SHETLAND BIRD NEWS, PHOTOS, BIRDING, LIFE AND MORE! MY 15th YEAR ANNIVERSARY 2025!


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Sunday, 15 June 2025

SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Rare  Bird  Alert  News
BLACK-WINGED PRATINCOLE still at south end of Loch of Spiggie.
Garganey reported at Loch of Spiggie. 
Red-backed Shrike male still at Pool of Virkie.
Quail at Swinister Burn, Hoswick. 
Nightjar briefly in garden at Veestehill, Sandwick.
Quail singing north of road at Boddam. 
 
Marsh Warbler in bushes below North Vale, at Tresta junction, Red-backed Shrike male at Northdale, Fetlar. 
Pomarine Skuas x 2 at Out Skerries. 

 
Another rainy day, usual birds in the garden. Nothing exciting to report as I have been putting bookcases together all day. These bookcases are very, very time consuming to put together, involving little wooden pegs, glue, measuring and marking up, knocking in tons of pin nails to the back boards, screws, plastic fittings etc etc! All insanely boring to do, but the achievement of putting these altogether myself will be very satisfying when I've finished. 😊
 
 
Sending love to my father on Father's Day
 
Always thinking about you
 
Always in my thoughts
 
Always with you x x x
 
💞

Saturday, 14 June 2025

SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Rare  Bird  Alert  News
BLACK-WINGED PRATINCOLE, Temminck's Stint at south end of Loch of Spiggie.
Common Rosefinch at Geosetter.
Red-backed Shrike male still at Pool of Virkie.
Quail north of Kergord House. 
 
Marsh Warbler at Skaw, Quail at Hamister, Whalsay. 
 
 
Pouring with rain all day, no sunshine and chilly, a complete contrast to yesterday. No butterflies today! Soggy House Sparrows in the garden and squabbling Starlings. Had a catch up with Lucy on the phone who said it was muggy and hot in Norfolk. Also phoned my old OT friend Hilary as not chatted with her in ages - made me laugh as always! Hello to everyone in my old Stroke Rehab Team, hope Scott is keeping all his ladies under control?! 😉😊

RBA Weekly Round-Up 6th to 12th June!

By Jon Dunn

SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Friday 13th June
Rare  Bird  Alert  News
Red-backed Shrike male at Pool of Virkie.
Quail along path to Stanydale Temple, SE of Bridge of Walls.
BLACK-WINGED PRATINCOLE at south end of Loch of Spiggie.
 
Pallid Harrier 1s. male SE of Loch of Cliff, Marsh Warbler at Burrafirth, Unst.

 
A gorgeous sunny day here! At least four Red Admiral butterflies in my garden as I had my lunch outside. Doing DIY stuff and then popped into Lerwick to buy a couple of tools I needed. Bumped into Jane P. (who was a bank OT in our team on the day I started my job) who was about to catch the bus, so I offered her a lift home to Hamnavoe – always lovely to chat with Jane, who is from New Zealand. As I was about to return home, I checked my phone to see a message about a Black-winged Pratincole at Loch of Spiggie, so didn't divert home to Scalloway!
 
All the usual local birders at the pull in area at the south end of Loch of Spiggie and when I first arrived the Black-winged Pratincole was not in view. Eventually I saw it along with other birders, very distantly over Loch of Spiggie (towards Brow Loch), but it then came flying back across to Setter Marsh (where it was seen before I arrived) and gave spectacular flight views, as it twisted and turned at great speed back and forth over the loch in beautiful evening light. Photography was almost impossible though, too far away. I tried to take a picture when it landed on the marsh, but its not even worth posting – a fuzzy blob! What a spectacular bird! A Bonxie also flew over and there were a pair of Mute Swans with three cygnets.
 
The Black-winged Pratincole was found by Christian Melgar (finder of the Eyebrowed Thrush, follow that man!) and was the third for Shetland, the first one being on Fair Isle in 1927 and the second was on Fetlar in August 2021. I had to leave a bit earlier than I wanted to, as a lady rung up to look at a large rug I have for sale – no sale sadly though.
 
I saw my first Black-winged Pratincole (after 4 dips) at Titchwell RSPB on 3rd June 2009 (see my write up pre when I started my blog in 2010, when I wrote all my bird notes up on Birdforum: https://www.birdforum.net/threads/norfolk-birding.59348/page-329#post-1497568 and my second was at Stiffkey Fen in Norfolk on 16th July 2014.
 
My ordered sheepskin seat pad arrived from "Skyeskyns" for my new yellow swivel chair in my bay window and very nice it looks too. I can't wait for all my house to be unpacked and finished, should be completed by Autumn migration! 😊

Thursday, 12 June 2025

SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Rare  Bird  Alert  News
Honey Buzzard flew SE over Esha Ness.
Long-tailed Skua flew north through Bressay, Lerwick.
Red-backed Shrike in garden by first bungelow below Glover Lodges at Ocraquoy.

 
Very windy and sunny all day. It was insanely difficult, but I have completed one bookcase!!!

Wednesday, 11 June 2025

SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Rare  Bird  Alert  News
Little Stint at Pool of Virkie. 
 
Pallid Harrier 1s. male by cliffs at Westing, Quail in field south of Keen of Hamar, Unst. 

 
A fresh day here and quite windy. I don't love seeing the sycamore leaves being blown off the trees until Autumn, but there are quite a few scattered over my daisy filled grass in the driveway. Another jobs day, including filling up the bird feeders, cleaning the ponds out and feeding and watering my new shrubs and bedding plants. Usual Starlings and families of House Sparrows stripping the feeders. Put some large stones around each of my three shrubs in the front lawn, so they don't get beheaded when I use my new strimmer for the first time!
 
Since hearing that my builder is not going to have time to put my bookcases up any time soon, I have had to force myself to have another go again this afternoon. It didn't start well and I didn't expect it to – split the wood in two places when trying to attach the decorative front strips to the side panels, but hopefully it won't show when all four are up and in place. Attaching these was seriously tricky and involved tapping in small black plastic rectangular pieces into the grove all the way along the main edge of the large side panel and then with a rubber mallet (over old drinks mat) tapping the decorative strip down onto the black pieces until the entire thing was joined to the side panel. One of the strips is about 3mm shorter than the side panel, this could get interesting when I attach all the other pieces, not!
 
I've realised that although I'm very happy with the size, height and white washed colour, they are very cheaply made and the wood is thin – I'm going to have to be super careful putting these together. Looking at the tiny white plastic support pegs that the shelves will be sitting on, I can't see them taking the weight of heavy books – time will tell! These bookcases are not in the same league as the Ebern bookcases I bought from Wayfair for my office/studio – you could fill those shelves with bricks and they wouldn't budge (they are not available any more as wanted these for the living and dining room)! If these bookcases don't take the weight of my books I will just have to add some central supports at a later date, so not the end of the world.
 
    Where is the Blue-cheeked Bee eater?!    

Tuesday, 10 June 2025

SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Rare  Bird  Alert  News
Little Stint at Pool of Virkie.
Icterine Warbler in garden at Hillwell. 
 
White-billed Diver on Isle of Foula.
Red-backed Shrike male at Feal, Fetlar. 
Quail x 2 in field by beach car park at West Sandwick, Yell.

MEGA! Blue-cheeked Bee eater on Iona!

This is mind blowing!!! Jim Dickson's footage of the Blue-cheeked Bee eater on Iona this morning! First record for Argyll.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/mull.nature.watch/permalink/4155519118017125/?rdid=QEvObpBVScGVOfek

Monday, 9 June 2025

SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Rare  Bird  Alert  News
Smew redhead on loch at Scatness.
 
White-billed Diver on Isle of Foula.
Quail in field by beach car park at West Sandwick, Yell. 

 
A productive morning and drove north this afternoon to do some birding and exploring. Had a physio apointment at 9am for my achilles tendinitis and given exercises three times a day and it was suggested I also fill in a form to be referred to the podiatry service, which I did and then drove to Lerwick to hand this form in. Took my old ceiling and wall lights (which haven't sold on FB) to Odies Antique shop to find out they are not worth anything, so donated them to COPE. Nipped into COPE's garden centre and bought two very nice tall artificial plants for my house. Next stop was Shetland Power Tools to ask them very nicely (damsel in distress card!) to put my strimmer together for me, which I purchased from them late last year. I have tried, honestly! The staff member was more than happy to do this for me and only took him about a couple of minutes, thank you!
 
Headed north to Lunna and walked along the belt of trees where the Veery was in September 2023, but only found Starling families here. I found a fascinating stone on the beach near the kirk, which had pieces of what looked like glass mixed in, it really glittered! Checked out the rosa and trees/scrub near Lunna House, but didn't find anything of note. Several Oystercatchers around with chicks and sheep with skipping lambs everywhere. So lovely to see all the yellow irises started to come out, such a beautiful sight and also saw several orchids. I drove around lots of little roads I haven't been to before, I love doing this and am always fascinated by what shrubs, plants and trees people have in their gardens.
 
Vidlin
 
Goosanders on far left, honest!
 
Dury Voe, Laxo
 
 
Checked out the copse on the corner before the ferry terminal at Vidlin, nothing here of note. Further along the road I watched terns fishing by the roadside, which was lovely to watch. Exploring a road around here I came across an unusually marked gingery and white collie type dog that was laying down outside its property looking very chilled and completely unphased at me driving slowly passed him or her, no barking at all, what a treat! At Dury Voe, Laxo I got the scope out and below the parking pull in I counted 16 Goosanders along with several Mallards, a few Dunlin, Redshanks, Ringed Plovers, Black-headed Gulls, Hooded Crows and Starlings.
Tingwall
 
 
At Kergord from the roadside I was overjoyed to hear a Cuckoo calling! I've never walked up to explore the woods here, something I'm planning to fit in this week, but was too late to do this today. Rooks and lots of Oystercatchers were feeding in a ploughed field. Nearer to home, I discovered a entire field of buttercups and orchids at Tingwall! At Tingwall Loch I had a Bonxie flying over the far side of the loch and a Black-headed Gull was in pursuit! Lovely day out, but there was more rain than sun, hopefully the week will improve. Sadly my builder sent me a message to say he is too busy to put together my bookcases at the moment, so will have to find someone else who loves flat packing to get this done –  it requires two people and two brains to achieve this!

Sunday, 8 June 2025

SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Rare  Bird  Alert  News
Turtle Dove in garden at Scousburgh.
Long-tailed Duck at Pool of Virkie.
 
Quail at West Sandwick, Yell. 

 
SCOPS OWL trapped in Gully, Fair Isle!

SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Saturday 7th June
Rare  Bird  Alert  News
Quail singing at Brow Marsh, Loch of Brow.
Marsh Warbler at South House, Heylor, NNW of Urafirth.
Quail singing at Stanydale Temple, SW of Bridge of Walls.
Glossy Ibis then flew NW, Curlew Sandpiper at Pool of Virkie.
Glossy Ibis at Toab, then Ringsta, Loch of Spiggie then flew east.
Red-backed Shrike fem. at Spiggie House, Loch of Spiggie.
Turtle Dove at Loch of Hillwell. 
 
EYEBROWED THRUSH 1w. male still! In garden at Gutcher crossroads, Yell.
Icterine Warbler at Skaw, Isle of Whalsay.

Another gorgeous day here with wall to wall sunshine. I really wanted to get out and go birding, but I need to get this house finished by Autumn migration and all my boxes unpacked. Spent ages filling the two sideboards (as planned) with rugs, blankets and bed linen for guests. You are supposed to attach the sideboards to the wall, but they are now so heavy, I doubt very much they will tip over, plus there are no children in the house to pull them over! I can now start to hang some of my paintings above the sideboards, but this is difficult to do when you are on your own, I really need someone to hold them up to decide where they look best. My only other option is to lay the pictures out on the floor, which is what I will have to do. I wanted to paint the house this year and the long wall alongside my drive, but don't if I will have time or not, I'll maybe do this in July or August.

Vivien visited Lucy today and we all did a WhatsApp video call which was nice, although Lucy didn't look particularly excited to see me on Vivien's phone. Went to Planticrub and bought a few more plants. Last year I bought a Osteospermum "Purple Sun' from COPE, which I absolutely loved as its so vividly bright with pink centre and orange petals and flowers from June until October – COPE didn't have any this year and neither did Planticrub until today! I bought three and put them altogether in one turquoise pot – can't wait for them to all come out in flower.

  Osteospermum "Purple Sun'  

 

On route through Loch of Tingwall, there were lots of Tufted Ducks and all the lovely yellow irises have started to come out. I have decided to sacrifice the small lawn in my front garden and fill with plants. A Hebe I bought last year and potted has got too big for the pot, so planted this out in the front lawn, a new buddleia, and a very hardy shrub that I can't remember the name of right now, but it has holly shaped leaves with daisy like flowers. I was gardening until 11.30pm!

Friday, 6 June 2025

SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Rare  Bird  Alert  News
Marsh Warbler in willows by Twinfins House at Heylor, NNW of Urafirth.
 
EYEBROWED THRUSH still for sixth day! In garden at Gutcher crossroads, Yell.
Icterine Warbler at Norwick Unst.
Icterine Warbler at Skaw, Quail at Hamister, Whalsay.

Hairdressers this morning, few jobs in town and then back home for washing machine service person appointment to look at my washing machine, which has not been working effectively for a good while – call out charge and parts are not cheap, but cheaper than buying a new machine. GP telephone appointment after that and then chores, tea and getting two lines of washing in. Loads of families of House Sparrows and Starlings stripping my feeders along with a couple of Blackbirds, Collared Doves and Rock Doves. Gorgeous sunny day here.

Yesterday my two Dunelm sideboards arrived and not flat-packed for a change, such a joy – they look really smart in my long corridor. Spent ages cutting out and folding wallpaper to line all the shelves and draws this evening. Waiting for my builder to give me a date to put my flat-packed library bookcases together. Now on holiday for another week!

RBA Weekly Round 30th May to 5th June!

By Jon Dunn
 
Thank you to the RBA Team for including my photo of the Eyebrowed Thrush in their weekly round up. 

SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Thursday 5th June
Rare  Bird  Alert  News
Surf Scoter off Southhouse at Heylor, NNW of Urafirth.
Common Rosefinch male at Westerwick, SE of Culswick.
 
EYEBROWED THRUSH still for fifth day! In garden at Gutcher crossroads, Yell.
Common Rosefinch ad. male, Red-backed Shrike fem. on Out Skerries.

Wednesday, 4 June 2025

Grey Phalarope in Summer Plumage!

GREY PHALAROPE
Female in Summer plumage  
 
This evening at Loch of Spiggie – found by Phil Harris

 

I just had to go and see this after work. This cracker of a bird was found by Phil Harris earlier today. I arrived at the Noss Junction at Loch of Spiggie – no other birders here. I checked with two local people that it was ok to walk through the sheep field to the shore of the loch and they said there have been a lot of birders here today and fishermen go down there two. I slowly walked down to the area where there is a small beach. Anne E. turned up and together we tried to find the Grey Phalarope, crossing two dykes and made our way to the beach area. No luck for a while and both of us were beginning to think it had disappeared. Anne and I decided to split and said we would wave like hell if either of us found it. Anne retraced her steps to the area we had just walked past and I walked further on.

Mute Swan on Loch of Spiggie.
 

I happened to glance round and Anne was waving! I quickly joined her and honestly I have never seen such a stunning and striking bird as this, there are not any words to fully describe the joy of seeing this bird. I have never seen one in this plumage before and maybe never will again! Just WOW! Dare I say that it has has more than possibly outshone the Eyebrowed Thrush for me and that's saying something! The wind was very strong and it was a challenge to hold the camera steady. What a week so far! A few House Martins and Swallows graced the loch along with some Mute Swans  – a beautiful scene all round. Kevin Kelly joined us a bit later and then Jim N. and Alan.

GREY PHALAROPE – Loch of Spiggie

 

I left here and had a drive around Boddam Voe. Saw four Shelduck, but no young – hope they are all ok! Raining now and best of the light had gone. Drove to Levenwick and was shocked to find all the belt of trees next to the pumping station down by the beach had been chopped to the ground! Its a real shame as this has spoilt the view of this little area and the pumping station now stands out like a sore thumb and isn't exactly pretty to look at, the trees here obscurred most of it and those trees and area held a Lanceolated Warbler last Autumn! I asked a local man if he knew why and he did tell me, but I feel I need to check on this information before writing something I shouldn't be. Returned home and as expected I didn't have many 'keepers' when I downloaded around 380 photos, but very pleased I managed to get some pleasing shots. Torrential rain again as I finish this post.

SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Rare  Bird  Alert  News
Grey Phalarope fem. Summer plumage opposite Noss Junction at Loch of Spiggie.
 
EYEBROWED THRUSH still for fourth day! In garden at Gutcher crossroads, Yell.
Icterine Warbler at Valyie, Norwick, Unst.  
Common Rosefinch ad. male, Red-backed Shrike fem. on Out Skerries.

SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Tuesday 3rd June
Rare  Bird  Alert  News
Surf Scoter, off Southhouse at Heylor, NNW of Urafirth.
Quail singing at Swinister Burn, Hoswick.
Icterine Warbler in garden at animal sanctuary, Hillswick. 
 
EYEBROWED THRUSH still for third day in garden at Gutcher crossroads, Yell.
Golden Oriole, Icterine Warbler at Valyie, Unst. 
Common Rosefinch ad. male, Red-backed Shrike fem. on Out Skerries.

 
Atrocious weather for June, wherever you live. The rain was so loud on the office windows, it almost made us jump and the wind was howling. It was a nice evening though with lots of sunshine. Didn't go birding after work, felt too tired and fell asleep on the sofa.
 
Huge thanks to several people who have contacted me by email and commented on yesterday's post about me changing my settings on the blog so that anonymous people can't contact me. Thank you for your kind words and support. 🤗

Monday, 2 June 2025

SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Rare  Bird  Alert  News
Red-backed Shrike male still at the Pool of Virkie.
Quail singing at Exnaboe.
Turtle Dove at Browns Road, Lerwick.
Surf Scoter, Nightjar off Southhouse at Heylor, NNW of Urafirth.
Slavonian Grebe off Scousburgh Sands.
Icterine Warbler male singing in last garden at Housetter. 
 
EYEBROWED THRUSH still for second day, and Icterine Warbler in garden at Gutcher crossroads, Yell.
Icterine Warbler at Skaw, Quail singing at Hamister, Isle of Whalsay. 
 
PALLAS'S REED BUNTING on Fair Isle. 
GREAT SNIPE on Papa Stour.

 
New bird in the garden before I left for work this morning, a Hooded Crow underneath the feeders! They are everywhere here, but never seen one actually sitting in my garden before. Went birding after work. Tried to find the Turtle Dove in Lerwick – I'm pretty sure I found the right garden as I could see Collared Doves, Rock Dove and House Sparrows beneath a feeder at the very edge of a lawn, but no way of seeing the rest of the lawn from the roadside – my best wishes to the lady who posted on Facebook, how lovely to have a Turtle Dove in your garden, still living in hope to have one in mine.

Bog Cotton at Burn of Njugalswater, SW of Bridge of Fitch
 
 
Sat in the car gazing out at the large copse at Frakkafield, but only saw two Collared Doves flying over the golf course – not even a hint of green or long tail! Headed to the Burn of Njugalswater south of the Bridge of Fitch, really pretty here and the Bog Cotton is looking beautiful just now, but no birds here.  
 
One of three access points to Gallow Hill, Scalloway
 
 
Had a check around Scalloway and nothing of note, but found some very pretty gardens and roads I have not explored yet, I will have to return on foot. I also stumbled upon a proper official display board/sign and stile for "Gallow Hill", which has two more access points, one next to my house and the third is at Harley Street. I returned home to find that Northwards had attempted to deliver my new sideboards from Dunelm, so will need to get the re-delivery sorted out.

New Commenting Rules for the Blog!

I have changed the settings on my blog and its been long overdue. Any sarcastic or rude comments always comes from an "Anonymous" person hiding behind their keyboard! I more than often do publish the unpleasant comments and take great joy in responding, but its getting boring now. So you will now have to have a Google account to comment, so I can see the name of the person sending me lovely or not so lovely messages!

The final straw was a comment which I didn't publish, which said "What a load of bull shit penny" – this was to my post on Friday 30th May. I have absolutely no idea why they wrote that. They didn't even bother to type a capital "P" for Penny, how rude! 😉 By the way, bull shit is one word "bullshit".

The next one sent to me today has a name, since I have changed my settings and was sent by "Wildbirder" who said "So bascially you're just a twitcher?" I didn't publish this as didn't want to taint my Eyebrowed Thrush post, so will respond now: "basically", I'm basically a lot of things, a sister, a caring OT Therapy Assistant at my hospital where I'm proud to work, a naturalist, an artist, a photographer, a birder, twitcher when I want to be and a whole list of other things, so don't tar me with one label such as ".....just a twitcher". I presume you know the defination of a "Twitcher"?

If I was a serious Twitcher I would have gone for the Savannah Sparrow on Unst, slept in the car overnight and tried to make it to work on time the next morning, I would have driven all the way to see the Surf Scoter this evening after work at Ronas Voe, the list goes on. I will go and see a rarity if its something I want to see, but do I drop everything to twitch every bird going, no I don't. A hard core Twitcher will stop at nothing to see every bird they can get on their list and more often than not at the cost of their personal or/and professional life and their 'lists' are everything, county lists, patch lists, world lists, year lists and where they are in the ranking order etc etc.

If a Blue-cheeked Bee-eater turns up, then yes, there will be no stopping me. Maybe "Wildbirder" lives in an area where they don't see many good birds and there is a little bit of jealousy going on here?! Who knows! Note to self, need to get my lists done, I have no patch list, Norfolk list, Shetland list, World list or any list – oh I've lied, I did do a Norfolk year list once, just the once! 😆

Love and Peace to All 💖

Sunday, 1 June 2025

MEGA! EYEBROWED THRUSH At Gutcher, Yell!

 EYEBROWED THRUSH
Garden at crossroads, Gutcher, Yell!
 
Found By Christian Melgar
 
8TH FOR SHETLAND, LIFER FOR ME!

 
 
News broke of an Eyebrowed Thrush at Gutcher, Yell. OMG! I've always wanted to see one of these!Booked ferry for 3pm and arrived at Toft ferry terminal at around 2.30pm. A birder called Dave Wege bagged a lift over in my car (he returned with someone else). On the ferry with several birders including Hugh H., Paul H., Roger R. et al. Drove to the north of Yell to the Gutcher crossroads.
 
Short walk around the side of the garden and peering over the stone wall at the very richly planted garden with a good selection of mature trees. I fixed my gaze on the same area it had been seen briefly earlier. 2 or 3 Blackbirds were feeding on the lawn, a Willow Warbler seen and singing and suddenly we were watching an Icterine Warbler whilst we waited patiently for the Eyebrowed Thrush! We waited and we waited. Suddenly I saw it drop in to the right of a very large conifer 'there it is' I said and it then appeared on the grass in all its glory! WOW, what a bird, so striking! This was at about 4pm and it showed for just over 2 minutes, just long enough for everyone to enjoy watching and photographing this cracking bird – it then retreated to the undergrowth of the dense border between the trees and the far stone wall from where it first appeared from. There was no more than about 15 people here: Hugh H., Paul H., Roger R., Adrian K., Anne E., Jim N., Andy J., James S., David W., Robert & his wife and two more people I didn't know. A few birders had been earlier from Unst including Rebecca N. The Eyebrowed Thrush reappeared again briefly in the same spot with bluebells for backdrop at 4.43pm. Everyone left to catch the next ferry which I think was 5.30pm.
 EYEBROWED THRUSH


 
Record shot of the Icterine Warbler in the same garden!
 
 
I was the only person left. I had booked the 7.20pm ferry and looking on the App, the earlier ferry was all booked up. It started to rain and the wind was quite strong. I was drenched, but stuck it out until I was so cold, that I had to return to the car to warm up and have a coffee. I walked back to stand and look over the garden wall again, but didn't see it any more. Drove to the ferry terminal and only just got there in time at 7.16pm! The ride back was a little rough! Drove home and arrived back at around 8.40pm.

SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Rare  Bird  Alert  News
Red-backed Shrike male at Pool of Virkie.
Icterine Warbler in gardens near beach at Levenwick.
Golden Oriole male at Helendale House & Helendale Terrace, Lerwick.
Icterine Warbler at Orca Country Inn, Hoswick.
Quail x 2 at Swinister Burn, Hoswick.
 
Common Rosefinch ad. male singing on Out Skerries.
Honey Buzzard flew over Hamnavoe, Yell. 
EYEBROWED THRUSH & Icterine Warbler in garden at Gutcher crossroads, Yell.

Saturday, 31 May 2025

SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Rare  Bird  Alert  News
Quail at Swinister Burn, Hoswick.
Marsh Warbler in garden of Millgates, Brindister, east of Norby.
Black-throated Diver at Scousburgh Sands.
 
Icterine Warbler still at Valyie, Norwick, Unst.
Icterine Warbler at Grindiscol, East Ham, Isle of Bressay.
Red-backed Shrike at Isbister, Isle of Whalsay. 

 
A gloomy, rainy and very windy day and later on the rain was torrential. Someone came round at 8.30am to pick up a hexagon table I was selling on Facebook. Not long after this my new swivel (small) armchair turned up to place in the bay window of the living room, so I can watch the birds in comfort, rather than on my pouffe.
 
I don't think my bedding plants are going to survive being drowned out every day and its the same weather next week too. Did the Tesco run, had a look round Lerwick for birds, nothing of note.