We have a new locum OT working with us called Sidonie and she very kindly invited me to her birthday lunch with two other NHS locum colleagues. So I met up with Sidonie, Lynne and Paul at No.88 Kitchen and Bar, where we all had a lovely Sunday lunch and dessert, highly recommended! Dodgy weather this morning with intermittent spells of rain.
I offered Sidonie and Lynne a lift back to their NHS digs and on route back, looked for the Magpie in St Olaf's Street, that had been seen a short while ago – no sign of it when we looked. Now, I can hear some of you asking why was I going to see a Magpie?! Well, they are very rare here, there is currently a second bird at Sandwick – I think I'm right in saying, that I heard it was only the second for Shetland. After dropping the girls off, I returned home to put some 'normal' clothes on and went birding for the second part of the afternoon and evening.
Headed to Spiggie Loch and looking around Setter for the flava Wagtail that had been seen earlier, no sign, but this is a vast area, so could have been anywhere. The weather was absolutely stunning for the remainder of the day. Cruised around to Noss and found several House Sparrows, Curlews, Meadow Pipits and Wheatears and also a few Swallows skimming over crops. I was overjoyed to see 19 Swallows sunbathing on the roof of a little white house, just before the road around Spiggie Loch – a beautiful sight! Four Bonxies hurtled over the loch too.
Drove through Exnaboe (passing the gorgeous house that someone bid on, higher than me) and spent a while at the Virkie Pool. The light was glittering here and the tide was partly out – tons of waders here including lots of Ringed Plovers, Turnstones, Redshanks and Curlews.
Parked up at Grutness Beach, which is where the Hudsonian Godwit has been hanging out – well, between here and the grassed area alongside the airport boundary, where you are not allowed to stop. No sign of the godwit on the beach, but sat on the sand in the sunshine, photographing two Sanderling running and feeding in the surf, a Ringed Plover plus youngster and a beautifully marked Wheatear, who was feeding close by and then came too close to be photographed! It was so tranquil, sitting here by myself. Checked out the Grutness pool, which unusually, was almost devoid of birds, apart from a Mallard and one Dunlin. Sad to see the Arctic Terns have departed from here, it was almost silent!
Went up to Sumburgh Head and Lighthouse. Watched three Ravens in the second quarry. I didn't see any Puffins at all, although I note on Jill and Rob's blog, that they did, so they were lucky and I wasn't! Good numbers of very fluffy, large Fulmar chicks on the cliff ledges and the view was stupendous, as always here.
Parked up at West Voe beach. Camper van, tent and caravan parked up for the night. Family having a barbecue on the beach, on the right hand side of the dunes. To the left was an exciting array of birds to keep me entertained for ages! I also kept the midge festival hugely entertained! Eiders on the sea, with several gulls and Arctic Terns fishing. Two dark phase Arctic Skuas worked together as a formidable team and bullied and harrassed the gulls and terns catching their fish and successfully stole their food, several times. Took a ton of photos in the stunning light. The sea was almost like a mill pond, but with the faintest of colourful ripples from the setting sun – like a rainbow in the sea, it was extremely beautiful. The midges were attacking me severely and were relentless, so I gave in eventually and returned to my car and headed back to Lerwick.
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