All Day Trip to Fetlar!

I've only ever been to Fetlar once before and that was with an Oriole Birding Trip on 17th October 2017. I was way overdue to visit this fabulous island again and obviously visiting in October I never got to see the Red-necked Phalaropes. So after studying the weather forecast for the week and booking my trip, I set off insanely early this morning. 

Left home at 4.15am to head for Toft. On route I checked out the beach that the Bearded Seal was found on yesterday, just in case it had returned, it hadn't. Got the 5.45am ferry from Toft, arrived Ulsta, Yell at 6.05am. 30 minute drive to Gutcher and then got the first ferry out to Fetlar at 7.25am, arriving Harmars Ness on Fetlar at 8.05. News arrived on the Rare Bird WhatsApp group of a male Black-headed Bunting on Foula!!! I spent a while trying to work out if I could get there and back – I could, but there was no where to stay when I checked, all booked up and I didn't want to spend £112.00 return for the plane fare, plus I'm not in love with these small planes after my Fair Isle Trip!

Spent a fabulous day on the island, photographing Red-necked Phalaropes (not many on view today though), beaches and scenery. It was fabulous to bump into David Tipling (who lives in Norfolk) this morning, who was leading a photography tour – for those of you who don't know, David is one of the World's most widely published wildlife photographers and aside from that is a really nice person. The light and skies were truly spectacular today! Found Tresta Beach for the first time and spent so much time here wandering along the entire beach from the grass sheep tracks above, through the dunes and then down onto the glittering sands backed by towering cliffs with Fulmars swirling everywhere. I can't recall ever seeing sand that had this much sparkle and it was the same with the rocks and stones. Terns, Gulls, Arctic Skuas, Bonxies, Dunlins, Red-throated Divers, Great Northern Divers, Meadows Pipits, Skylarks were all seen in this area and the turquoise crystal clear sea was on another level. I was fascinated to watch 15 Bonxies bathing together in Papil Loch. I could have spent the entire day on Tresta beach, what a place!

It was nice to bump into Dave and Dawn from Sheffield, who visit Shetland annually and good to have a catch up, thank you for your company today. Quite a few visitors on Fetlar today. I checked out any sycamore trees and gardens for migrants, but best I could find was a Blackbird! Oh, I did hear a Chiffchaff singing by the cafe and shop at Houbie.

Went to Funzie Beach, which is a pebble beach with spectacular views. Drove to Everland to walk to a new beach I've not been to before, but as soon as I opened the car door a collie dog started barking extremely loudly and when I realised that it was loose, I just couldn't get out of the car, silly I know, but I couldn't, which was a real shame as I really wanted to walk to that beach which was called "Gruting".

At the end of the day I walked the wrong way, but found were "Sand of Sand" beach was, which is south of Brough Lodge. On another short walk, I accidentally stumbled upon a female Red-necked Phalarope feeding on the sea below some cliffs which I hadn't expected, what a fabulous find!

Drove to Hamars Ness and got the 19.40 ferry to Gutcher which wasn't as smooth as the crossing this morning, so laid down in the back seat with my eyes closed – arrived at just before 20.10, half an hour drive and then got the 20.40 ferry to Toft, arriving back on the mainland at around 21.00. It was 21.50 when I pulled up in my driveway! A long but truly wonderful day! There is more than probably several grammatical errors etc in the above as very tired, will check and correct tomorrow.

PICTURES TO BE ADDED THIS WEEK – much too tired to write, never mind go through a ton of pictures, sorry!