese. Phoned Hugh Harrop up to ask where there were Rowan Trees so I could go and find a Pine Grosbeak (ha ha). He said that there wasn't that many on Shetland and Pine Grosbeaks also feed on pine cones, so to look for pine plantations and one of the places he suggested was Kergord. He very kindly allowed me to photograph his Waxwing, which is feasting on apples in his garden. I have never in my entire life been so close to a Waxwing before – I was only yards away from it and took tons of pictures! It wasn't bothered in the slightest, as long as it was able to feast on the apple – a magical experience and brightened up a very dull day. Also saw two Siberian Chiffchaffs in his garden, along with a huge flock of Twite with Siskins mixed in flying over. Left here and headed north.

I drove all the way to the pine plantations at Upper Kergord to find a mega – on route I found two Goldeneyes on Loch of Hellister next to Shetland Jewellery (where purchased two Shetland Fiddle traditional music CDs) and shortly after this, on the opposite side of the road I saw three Slavonian Grebes in Weisdale Voe!

Upper Kergord only produced Ravens, Hooded Crows, Rooks, a Heron, Blackbirds, Redwings and House Sparrows. Walked over a stile into a wood between two houses and didn't see a single bird. The weather was even more gloomy now, time to go. It seemed to take forever to get back to Levenwick! I need to pack in the morning, can't believe I fly back to Norfolk tomorrow night! No Orcas, no megas (yet), but what an incredible time I've had here. You know when you've come to the end of a holiday and you feel ready to go back, well I don't!