SHETLAND – DAY SIXTEEN!

THE LAST DAY!

I didn't get up early, I needed to catch up on sleep. The day started off lovely and sunny, but had developed into gloom and rain by late morning. Packed up my gear up and said goodbye to Niki and Piet (owners of the apartments). Left feeling very sad at 11am.

Sandwick – Mousa Slipway – no sign of the Eastern Stonechat. Saw Wrens, Robin, Starlings, Turnstones, Fulmars and a Seal. On route to Noness Harbour I saw big numbers of Starlings feeding in fields with several Redwings. At the harbour I didn't see anything of note, the skies blackened and rain commenced!

Hoswick Cliff Top Garden – would I find something spectacular on my last day? NO! Only bird in here was a Robin. Around the clifftop I saw a Wren, a Redshank on a rock and a Black Guillemot on the sea. I was just leaving, when I realised the Hoswick Visitor Centre was open (Wednesday to Saturday during the Winter), so popped in there to see if I could find another present for Vivien's forthcoming 50th birthday and I was very pleased to find something that I know she will love – I also bought one for me in a different colour, but obviously can't say what either of them are yet, as she reads my blog! They were made by a crafts lady from Flabbister (Shetland). This visitor centre is a wonderful place, they have tea rooms, a rest room with sofas and books to read and toys for children to play with. There are also some fascinating pieces of history in a small exhibition and a huge loom and other artifacts (can't remember what they all were now!). This VC acts as a community based meet-up for local people. I love that fact that Shetland is so community orientated.

Bigton – stopped at the shop to buy ginger cake, a surprise for my work colleagues and some oat cakes – all made in Shetland. Headed to St Nininian's Beach and parked up by the picnic table overlooking the beach. The light was awful now and after having a quick cheese sandwich, I left the car to walk across the tombola, but realised how crazy I was being when I looked at my watch and had to abandon my walk and returned to the car. There were 3 Red-throated Divers distantly on the sea I noted and Redshanks, Turnstones, Ringed Plovers and Starlings were feeding along the shore and also a few Hooded Crows were seen and Fulmars glided through the Autumn air.

I was starting to panic a little now. Left and headed for Sumburgh Airport, topping up with more petrol on the way there (you have to return the car with a full tank of fuel). I got there sooner than I thought I would, so in a last attempt to find something, I diverted to the small quarry at Sumburgh. The only birds in here were Blackbirds, Redwings, a Robin, Starlings and Fulmars.

Drove to the airport and parked the car up. Walked to the airport terminal to get a set of wheels and returned to the car to pile my bags up on the wheeled truck. Gave car keys into Star Rentals and then checked in. My bags were 22kg when I came out, today they were 23kg – it must have been the food I had purchased! Had to pay another £10 fine! The limit is 20kg. Rynair have announced that their new baggage allowance will now be 15kg!!! You can go over 15kg, but you will have to pay a fine. How can you keep your luggage to within 15kg with a tripod, scope, camera, lenses, laptop and clothes etc?! Crazy!

My first flight left at 5pm and arrived on time at Aberdeen airport. The captain really made people laugh, as when we started to leave the plane to walk down the steps, he/she opened the flight deck door and stood there were a scary halloween mask! I'm glad they did that after we had flown! I had an hour and a half to kill before the next flight at 7.35pm, so managed to update most of the Norfolk bird news on the blog before the next plane left. Arrived in Norwich airport at 8.30pm. Eddie very kindly met me at the airport. Drove to Wiveton and I transferred all my stuff into my little green car and promptly whizzed home to King's Lynn. I should have gone straight to bed, but decided to unpack everything and did two lots of washing.