Sunrise from Whimbrel's Cottage, Levenwick
I was up and out early. Checked out all the scrub, gardens and fields around the beach area at Levenwick – found 3 Wrens, 1 Robin, Starlings, House Sparrows, Blackbirds and Redwings. On the headland I could see a flock of Turnstones with Lapwings and a few Curlews. There were also a few Turnstones on the beach. It became increasingly windy as the morning progressed. I decided to stay south today, in case the Orcas appeared again.
Pulled up in the layby after the runway and scanned Scatness beach and to my delight found a Wheatear! Also 3 Rock Pipits and Fulmars were cruising over a wild sea. Went to Grutness Bay and saw 3 Shags and a Great black-backed Gull on the jetty and Mallards were on the pool on the other side of the stone wall. News came on the WhatsApp group of a Black Redstart at Sumburgh Farm, so being as I was a minute away, I went to try and find it. No sign of any Black Redstart, but had 2 lovely Bramblings feeding by a muck heap and a very exhausted looking and wind battered Siskin was feeding by the house. There were lots of Blackbirds and Redwings around, especially in the field just west of the cattle grid at the base of Sumburgh Head.
I checked out the two quarries, the first one only held a Blackbird, but the second one had a single Brambling feeding, a Robin and 5 Blackbirds. Continued up the headland to the lighthouse, where it was blowing a 'hoolie'. I had a job to stand up and made the unsensible decision to check out the garden along the cliff edge, which held no birds at all, unless they were hunkered low down. News came out of a mega Upland Sandpiper on Unst at 12.38pm and I knew there would not be enough time with light to get there really. Oh and guess where the Orcas turned up today? Walls and Sandness! Where I was yesterday afternoon!
Had a look round Virkie for the earlier Glaucous Gull seen, but no luck with that. There was a Red-breasted Merganser at the very furthest end, by the jetty and boats. Headed to Exnaboe to search for migrants there, nothing of note at all. I then decided to head for Lerwick to do some shopping.
Had a browse round the shops in Lerwick for the first time on this trip and unusually for me, didn't see anything I wanted to buy. Headed to the Toll Shopping Centre and went into an art shop and purchased a sketch pad, some graphite pencils and a 0.1mm fine black pen – this is not what I had intended to buy at all! I was looking for a Shetland rug but couldn't find any in colours that I loved. It was now just after 5pm and the light was almost gone. Returned home and fell asleep. Need to pack up all my stuff and leave the cottage tidy before I leave in the morning.
LOTS OF PICTURES TO BE ADDED
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