SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

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Garganey drk at south side of island at Loch of Clickimin, Lerwick.

Red-necked Phalarope by Shetland Museum, Lerwick.

Quail still at Ocraquoy.

Little Gull 1s again at Loch of Tingwall.

Quail at Hoswick Burn.

Red-backed Shrike male near road junction at Setter, north of Sandwick.

American Golden Plover still at Watsness.

 

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

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

 

I had a terrible night's sleep, which meant that today did not go to plan, well half of it did. I weeded all the concrete slabs around the side of the house and mowed the grass before the rain and SE winds hit us on Saturday. After many day's hard work, the garden is finished and ready for the Summer! It was so cold this evening, I lit the fire which I wasn't expecting to do in May! Its forecast 50mph winds on Sunday afternoon/evening – I may have to put a few garden ornaments back in the shed temporarily.

 

I opened the instruction pamphlet for putting the bookcases together and then quickly closed it – it looks very complicated, but I will attempt to put one together on a wide awake day, but not this week. I will be out birding for the next three days! Norfolk birder Gary Elton is guiding here with Oriole Birding and he's bound to find something good – he has already found 2 Great White Egrets this morning whilst bagging the drake Garganey at Clickimin Loch!

 

Norfolk birder Sean Offord contacted me recently to ask advice about good spots to look for birds in Shetland – this was his first visit here. He sent me a message as he left Shetland this evening to say he had found a Red-necked Phalarope in the harbour by the Shetland Museum (obviously just arrived and passing through), so even though the winds were not in his favour this week, he still managed to find a good bird in an unexpected spot! Sean is famous for finding two county firsts for Norfolk, the Black Lark at Winterton on 29th April 2008 (I was doing a double shift at the hospital! This was two years prior to me starting my blog in 2010, so no link about me missing it) and a Blue Rock Thrush at Winterton on 20th October 2022 which I did see!