Hawfinch in the Garden & Kingfisher in Lerwick!

HAWFINCH
On my feeders this morning!

 

I got up very early this morning to go and try for the Bonaparte's Gull again, but this plan completely went to pot. After getting ready for work, I sat for a bit in my little swivel birding chair (as I call it) to see if there was anything exciting on the feeders. My windows are not clear due to the double glazing which has blown and I'm looking directly into the sun in the morning. Anyway, I could see the silhouette of a chunky finch with a sturdy bill high in my tree, it could only mean one thing..... it flew down to my feeders and there in all its glory was a cracking Hawfinch! I have had them every Spring since I have been in Scalloway and I knew one was potentially due, being as Mike P. had one on the 10th April on Unst. Trying to take a picture through my windows and looking into sun its not exactly brilliant but best I could do! Taken with my iPhone. There was also a cracking Siskin in the garden, 2 Robins and the usual House Sparrows, Starlings and Collared Doves.

I then was at work all day and it was extremely busy. At 4.30pm I left work and the second I got into my car I had a check through the WhatsApp messages, nothing major had occurred, but moments later Brian Harris posted to say that David Nicol had found a Kingfisher, which was sitting on the rocks by Pullar's Loch in Lerwick and then watched flying along and feeding under the wall along Sea Road. I headed straight there and the views were a million times better than the male Kingfisher that had been around for a long time over the Winter at Clickimin Loch. I spent far too long here in the wrong clothes and was freezing, but it was truly wonderful to watch at the end of my working day and in spectacular light. The Kingfisher (female) initially looked a little tired and not exactly looking too bright, but after catching several fish it looked considerably better later on. I let two ladies look through my binoculars and they really enjoyed watching the Kingfisher. I took far too many pictures, but got my best shots at the end when Rebecca N. turned up, thanks! Not many birders there and nobody could flush it or get too close, unless of course they wanted to fall over the sea wall! Earlier when it went missing for a short while, I could have sworn I saw a Hooded Crow chasing the Kingfisher along and under the wall and I was not mistaken as Phil H. passing me in his car told me that the crow had tried to drown it under the water – what a sight that must have been! I'm glad it didn't succeed. I heard John C. say that Margaret Clark had found it earlier this afternoon.

I didn't get home until around 7.30pm so way behind with all my normal chores this evening. I include the best of the best, but may add more another day!

KINGFISHER

Fishing along Sea Road, Lerwick