SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Rare  Bird  Alert  News

MAINLAND

Greenish Warbler still at Dave's Trees, Sumburgh Head.

White-billed Diver again off West Burrafirth, north of Walls.

Quail at Setter, Sandwick. 

ISLANDS

No news.

 

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

 

Was up until the early hours researching filtered shower heads that remove metals – long story short, through desperation I ordered a Curo Filtered Shower head and also set up to have filter replacements every 90 days at £34.00 for a filter. I'm praying this will help as I can't take much of my intensely itchy scalp. Because of this I wasn't able to get up as early as I had wanted to.

 

Checked out the Grutness Garden and pool, nothing of note found. The mass concrete area opposite the pool is so ugly – its needs to be dug up and everything put back as it was, it truly looks depressingly awful. Got to Sumburgh Head and spent far too many hours trying to see the Greenish Warbler at "Dave's Trees". Initially there were too many people and too much talking going on, so I knew it would be a long time before I saw it. Most people then left to go and see the Summer plumaged White-billed Diver which had been found again this morning, so I was left alone. Later, I had to return to my car as the rain was too heavy for my camera and I sat and had lunch and then returned. At 2.45pm I had a brief glimpse and no pictures. An hour (ish) later I had much better views along with Kevin K. and his family and managed to get some pictures. I got wet several times in rain showers.

 GREENISH WARBLER

Dave's Trees at Sumburgh Head

 

 

Later I spent nearly two hours at the roses by the lighthouse trying to see the Subalpine Warbler, no joy with that but there were at least 3 Chiffchaffs, 2 Wrens and 1 Blackbird in the roses. Saw some Puffins and took some funky scenery shots.

Chiffchaff in the roses at Sumburgh Head

 

Puffins at Sumburgh Head

 

Scenery at Sumburgh Head 

 

 

Filled up with petrol by the airport road. Had a quick scan around Loch of Virkie, which was alive with waders in awesome light and sunshine. Feeling rebellious, I went birding at Boddam. Five fluffy teenage Shelducks were seen with parents, Eiders, Curlew, Turnstones and unusually not much else. No hassle, but I guess it was tea time! 😉 Was thinking about driving to see the White-billed Diver, but it would have been late evening, so not worth the risk financially, so returned home.

SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Rare  Bird  Alert  News

MAINLAND

Greenish Warbler at Dave's Trees this evening, then in roses by lighthouse at Sumburgh Head.

Subalpine Warbler sp. fem. still in roses by lighthouse this evening, Sumburgh Head. 

White-billed Diver off West Burrafirth, north of Walls.

Lesser Grey Shrike at south end of Stromfirth. 

ISLANDS

Quails x 2 on Out Skerries.

 

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

 

No sign of the Lesser Grey Shrike for any birders that went to see it including me.

RBA Weekly Round-Up 5th to 11th June!

By Jon Dunn

https://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/WeeklyRoundup2026_23.aspx?s_id=535595647 

SHETLAND BIRD NEWS & MORE!

Rare  Bird  Alert  News

MAINLAND

White-billed Diver imm. off Vaila from mailboat, Walls.

Quails x 2 singing along road to Staneydale Temple, Tresta. 

ISLANDS

Quail singing at Haroldswick, 3 Quails (2 at Buness, 1 at Daisy Park), Baltasound, Quail at Easting, Unst.

Quail x 2 at Funzie, Isle of Fetlar.

Quail singing at Symbister, Isle of Whalsay.

Quail east of Voehead Road, Isle of Bressay.

 

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

All Day Trip to Fetlar!

Red-necked Phalarope

 

I've only ever been to Fetlar once before and that was with an Oriole Birding Trip on 17th October 2017. I was way overdue to visit this fabulous island again and obviously visiting in October I never got to see the Red-necked Phalaropes. So after studying the weather forecast for the week and booking my trip, I set off insanely early this morning. 

Left home at 4.15am to head for Toft. On route I checked out the beach that the Bearded Seal was found on yesterday, just in case it had returned – it hadn't. Got the 5.45am ferry from Toft, arriving at Ulsta, Yell at 6.05am. A 30 minute drive to Gutcher and then got the first ferry out to Fetlar at 7.25am, arriving Harmars Ness on Fetlar at 8.05am. News arrived on the Rare Bird WhatsApp group of a male Black-headed Bunting on Foula!!! I spent a while trying to work out if I could get there and back – I could, but there was no where to stay when I checked, all booked up and I didn't want to spend £112.00 return for the plane fare, plus I'm not in love with these small planes after my Fair Isle Trip!

Red-necked Phalarope

 

Spent a fabulous day on the island, photographing Red-necked Phalaropes (not many on view today though), beaches and scenery. It was fabulous to bump into David Tipling (who lives in Norfolk) this morning, who was leading a photography tour – for those of you who don't know, David is one of the World's most widely published wildlife photographers and aside from that is a really nice person. The light and skies were truly spectacular today!

Papil Loch adjacent to Tresta Beach

 

 

Tresta Beach and Cliffs 

 

Found Tresta Beach for the first time and spent so much time wandering along the entire beach from the grass sheep tracks above, through the dunes and then down onto the glittering sands backed by towering cliffs, with Fulmars swirling everywhere. I can't ever recall seeing sand that had this much sparkle and it was the same with the rocks and stones. Terns, Gulls, Arctic Skuas, Bonxies, Dunlins, Red-throated Divers, Great Northern Divers, Meadows Pipits and Skylarks were all seen here and the turquoise crystal clear sea was on another level. I was fascinated to watch 15+ Bonxies bathing together in Papil Loch. I could have spent the entire day on Tresta beach, what a place!

Beach on Fetlar

 

It was nice to bump into Dave and Dawn from Sheffield, who visit Shetland annually and good to have a catch up, thank you for your company today. Quite a few visitors on Fetlar today. I checked out any sycamore trees and gardens for migrants, but best I could find was a Blackbird! Oh, I did hear a Chiffchaff singing by the cafe and shop at Houbie.

View from the hide 

 

RSPB Hide at Funzie. 

 

Path to the RSPB Hide

 

View of the RSPB Hide and pools at Funzie

 

Funzie Loch

 

 Funzie Beach

Went to Funzie Beach, which is a pebble beach with spectacular views. Drove to Everland to walk to a new beach I've not been to before, but as soon as I opened the car door a collie dog started barking extremely loudly and when I realised that it was loose, I just couldn't get out of the car, silly I know, but I couldn't, which was a real shame as I really wanted to walk to that beach which was called "Gruting".

At the end of the day I tried to find where "Sand of Sand" beach was and went the wrong way, which is south of Brough Lodge – I could see where the beach was but didn't have time to reach it. On another short walk, I accidentally stumbled upon a female Red-necked Phalarope feeding on the sea below some cliffs which I hadn't expected, what a fabulous find!

Red-necked Phalarope on the sea

 

Sand of Sand beach

  

Brough Lodge

 

 

 

Brough Lodge area and cliffs

 

Drove to Hamars Ness and got the 19.40 ferry to Gutcher which wasn't as smooth as the crossing this morning, so laid down on the back seat with my eyes closed – arrived at just before 20.10, half an hour drive and then got the 20.40 ferry to Toft, arriving back on the mainland at around 21.00. It was 21.50 when I pulled up in my driveway! A long but truly wonderful day!