SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Rare  Bird  Alert  News

MAINLAND

Long-eared Owl in 1st quarry at Sumburgh Head.

Little Bunting in large neap crop at Sumburgh Farm. 

Red-flanked Bluetail still at Swining.

Siberian Chiffchaff at Glover Lodges, Fladdabister.

Yellow-browed Warbler, Siberian Chiffchaff in the Sunken Garden, Scalloway. 

Yellow-browed Warbler, Siberian Chiffchaff in Grutness Garden.

Siberian Chiffchaffs x 2 at Exnaboe.

Siberian Chiffchaff at Pool of Virkie, Lapland Bunting at Ward Hill, Virkie.

Firecrest, Siberian Chiffchaffs x 2 in gardens at end of Troswick Road, Boddam.

Yellow-browed Warbler, Mealy Redpolls x 2 at Quendale Mill.

Yellow-browed Warbler, Siberian Chiffchaff at Geosetter.

Siberian Chiffchaffs x 3 at Swinister Burn, Hoswick.

Red-breasted Flycatcher in garden at Skellister.     

Mealy Redpolls x 11, Siberian Chiffchaffs x 2 at Scousburgh.

Siberian Chiffchaff at Bakkasetter.

Yellow-browed Warbler, Siberian Chiffchaffs x 3 at Culsetter, NW of Hillwell.

Red-breasted Flycatcher, Siberian Chiffchaffs x 2 in garden at Hillwell.

ISLANDS

CHESTNUT BUNTING 1w still at Buness Farm, Coue's Arctic Redpoll at Hunter's Wood, Baltasound, Great Grey Shrike at Valyie, Norwick, UNST.

Pectoral Sandpiper at Weatherhead, FETLAR.

Red-backed Shrike at Brough, Firecrest still at Vevoe, ISLE OF WHALSAY.

Little Bunting, Ring Ouzel, Mealy Redpolls x 12, Long-eared Owl, Siberian Chiffchaff on OUT SKERRIES. 

 

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

 

FIRECREST

Troswick, Boddam – found by Paul Harvey

A stunning bird which I had all to myself when I took this photo

 

 

Other birds of note in Shetland today:
Kingfisher at Burra Bridge. Great White Egret and Barn Owl on Unst. Lesser Whitethroat at Troswick.

 

Gorgeous sunny day with no rain at all!

Forecast for weekend: Saturday strong winds and heavy rain. Sunday strong winds and light rain and clocks go back one hour at 2am. Monday back to work and dark when I finish work and no more birding until Friday! I had a fabulous day out trying to find my own birds, but bird of the day was Paul Harvey's gorgeous Firecrest he found!

 

 

Redwings and Blackbirds on Gallow Hill behind my house. Checked out the large garden next to Harley Street and found a few Blackbirds and House Sparrows. The Sunken Garden by Lovers Lane had nothing of note when I looked but Marcus L. had a YBW etc (see list above) a bit later on. Next to this garden I counted 24 Blackbirds and 7 Redwings on the large playing field. Near the school were a few more Redwings and Blackbirds feeding.

 

At Glover Lodges, Fladdabister, I watched a Siberian Chiffchaff flicking around in the willows, a male Blackcap and a couple of Blackbirds seen. Searched around the Lime Kilns and gardens close by, but didn't find anything exciting there.

 

Walked along Swinister Burn to Hoswick and back again and found 3 Siberian Chiffchaffs, a Blackcap, Blackbirds, Redwings and 1 Robin. Very boggy along there, good job I had my wellies on. I was then going to the Geosetter Burn, but changed my mind when I saw news of a Firecrest at Troswick.  

 

At the end of Troswick Road it took a long time before I saw the fabulous Firecrest that Paul Harvey had found a little earlier. Other birds seen here were a Lesser Whitethroat, Siberian Chiffchaff, Robin, male Blackcap, Wren, Blackbirds, Starlings and 8 Mallard on the loch. Eventually I had some good views of this very striking Firecrest and to be honest with you I enjoyed this far more than the Chestnut Bunting! You can't beat a Firecrest, plus its an exciting challenge to photograph! I was the only one here which I was surprised by, but Hugh H. did turn up a little later and it was after he left that I got my best pictures. One more birder turned up just as I was leaving. 

 

Drove to the first quarry at Sumburgh Head just in case the Long-eared Owl was still in there, but I couldn't find it. The Grutness Garden only held a few House Sparrows, Starlings and Gordon the cat posing beautifully on the wall which a Wren was most unhappy about. Took a few pictures of West Voe Beach and then cruised home to Scalloway. Fabulous day!

 More photos to follow........