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


Ring RARE BIRD ALERT with your sightings to: 01603 456789 or Hotline: 0207 0382820 or Text: 07520 634324
All Bird News & Megas via The Rare Bird Alert Website – Subscribe To RBA For Detailed News & Much More!

OVER ELEVEN MILLION VIEWS! If you would like to advertise here, please contact me at [pennyclarke@talktalk.net]

Sunday, 26 January 2025

SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Rare  Bird  Alert  News
Bufflehead ad. drk from 10.39 to 11.18 only, at Setter, Loch of Spiggie.
AMERICAN COOT still between Noss Farm Junction and Setter Marsh at Loch of Spiggie.
American Wigeon 1w. drk at Quendale.
Ross's Goose still, between airfield at Scatsta and Loch of Trondavoe. 
 
Iceland Gull flew west over Houbie, Fetlar.
Kumlien's Gull at Easter Loch, Uyeasound, Unst.

https://www.nature-shetland.co.uk/latest-sightings.

A drake Bufflehead, which has been on the Isle of Foula since November, decided to relocate to the Loch of Spiggie this morning and was found by Kevin Kelly – possible due to Storm Éowyn. Unfortunately it only stayed for 39 minutes and flew off towards the Loch of Brow and wasn't re-located again. I headed south (it flew off whilst I was driving) and decided to look at Boddam Voe (every birder's favourite location!) where I found 2 Shelducks, 2 Mute Swans, Redshank, Turnstones, Hooded Crows and Starlings, no sign of the Bufflehead. Headed to the Grutness Pool where I found Teal and Mallard and nothing else. Then parked up at Scatness and walked down to view Loch of Gards – a few Goldeneye, Tufted Ducks, Teal, Mallard, gulls, Grey Heron and no Bufflehead.

Loch of Gards, Scatness
 
Scatness
 
Fitful Head from the layby by the airstrip at Sumburgh
  
 
Checked out the Pool of Virkie – lots of Wigeon, Teal, Mallard, Shelduck, Redshank, Turnstones, Curlew and gulls. Headed to Loch of Spiggie – a lovely drake Pintail was on show. Lots of Wigeon, Teal, Mallards, Tufted Duck, Goldeneye, Little Grebe, Greylag Geese, Oystercatchers and Redshanks. I spent a long time in the layby overlooking Setter (south end) – no other birders here late afternoon and no sign of the Bufflehead. Headed to Lerwick to fill up with petrol and forced myself to go into Tesco, which I didn't feel like doing, but had to really and then headed home. Pity about the Bufflehead, it would have been a new bird for me, maybe it will be re-located again tomorrow.
 
The last day of my 50's!!! Don't know how I got this old! Time disappears so incredibly quickly!

No comments:

Post a Comment