SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Rare  Bird  Alert  News

MAINLAND

Ring-necked Duck ecl. drk at Loch of Clickimin, Black Redstart behind Harbro, Lerwick.

ISLANDS

No news. 

 

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

 

No sign of the Blue-cheeked Bee-eater today on Sanday, Orkney, but I was told by someone who lives there it has been raining a lot and there was a thunderstorm, so I'm just hoping that's its hunkered down somewhere and will reappear tomorrow and more importantly when I arrive on Saturday. I'm not expecting to see it, but I have booked the trip and not going to cancel. It will be good to have a change of scene and explore an island that has stunning beaches, so the guide books tell me. Its a pity I'm not able to stay longer, but there we go. With advice from some local people on FB, I drove back into Lerwick tonight to the library, joined and borrowed an OS Orkney/Sanday Explorer map for the weekend, which I'm very pleased about as I like a paper map in my hand, can't be doing with maps on the phone, plus my phone is old and need to save the battery.

 

I was told by a man who drives the bus, that birders from Devon and Torquay arrived this morning, which doesn't surprise me at all, its a very serious bird! Birders also arrived this evening and couldn't find it anywhere and are on Sanday again tomorrow, so I wish them good luck. The only bad thing is that I have no cabin or lay flat pod on Sunday night and because I will be joining the ferry that left Aberdeen, it will mean that all the best floor sleeping spots will have been taken by the time I embark at Kirkwall and I'm at work on Monday at 9am!

 

Totally shocking news about the Dunwich Heath fire, which is devastating enough in itself, but has now spread to part of Minsmere RSPB, oh my goodness! The wildlife loss will be colossal, Dartford Warblers, Adders, Lizards and many birds that rely and nest in that habitat – all gone. They will be fighting to contain this area, as Sizewell B is only 4 miles away and that's something we don't even want to be thinking about!!!