SHETLAND BIRD NEWS, PHOTOS, BIRDING, LIFE AND MORE! MY 14th YEAR ANNIVERSARY 2024!


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Saturday 31 August 2024

SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Rare  Bird  Alert  News 
Pied Flycatcher at Geosetter.
Red-backed Shrike at Bakkasetter.
 
Greenish Warbler at Valyie, Pied Flycatcher at Norwick, Unst.
Black-headed Bunting fem/1w. male still on road at South Foula, Sooty Shearwaters x 2 on Isle of Foula.
Pied Flycatcher at Gorie, Bressay.
Common Rosefinch at Skaw, Whalsay.
 

Beautiful weather yesterday and today. Busy decorating corridor walls and bathroom. Carpet for corridor and blinds for office studio and bathroom being fitted next Friday! South east winds from 3am and all day tomorrow and Monday!

Friday 30 August 2024

SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Rare  Bird  Alert  News 
Wood Warbler at North Road, Boddam.
Wood Warbler at Quendale Mill.
Barred Warbler at Grutness.
Pied Flycatcher at Geosetter.

Black-headed Bunting fem/1w. male still on road at South Foula on Isle of Foula.
Greenish Warbler at Valyie, Barred Warbler, Pied Flycatcher at Norwick, Common Rosefinch at Skaw, Unst.
Barred Warbler, Common Rosefinches x 2 on Out Skerries.
Wood Warbler, Barred Warbler, Pied Flycatcher at Gorie, Bressay.
Icterine Warbler at Gutcher, Yell.
 

Thursday 29 August 2024

East Hills at Wells, Norfolk on Fire Today!

When John F. sent me a link to the news this evening, saying that East Hills was on fire today and someone had been arrested for arson, I could hardly believe what I was reading. I can't possibly say on here what I actually want to say, otherwise my blog may be removed. What a truly wicked thing to do. I don't know the full loss of the habitat, but any loss is awful for such a unique and special place.

For anyone who doesn't know, East Hills is a belt of pine trees, sycamores, bramble, scrub surrounded by Marram grass, beach and saltmarsh just north of Wells-next-Sea in Norfok – its a little piece of paradise, a joy to visit, either by boat at high tide or walking out at low tide (potentially treacherous though as quick sand on route and you have to be super careful with the tide times). It was a particularly exciting place for birders searching for rare birds both in Spring, but even more so in the Autumn migration in September and October. There have been many, many rare birds out there.

I have walked out there several times over the years, but after a scary quick sand incident when I was walking out alone, I only took the boat out after that! It is a place of solitude, a place where you never bumped into a dog on lead or off lead and more than often, not another human being either. There is a fabulous selection of trees out here, mainly pine trees, but a good number of sycamores, which are a magnet for migrants feeding on insects amongst the sticky leaves. A truly beautiful place to be. Can't believe this happened. I would love to know why this was set on fire and for what reason, it seems very odd as it reads that it was a 60 year old man. Maybe a barbecue? If so this is breaking the law as it strictly states no fires or barbecues on notice boards, on the inland side of the marsh, before you walk out there.

Several of the local birders who walk out there regularly, some of them daily in October will be devastated to say the least. Any loss of habitat means loss of wildlife, thank goodness its late in the season and not Spring when birds would have been nesting. Even though I have left Norfolk, this is extremely shocking and sad to hear about.

SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Rare  Bird  Alert  News 
Barred Warblers x 2 at Grutness.
Icterine Warbler at Exnaboe.
Wood Warbler at Quendale Mill.
 
Barred Warbler at Valyie, Unst.
Barred Warbler, Pied Flycatcher at Marrister, Whalsay.
Wood Warbler, Barred Warbler at Gorie, Bressay.
 

SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Wednesday 28th August
Rare  Bird  Alert  News 
Sooty Shearwaters x 6 flew past Sumburgh Head.
 
Wood Warbler, Barred Warbler, Pied Flycatcher at Gorie, Bressay.
Black-headed Bunting fem/1w. male on road at South Foula, Common Rosefinches x 2, Barred Warbler on Isle of Foula.
Pied Flycatcher at Marrister, Whalsay,
Pied Flycatcher at Norwick, Unst.
 

Tuesday 27 August 2024

SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Rare  Bird  Alert  News 
Sooty Shearwaters x 19 flew past Sumburgh Head.
Rose-coloured Starling in garden at Lerwick.
 
Black-headed Bunting fem/1w. male on road at South Foula, Isle of Foula.
Barred Warbler still, but elusive at Gorie, Isle of Bressay.
Sooty Shearwaters x  3 flew past Loder Head, Isle of Bressay.
 
 
Twitch after work for the Rose-coloured Starling, only a minute away in Lerwick! Fabulous views of the Rose-coloured Starling feeding under someone's bird feeder. Watched from over a wall in a garden, opposite to where it was initially seen this afternoon. Huge thanks to the lovely man who allowed a few of us to stand on his lawn to enjoy watching the Rose-coloured Starling in his neighbouring garden. Very difficult to photograph, as was constantly behind a small tree and obscurred, until I realised I could squeeze partly under a fuschia bush to get full views!

ROSE-COLOURED STARLING
In garden at Lerwick
 
So lovely to see Anne, Jim N., Andy J. and three other birders here – one of the many things I love about Shetland, just seven of us in total! It won't be too long now before the masses arrive on Shetland to find as many rarities as they possibly can, at the most exciting time of year here, bring it on! 😊

RBA Weekly Round-Up 20th to 26th August!

By Jon Dunn

Monday 26 August 2024

SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Rare  Bird  Alert  News 
Barred Warbler trapped and ringed at Gorie, Isle of Bressay.
Black-headed Bunting fem/1w. male on Isle of Foula.
Little Stint at Skaw, Whalsay.
Hawfinch at Valyie, Norwick, Unst.
 

MacKenzie's Farm Shop

After research on who sells what wood, how big the bags are, prices and delivery prices for my multi-stove fire, I decided to go with MacKenzie's Farm Shop. Its not cheap buying hard wood logs wherever you get them from, but it was free delivery if I ordered two bags (plus I was only a few miles away) and this made Mackenzie's Farm Shop the best choice all round. Plus they allowed me to go and look at the logs and gave me a free trial bag of logs! Very sadly, the fabulous Farm shop and cafe has closed down (see details about this on their website) and is up for sale, but they still sell many things on their on-line site, which I hadn't realised until fairly recently. Hazel was extremely prompt in replying to my emails (which is rare nowadays with any business) and with very short notice (less than a day) Hazel and her husband Kenneth agreed to my request of delivering me two tonne bags of hardwood logs after I finished work this evening. I wanted to get stocked up for the Winter in the dry weather and today was the only day this week with guaranteed sunshine and no rain! I didn't want wet logs going in the shed.

It was not an easy task, with the logistics of getting anywhere near my shed, as they would be delivered by trailer, so my ordered two tonne bags had to be brought in 10 smaller bags and then dragged round my side gate, up the steep steps to the patio by Kenneth and Hazel and then we all took the logs out of each small bag and put them into two tonne bags in my shed. I was allowed to keep the two large bags, but they needed the 10 small bags back again. It was very kind of them to help me, above and beyond what they needed to. More hands make light work as they say and it was all done by 5.30pm! After they left, I had a sort out in the shed and was in there until 7.30pm. Another big job ticked off my long list!

Here is the link to their website for lots of fabulous products, including household fuel!

Sunday 25 August 2024

SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Rare  Bird  Alert  News 
Sooty Shearwaters x 15 flew past Sumburgh Head.
 
Barred Warbler at Gorie, Isle of Bressay.
 
 
A jobs weekend, trying to get as much done as possible before Autumn migration hits!
 
Thinking of our dear family friend Malcolm, who lost his dear wife Eileen a year ago today 💐 Lovely to chat with you this evening Malcolm and glad you are keeping busy making your garden look fabulous x

SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Saturday 24th August
Rare  Bird  Alert  News 
Sooty Shearwaters x 2 from ferry east of Sumburgh Head.
 
Hawfinch at Norwick, Unst.
 

Friday 23 August 2024

SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Rare  Bird  Alert  News 
Common Rosefinch at Boddam.
Red-necked Phalarope briefly at Bakkasetter.
Little Stint at Pool of Virkie.

Blyth's Reed Warbler at Noss Sound on Isle of Bressay.
Sabine's Gull 2 miles off Isle of Foula.
Barred Warbler on Isle of Foula.
Red-backed Shrike, Pied Flycatcher on Out Skerries.
 
 
A beautiful sunny day with almost no wind!

Thursday 22 August 2024

SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Rare  Bird  Alert  News 
Sooty Shearwaters x 21 flew past Sumburgh Head.
Sooty Shearwaters x 2 flew past Dalsetter, Boddam.
 
 
Light breeze here today! 😉😂

Wednesday 21 August 2024

SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Rare  Bird  Alert  News 
Ring-necked Duck at Dam Loch, north of Uyeasound, Unst.
 
 
44mph+ winds and heavy rain all day long. I'm still amazed how sound proof my house is – it has to be very serious winds and extreme rain to hear any weather inside these very thick walls. On the negative side, its a chilly house with most of it not being insulated, but hopefully will get all my new heating sorted out before it gets seriously cold. No need to water any plants this evening! New under desk draw systems arrived from Amazon, no enthusiasm to do any flat packing tonight.

 

Tuesday 20 August 2024

SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Rare  Bird  Alert  News 
Great Shearwaters x 32, Sooty Shearwaters x 15 flew past Sumburgh Head.
Sooty Shearwaters x 2 flew past Esha Ness.
Lesser Grey Shrike still at Channerwick.
Black-throated Diver at Bay of Quendale.

Great Shearwaters x 3, Sooty Shearwaters x 10 east of Unst.
 
 
After a very heavy night of rain, its been a lovely day of full sunshine here. Flat-packing with screwdriver and hammer, putting together a shelf system from Amazon after work this evening – exciting! 😆

RBA Weekly Round-Up 13th to 19th August!

By Jon Dunn
 
Thank you to the RBA Team for including my photos of Lesser Grey Shrike at Brune and Yellow Warbler on Foula in their weekly round-up this week.

Monday 19 August 2024

SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Rare  Bird  Alert  News 
Great Shearwaters x 56, Cory's Shearwaters x 2, Sooty Shearwaters x 28 flew past (from 9am to 6.45pm) Sumburgh Head.
Great Shearwater from The Good Shepherd, Sumburgh.
Marsh Warbler at Toab.

Great Shearwaters x 10 east of Haroldswick Head, Unst.
Great Shearwater, Sooty Shearwaters x 2 flew past Isle of Mousa.
 
 
Having never jammed in on a Great Shearwater in Norfolk or anywhere else, it was the wrong day to be at work! Raining and quite chilly here.

Lesser Grey Shrike at Brune!

LESSER GREY SHRIKE
Sunday 18th August – Brune, Channerwick, Shetland

 

Very difficult to photograph in the wind and even had to use my monopod, which I very rarely use, as normally have a steady hand. So not very good shots and none are sharp, but lovely to watch and I was all by myself! When I realised where one of its favourite feeding spots was, I sat in a ditch waiting for it to appear, but of course it didn't return after that. I was probably the last birder in Shetland to see this cracking male Lesser Grey Shrike. I have seen them before in Norfolk, but this was a new bird in Shetland for me.

Sunday 18 August 2024

Visiting The Scottish Island On The Edge | Foula

Ruth Aisling visits Foula and stays at the Ristie Self Catering cottage

Ruth Aisling Visits the UK's Most Remote Inhabited Island

Ruth Aisling visits Fair Isle via The Good Shepherd and stays with Tommy Hyndman at The Auld Haa Guesthouse

SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Rare  Bird  Alert  News 
Lesser Grey Shrike in spruce by garden at Brune.
Sooty Shearwaters x 5 flew past Esha Ness.
Little Stint juv. at Pool at Virkie.
Sabine's Gull flew SW over Loch of Clickimin, Lerwick.
 
 
I had a lovely time watching and photographing the Lesser Grey Shrike at Brune this afternoon and then cruised south to the Pool of Virkie – I counted 29 Arctic Terns here. Pictures on next post.

SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Saturday 17th August
Rare  Bird  Alert  News 
Lesser Grey Shrike on wires near blue house at Channerwick.
Sooty Shearwaters x 8 flew past Esha Ness.
Sooty Shearwater flew past Watsness.
Shearwaters x 4 flew past Sumburgh.
 

Friday 16 August 2024

SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Rare  Bird  Alert  News 
Lesser Grey Shrike on wires near blue house at Channerwick.
Storm Petrel x 2, Sooty Shearwaters x 12 flew past Sumburgh Head.
 
 

Raining on and off all day, so had a jobs day, did the supermarket run etc  and also visited the Shetland Wool Brokers for the first time, what a fabulous shop! I took in my carpet off cut from my new carpet, to find out if they could bind the edges of this for me and they could! I decided to choose a turquoise wool, matching the lighter turquoise in my new room – it will be done in a couple of weeks. I'm going to use this to put under my office chair. A brilliant service and a wonderful shop to look around, so much beautiful Shetland wool to choose from!
 
A wonderful green stone I found a few weeks ago on a beach down south

Thursday 15 August 2024

SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Rare  Bird  Alert  News 
Lesser Grey Shrike on wires near blue house at Channerwick.
Balearic Shearwater flew past Sumburgh Head.
Sooty Shearwaters x 11+ flew past Sumburgh Head.
Common Rosefinch male reported (possible) at St Ninians Isle.
 
 
My electrician installed my Rointe Belize radiator for me at 5pm this evening and very kindly (which I hadn't expected) help me set up the App and switched it on – looks very smart! Plumber also came round to discuss (again) my boiler situation. Its ok not having any hot water, but won't be so good once the colder weather hits, hopefully it will be sorted out soon.

I discovered I have a very long fine scatch on the passenger side of my car – its not accidental, far too long and fine a line for a typical supermarket chip, dent etc – looks like its been keyed, which IF this is the case, its very sad and not something I ever expected to happen here in Shetland. It looks like it will T-cut out, so no major issues, but such a pity when I have only had the car since mid April and with a 5 year loan out on the car, I was hoping it would be a while before it had any scratches, oh well at the end of the day its only a box of metal that gets you from A to B.

Its going to be a laborious weekend of painting again, but I'm determined to get some birding in somewhere, as really missing being out amongst nature and also bumping into all the lovely local Shetland birders. The Lesser Grey Shrike is still around and Autumn birding is kicking off. Vivien and Ray are currently in Bath with their narrow boat and seem to be having a grand time on their second Summer cruise. Lovely weather here again today, but fairly strong winds and a mix of rain and sun over the next three days, sadly not with east winds though!

Wednesday 14 August 2024

SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Rare  Bird  Alert  News 
Wood Sandpiper at Kirkhouse Loch, SW of Vidlin.
Lesser Grey Shrike in garden west of Burn of Teevliks, Channerwick.
Wood Warbler at Kergord.
 
Wood Sandpiper on Isle of Foula.
Marsh Warbler, Long-eared Owl at Norwick, Unst.
 
 
Ordered my wall to wall shelving for the office from Wayfair – estimated date of delivery is 4th October, so can't do any more until that arrives. Gorgeous day here, but windy and cooler this evening.

Tuesday 13 August 2024

SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Rare  Bird  Alert  News 
Curlew Sandpiper at Scatness.
Lesser Grey Shrike in garden west of Burn of Teevliks, Channerwick.
 
Wood Sandpiper on Isle of Foula.
Fieldfare at Burrafirth, Unst.
 
 
Very foggy on the way to work this morning and with the rain yesterday and last night along with SE winds, something good was on the cards to be found and it was – a male Lesser Grey Shrike, but too late to go and see it, when news came out at 20.39, especially where it was. I didn't fancy climbing hills back up from the burn in the dark – not 18 anymore!

RBA Weekly Round-Up 6th to 12th August!

By Jon Dunn

Monday 12 August 2024

SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Rare  Bird  Alert  News 
Sooty Shearwaters x 16 flew past Sumburgh Head.
 
 
Norfolk has been 33 degrees today and Lucy said it was 'boiling', as did Hilary when I had a lovely catch up with her this evening. Here in Shetland its been 13 degrees, strong SE 40mph winds and rain all day! 😂 Better weather tomorrow though – 15 degrees and no rain. Mist first thing and SE winds, means birders (not working) may find the first Autumn migrants tomorrow!

Just put my two flat packed 6ft desks together, far easier and much quicker than I expected. You build it face down and the only tricky bit is turning it over by yourself, when it recommends two people?! 😉 💪 😆
 
It took far longer to decide where the desks were going to be positioned, than it did to put them together! I moved them round in L shapes and several different combinations so many times and this final place is the only thing that will work. It means that I can store bigger stuff eg my large art portfolios behind the far desk and you can't really see it when you walk in the room. I am quite good at making space work in a small room. I have it all mapped out and the next job is to choose and order the shelving for the back wall.
 
A Rointe Belize wifi radiator is going between the two windows on Thursday night.
 
 
Along the far back wall (pic above) I will be putting white bookcases/storage unit. I bought these desks from Norwich Offices Supplies before I left Norfolk, on hindsight I should have purchased two 5ft desks rather than 6ft, but hey ho! You can never have too much desk space.
 

Sunday 11 August 2024

My New Studio/Office – Before and After Pictures!

 
From beginning to the finish!
 
 
This is the second bedroom as I viewed it, before I put an offer in for the house

 
When I first moved in I paid a builder to do several jobs in the house, including painting this room, the walls and ceiling brilliant white and the window frames and skirting board Crown paint "Tropic Lagoon" – also the built in wardrobe had two shelves added inside, so I can use that as a storage cupboard. That was a complete waste of money after I pulled up the carpet in preparation for the new carpet coming as you will see below! Unfortunately my first builder was now on a big house build and had not got time to deal with this for me, but recommended Alex Nicholson. Alex only lives 2 minutes away, so this was very helpful for both him and me and also he was very good throughout the whole process, plus Alex knows this house as he has worked on it before.


 Mouldy wet floor boards discovered after removing the old carpet and underlay
 

 Mouldy floorboards taken up and this is the wet concrete floor underneath with some type of bitumen roofing felt covering the concrete, so my new builder Alex thought.
 
The floor had to be bleached and then had to be left to dry out for a few weeks with my humidifier

My electrician removed this very old type storage heater
 
 New anti mould floor boards laid over insulating board directly on top of the dried out concrete
All the skirting board had to be removed and replaced


At this point I made the decision to ask Alex to insulate the two outside walls. Whilst the room was in this state, I decided this would be the best time to do it. Insulating the walls would normally mean stripping everything back to the outside walls, but Alex had a very busy schedule (as all tradesmen have in Shetland) and could not fit this job in, but he did say he had time to simply add insulation board and plasterboard to the existing two walls, so thats what he did. It did mean it made the room slightly smaller, but no big issue. 
 Insulation board and plaster board going up

 Taping and filling done by Alex
Window sills had to be removed and rebuilt
New light and sockets put in by electricians

 Alex removed the inspection hatch (not needed) and plastered over

Inspection hatch removed and plastered up – looks much better so far!

I asked Alex to remove the wardrobe door as I decided it would look better without it.
 
Holes where window frames were nailed back and skirting board filled by me, including lots more sanding down everywhere. The wardrobe shelves took far longer than it looks, as had to fill lots of holes and gaps, before I even started doing undercoating, painting and white gloss work.
 
My decorating table, which got messier and messier as time went on!
 
I had to Youtube how do replace this wallpaper and it turned out ok
Alex filled the hole were the socket was

After one coat of watered down coat of paint on the new plaster board and then two coats of paint on all four walls and one on the ceiling, painted window frames, skirting and new shelves (was wardrobe) in gloss brilliant white and walls in brilliant white.
 
New carpet fitted on 26th July – original date was 1st March!
 
Tomkinson  Tweed – "Shetland" (seriously, this is the name) – not a cheap carpet and 80% wool, but not planning to change it again in my lifetime! I also paid to have Cloud 9 11mm underlay, rather than the usual 9mm.
 
After the carpet was fitted I decided to paint the inner window frames in Crown "Velvet Smoke"
 
The entire room is supposed to represent the beach, sand carpet, turquoise sea and white surf or and clouds! I like to be different! Now I have finished painting, I can see that the Velvet Smoke colour would have been better on the skirting rather than the darker Tropic Lagoon, but by the time I fill this room with desks and all my gear, you won't even see the skirting, so it won't really matter too much! 😊😆
 
It took a very long time to sand down the inner window frames, far too long and fiddly, then two coats of undercoat and two top coats.
 

 I then decided I didn't like the pine door (they are all pine in the house), so I decided it would look good in "Velvet Smoke" to balance with inner window frames. More sanding, two undercoats and two top coats
 
The finished room with many hours of prep work and painting!
  
Duette Black out Blinds in "Cashew" arriving on 6th September!
Rointe Belize radiator to put up and desks to put together still