SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

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Icterine Warbler, Red-backed Shrike, Pied Flycatcher male, Turtle Dove at Quendale Mill.

Golden Oriole fem/1s male still, Marsh Warbler, Pied Flycatcher fem., Hen Harrier at Quendale.

Red-backed Shrike, Black Redstart, Icterine Warbler at Sumburgh Head.

Red-backed Shrike fem. between Sumburgh Farm & Sumburgh Hotel.

Marsh Warblers x 2 at Sumburgh Farm.

Red-backed Shrike, Icterine Warblers x 2 at Loch of Clickimin, Icterine Warblers x 2 at Hayfield House, Red-backed Shrike male at Anderson High School, Red-backed Shrikes (1 male) x 2 at North Burn of Gremista, Lerwick.

Marsh Warbler in garden at medical centre at Hillswick.

Red-footed Falcon fem., Nightjar, Icterine Warblers x 3, Marsh Warblers x 2, Red-backed Shrike, Common Rosefinch at Swinister Burn, Sandwick.

Common Rosefinch at east end of Virkie Road at Exnaboe.

Red-backed Shriked fem., Ring-necked Duck, Icterine Warbler, Marsh Warbler at Loch of Hillwell.

Red-backed Shrike fem., Icterine Warbler at Melby.

Long-eared Owl at Toab.

Icterine Warbler at Burravoe, Brae.

Icterine Warblers x 3, Red-backed Shrike male at Orca County Inn, Common Rosefinch at Hoswick.

Red-backed Shrike male south of Fleck.

Red-backed Shrike male in garden at Southpunds, Levenwick.

Red-backed Shrike male, Marsh Warbler, Icterine Warbler at South Voxter.

Marsh Warbler, Red-backed Shrike fem. at Fladdabister.

Icterine Warbler in garden at Bigton.

Red-backed Shrike fem., Mealy Redpoll at Tresta.

Red-backed Shrikes (1 male) x 2 at North Collafirth.

Icterine Warbler at Trondra.

Hobby at Bakkasetter.

Marsh Warbler, Icterine Warbler at Hillend, Icterine Warbler at Gutcher, Icterine Warbler at Cullivoe, Red-backed Shrike at Basta, Red-backed Shrike at Bugarth, Marsh Warbler at Camb, Icterine Warbler at south of Yell.

Rustic Bunting at Ham Burn, Rustic Bunting at Hametoun Burn, Icterine Warblers x 3, Bluethroat, Marsh Warbler, Common Rosefinch, Pied Flycatchers x 3, Mealy Redpoll on Foula.

Nightjar at West Voe, Icterine Warblers x 8, Red-backed Shrikes x 7, Common Rosefinch on Out Skerries.

Icterine Warbler in garden at Skaw, Whalsay.

Marsh Warbler, Golden Orioles x 2 at Halligarth, Golden Oriole at Hunter's Wood, Marsh Warbler, Honey Buzzard at Uyeasound, Red-backed Shrikes x 8 at Baltasound, Red-backed Shrikes x 2 at Baliasta, Red-backed Shrikes x 4 at Westing, Honey Buzzard, Turtle Doves x 2 at Valyie, Icterine Warbler, Red-backed Shrikes x 3 at Norwick, Glaucous Gull, Red-backed Shrikes x 2 at Skaw on Unst.

 Icterine Warbler at Funzie Hide, Red-backed Shrike on Fetlar.

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

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

 

My birding list today, too tired to make it anything much more than a list!

Swift, several Swallows, Marsh Warbler singing/seen and Blackbirds at Swinister Burn – so beautiful here, not been for ages. Several birders hoping to see the Red-footed Falcon that was seen briefly on a post here, not long before I arrived, but it wasn't seen again today. Back at my car I was chatting to someone on the phone whilst eating a late lunch – when I walked round to get in my car, a black cat had made itself very cosy on my driver's seat!!!

Icterine Warbler singing at The Orca Inn, but impossible to see. Lovely to meet a Shetland family of birders, including Sam who works in Occupational Health!

Photographed a pair of Shelduck and cute goslings at Boddam Voe (no issue for me, but other birders were harrassed for just parking on the road and in a layby this morning! When will it end?!). Also several Eider here, a Snipe flew over and Turnstones foraging amongst the seaweed. Walked down to the Croft Museum, but apart from a gorgeous Shetland pony, there were no birds of note here.

News on WhatsApp of 3 Crossbills at the Geosetter Burn and was heading that way next anyway. Delighted to see the Crossbills, by the Geosetter Bridge, but they were very, very skittish and flew off up the burn and I only got a distant, rubbish photo later on. Also Garden Warbler and female Blackcap here.

Found a Spotted Flycatcher and Garden Warbler, opposite the Spiggie Hotel.

Found 2 Spotted Flycatchers, a female Blackcap and a Chiffchaff in the Grutness Garden. After a foggy, gloomy day, the light was now stunning and I got some cracking pictures of one of the Spotted Flycatchers. Swallows skimming over the Grutness Pool, 2 Dunlin, Oystercatchers, Shelducks x 2 and Arctic Terns carrying fish – a beautiful scene.

Checked out the Sumburgh Hotel garden – nothing here, but did bump into Norfolk birder Gary Elton leading a group for Oriole Birding Tours!

At Quendale Mill, I found the Turtle Dove in the tree above the mill with Collared Doves, a very photogenic male Pied Flycatcher in the garden, Icterine Warbler seen, but wasn't able to get a photo, male and female Siskin, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff and a Reed Warbler. Swallows skimming over the burn, so lovely to see. Cute skipping lambs as I walked along the burn and as far as the dam, where I found a Spotted Flycatcher on a fence wire and House Sparrows dust bathing. Arrived home at 10pm and then watched the first of five parts of the Shetland documentary on Channel 5 +1.

The long run of easterlies here concludes on Wednesday.