SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Rare  Bird  Alert  News

No news.

 

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

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

 

Sanded the front porch walls and ceiling and then cleaned with sugar soap. Completed patching all the torn wallpaper. Frustratingly for the carpet fitters and myself, the wool carpet had a fault, so couldn't be laid and will have to be replaced. So had to re plan the schedule! My builder Alex now can't fit the insulation board tomorrow, but dropped it off for me anyway. Tripped up (yes, up) my steep stone/slate step from the corridor into kitchen after having a short nap, I will have a bruised shin in the morning and possibly hand/wrist. Lovely weather here and a Red Admiral was feeding on my white buddleia.

SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Rare  Bird  Alert  News

Wood Sandpiper at Quendale.

Pied Flycatcher at Sumburgh Head.

Common Rosefinch juv. at West Voe, Sumburgh. 

Red-backed Shrikes x 2 (male + juv.)+ still at Aith Meadows, Cunningsburgh.

 

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

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

 

Finally sold my sofa this evening! I had to move so much stuff to get this out of the house, but cleared it enough for the couple turning up to take it out and put in their large van. Estimated delivery date of new sofas and chairs is 28th August to 'my local store', which is Glasgow and then maybe another two weeks to get here, so excited to have my second ever and final sofas and chairs. Carpet being laid in dining room tomorrow.

 

Autumn migration has kicked off!

SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Rare  Bird  Alert  News

Red-backed Shrikes x 2+ still at Aith Meadows, Cunningsburgh.

Black Redstart on Northlink Ferry in Lerwick.

 

Icterine Warbler at plantation, Skaw, Whalsay.

 

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

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

SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Rare  Bird  Alert  News

Leach's Petrel, Storm Petrels x 117 trapped and ringed at Sumburgh Head at 1.40am.

Sooty Shearwater at sea south of Sumburgh Head.

Wilson's Petrels x 2, Storm Petrels x 250, Sooty Shearwaters x 8, Blue Fulmar at sea NW of Fethaland.

 

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

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

 

DIY again after work – exhausted. Second and final coat of paint on the electric cupboards in the dining room tomorrow night. Then have to spend time, very carefully cutting out and replacing ripped wallpaper which came off when I very, very slowly removed the masking tape from wood filling the gaps in top of old skirting board – I could have cried last night. Maybe it was because its very old wallpaper, who knows, but DIY and me don't really make a good match! All the pine floorboard gaps are now filled for insulation before the carpet is fitted on Friday afternoon, this took forever to do over a few days.

 

I also need to prep and lightly sand the blue painted walls in the front porch (joins onto dining room) before the carpet is laid, ready for painting at a later date. I don't really want sanded blue paint flying about with a new pale wool carpet! I had hoped to get the porch painted before the carpet is laid, but run out of time. Ordered and paid for the two large sheets of insulation board, which my builder is collecting for me this week and he is going to fit this into the alcove next to the back of the four bookcases (that are in living room) in readiness for me to put together the other four bookcases for the dining room.

 

The garden is now looking untidy as not had time to strim and cut the grass or do any weeding. Its difficult to fit everything when you are working – will aim to tackle this at the weekend. The rest of the weekend will be starting to put the four bookcases together. Goodnight!

SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Rare  Bird  Alert  News

Red-backed Shrikes x 7 (ad. male, fem + 5 juvs) at Aith Meadows, Cunningsburgh.

Quail at Setter Marsh, Loch of Spiggie. 

 

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

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

 

DIY again after work this evening, all go! Lovely weather again here.

SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Rare  Bird  Alert  News

Red-backed Shrikes x 4 (ad. male + 3 juvs) at Aith Meadows, Cunningsburgh.

 

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

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

 

DIY for three days, so no news from me!

SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Saturday 9th August

Rare  Bird  Alert  News

Sooty Shearwaters x 12, Storm Petrel flew past Sumburgh Head.

Stone Curlew in cut field above beach at Westing, Unst. 

 

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

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

RBA Weekly Round-Up 1st to 7th August!

By Jon Dunn

https://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/WeeklyRoundup2025_32.aspx?s_id=696991495 

SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Friday 8th August

Rare  Bird  Alert  News

Sooty Shearwaters x 4 from The Look Out at Sumburgh Head.

 

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

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

SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Rare  Bird  Alert  News

Sooty Shearwater from The Look Out at Sumburgh Head.

 

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

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

 

Had a lovely Zoom call with Lucy this evening. Now glossing the dining room windows and hatch in the ceiling, busy DIY weekend ahead.

Tommy in Lerwick!

TOMMY
Commercial Street, Lerwick

 

I have been waiting for the opportunity to get a lovely picture of Tommy and finally I got one last night! He is so famous I decided to give him his own post on Da Blog! 

Tommy has his own Instagram Page and Facebook Page!

https://www.instagram.com/the_adventures_of_tommy_/?hl=en-gb

https://www.facebook.com/p/The-Adventures-of-Tommy-100064330616340/?locale=en_GB 

https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/highlands-islands/6343972/the-adventures-of-tommy-lerwick/ 

https://www.shetnews.co.uk/2024/01/11/tommy-cat-calendar-raises-cool/ 

In Memory of My Dear Mother

Mother with baby Vivien, Lucy and Penny – circa 1970

Mother and I at Holme Bird Observatory

 

 

MARGARET ROSE CLARKE

9th February 1940 — 7th August 2018

 

 

Seven years have passed since we lost you.

 

Weeks, months and years tick by.

 You are in my thoughts today and every day.

   

Forever in our hearts and always with you.

 

I still talk to you, hear you and see you.

 

I miss and love you so much.

 

Always with me in spirit and soul

💔   💔   💔

SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Rare  Bird  Alert  News

No news.

 

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

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

SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Rare  Bird  Alert  News

Sooty Shearwaters x 6 flew past The Look Out at Sumburgh Head.

 

Balearic Shearwaters x 2 west of Isle of Foula.

 

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

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

 

Another windy, rainy and sunny day. The House Sparrows must have put the news out, there are so many at my feeders over the last few days, too many to count! My garden is looking a bit battered.

SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Rare  Bird  Alert  News

Long-finned Pilot Whales x 10 at Esha Ness.

 

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

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

 

Quite windy here today and lots of rain, but sun and midges out later this evening. I have more leaves than grass showing, but luckily most Summer bedding plants survived the winds. I did lose one bedding plant, which snapped over completely and a few now have horizontal stems, but overall I got away lightly! The burn was cascading down Gallow Hill as I arrived home this evening. Had a physio appointment at 3.30pm, more excercises for dodgy limbs.

 

Had to change the settings on my blog again as still getting nasty, sarcastic Anon comments dropping into my email box, which is definately from a female. To the Anon person who sent me a comment recently, you have no idea about other stuff that has been going on my life recently, no idea at all. Don't presume I write everything on the blog, I don't. If you don't like what I have written, its quite simple, don't read it and go and pester someone else or better still, try to be kind to other people. My apologies to anyone who now can't send me a comment, but nothing I can do about that sadly, but feel free to email me.

SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Sunday 3rd August

Rare  Bird  Alert  News

Red-backed Shrikes x 3 (2 ads, 1 juv.) at Aith Meadows, east of Cunningsburgh.

 

Little Stint on Out Skerries. 

 

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

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

SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Saturday 2nd August

Rare  Bird  Alert  News

American Golden Plover at Ungersta, Haroldswick, Unst.

 

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

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

Hairdressers in the morning. Lerwick was busy with lots of cruise ship tourists enjoying the sunshine on another gorgeous day here. My hairdresser Aimee was telling me about Zetland Bakery, a new bakers in 'toon' that I have not been to yet, so went to check it out – I bought a mint aero cheesecake and four brown rolls. The cheesecake was a "10 from Pen" and the brown rolls were particularly nice and had weight to them, yet they were light, best bread I've had here. Pop into to see Logan who is the baker and owner of this first class bakery and I'm sure you will be tempted by some home bakes. I also noticed cheese scones and sausage rolls for sale. I did highlight that if there had been a veggie sausage roll I would have bought one – Logan said he had had several people asking for veggie rolls, so he may do these at a later date.

Went to Planticrub and bought a sitting hen and chicks for my garden – they look good on the front step! My garden is looking at its best right now, but the Livingstone Daisies seemed to have burnt out already, which I hadn't expected. All my buddleias are looking good, no butterflies seen, but plenty of bee action. The usual House Sparrows, Starlings and Collared Doves feeding in the garden and Curlews calling on Gallow Hill in the evenings. Someone photographed and reported (on the Lepidoptera WhatsApp group) an Emperor Dragonfly at St Ninian's Ayre yesterday, which is a second for Shetland!

I'm burnt out from DIY, so not done much this weekend, but will crack on tomorrow in the heavy rain which is forecast all day, along with Storm Floris – a temporary end to Summer. Its reported as the hottest July on record here in the local news! Also made my final choice and re-ordered my DFS delivery on the 1st August, so should hopefully everything will arrive by mid to late September. Had to put the head midge net on again this evening, just to get the washing in!

SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Friday 1st August

Rare  Bird  Alert  News

No news.

 

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

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

RBA Weekly Round-Up 25th to 31st July!

By Jon Dunn

https://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/WeeklyRoundup2025_31.aspx?s_id=494928007 

SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Thursday 31st July 

Rare  Bird  Alert  News

Quail still at Bakkasetter.

 

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

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