Rare Bird Alert News
Wryneck at Bakkasetter. Hen Harrier at Spiggie. Wryneck at Dalsetter, Boddam. Wryneck at Dalsetter, Yell. Osprey at Hermaness, Ring Ouzels x 5 at Skaw, Unst. Black
Redstart on Out Skerries. Waxwing on Fair Isle.
Siskins x 17 on my feeders, on the ground and drinking from the bird baths all at the same time! Chaffinches x 2, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Rock Doves,
Collared Doves, Starlings. House Sparrows, Robin and Blackbirds in my garden today.
A very productive day – went to Tingwall Loch to try and see the drake Mandarin Duck that a local birder had found. Bumped into Ann too which was nice. Its been months since I've seen any local birders, with no car since January. A stunning day here, but sadly the closely viewed Mandarin Duck had flown off over the far side of the loch into the sun and wasn't seen again. Redshanks, Tufted Ducks, Mallards, Oystercatchers and gulls were the best on offer. I love this loch and the golf course, its a place I need to check out more and especially since its so close to Scalloway.
Went to the Plantiecrub Garden Centre at Tingwall and bumped into my colleague Jen and her partner Luke. I spent a small fortune and filled the car to the max. Bought four bags of seaweed compost, 3 bags of pea shingle, a large green ceramic pot, bone meal, rose feed, tomato feed, a new shrub, a Hebe (Veronica), 2 long black trays, 6 large pots, 6 tomato plants and 6 green canes. It took ages to unload the car and in heavy April showers!
I was going birding after that, which didn't happen. So many birds in my garden today. Had an afternoon snooze. After tea, I organised and sorted out my tomato plants. Lined the six pots with stones and pea shingle, filled with the seaweed compost and planted all the tomato plants and lined up on my long black fold up plastic table, in front of the long window in my largest shed! I also filled my recently purchased ceramic birds with shingle, they are now seriously heavy and hopefully will be able to remain on the brick pillars either side of the steps in the patio area. Had a catch up on the phone with Vivien & Ray and Lucy.
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Now this sounds more like fun to me...birds in the garden and a visit to the local plant centre! Sounds like you have got things sorted with all your plants, lets hope they all take off for you. I've got tomatoes, runner beans, lettuce etc on the go as well but I can't put them out yet because it's too damned cold here, might as well be living on Shetland!
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