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!
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