SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

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MAINLAND

Citrine Wagtail still on stream behind farm buildings at Quendale Mill. 

King Eider ad. fem off Twagoes Road, Lerwick.  

Barred Warbler on wall by access road, Sooty Shearwaters x 117 from The Lookout at Sumburgh Head. 

Quail singing at Isbister, North Roe.

Buff-breasted Sandpiper still east of lighthouse, Lapland Bunting by small pool at lighthouse, Eshaness.

Sooty Shearwaters x 6 off Ocraquoy.

Yellow-browed Warbler at Da Gairdins, Sand.

Olive-backed Pipit feeding in 'Rubythroat drive' at 2.18pm (elusive & not seen again after 2.51pm) at Levenwick.

 

ISLANDS

Buff-breasted Sandpipers x 4 (all juvs.) at Lund, Yellow-browed Warbler at Uyeasound, Unst.

Barred Warbler at Skaw, Isle of Whalsay. 

Yellow-browed Warbler, Quails x 2 on Out Skerries.

 

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

With raging 50mph winds and rain all afternoon, there was bound to be birds dropping in – visiting birder Cliff S. found bird of the day, an Olive-backed Pipit in Levenwick, which was elusive and not seen again. I had a huge count of at least a 100+ House Sparrows in my garden along with Starlings and Collared Doves, but didn't see the Leucistic House Sparrow today. Topped up the bird feeders and changed the drinking baths.

I didn't fancy joining the crowds so went to find my own birds. Checked out lots of areas in Scalloway, went to the boathouse at Tingwall to see if the American Black Tern was still around, but no sign of it. 4 Ruff feeding on the newly mowed grass along the road just south of the boathouse. Checked some garden areas close by – gardens I'm going to be keeping an eye on over the next few weeks. Parked up and checked the willows and garden where the Siberian Thrush was last year – under the canopy of the huge sycamore there were several birds feeding amongst the leaf litter, which really should have been far more exciting, but only found House Sparrows and two Blackbirds.

Drove around Uradale Farm on the outskirts of Scalloway, which always looks insanely exciting for birds, but never found anything major yet – some Greylag Geese and a couple of Curlew seen here. Headed to the large, long copse at Trondra and best I could find here were a couple of Wood Pigeons in the tall pines. I was hoping for a Nutcracker at the very least, oh well. Lots of Hooded Crows here and one Raven seen. Continued to East Burra where I didn't find anything else at all.

Returned home and continued waxing my pine doors with wire wool and Briwax "Rustic Pine" – a messy, smelly job, but its been on my jobs to do list since I bought the house. The fumes are horrible and I really should have done this earlier in the year when the weather was nice. Back to work tomorrow. Booked the wrong week off really, but I have got loads of jobs done that needed doing. I could have gone to see some of the birds that have been found, but seen them all before and yes always good to see again, but having to be careful with my petrol usage now its gone up so much. I'm going to change what I do next year completely – I'm not going to book any weeks in September and will ask for a special request of the first three weeks in October.

Birders who have just arrived, have hit it just right as on Tuesday its south east all day long and then at 11pm it continues with 44mph winds and heavy rain all the way through Wednesday and up to 55mph winds. Thursday is sunny and almost no wind, so that's when big birds will be found, lets hope I can get to them after work before the sun sets at around 6.45pm. Thursday is my favourite work day for birding as I finish at 3.23pm!