MEGA! HUDSONIAN GODWIT! First For Shetland!

HUDSONIAN GODWIT

FIRST FOR SHETLAND & ME!

Grutness Pool, Shetland

Found by Larry Dalzie

5th record for Britain and 10th record for Western Palearctic

 

Fabulous evening twitch to Grutness Pool at the southern most end of mainland Shetland, for the first Hudsonian Godwit for Shetland and for me!!! My first view of the bird was of it snoozing next to a Redshank. An Oystercatcher then decided it wanted to be the star attraction and stood immediately in front of the Hudsonian Godwit for a while.

 

The Hudsonian Godwit had a good preen and started feeding in the pool at close range. Not in the slightest bit bothered by people standing on the roadside. The light was stunning and there was a supporting cast of Redshanks, Oystercatchers, Turnstones, Dunlins and Pied Wagtails. A Honey Buzzard had been seen too, before I arrived. With a Melodious Warbler on Whalsay and a Little Egret (rare here) on Unst, its been a good July day for Shetland!

HUDSONIAN GODWIT

 

Dunlin at Grutness Pool

 

Pied Wagtail at Grutness Pool