Return to Shetland Birding

Not sure why this last post disappeared from the blog, so I am posting again... On Friday October 3rd, we drove down to the picturesque big cliffs of Sumburgh Head on the southern most tip of Shetland, a nostalgic one for me as I had visited here once before with my mother, some 40 years ago. We saw around 300+ Fulmars and 60+ Gannets, 3 Shag seen and a Goldcrest briefly perched on a stone wall as walked to the head, there was a big seawatching hide and then we walked up to the lighthouse at the top passing a model Orca/ Killer Whale and then the steep climb to the top where breathtaking views and steep cliifs where we could view Fulmars shearing on air currents. At Grutness Beach nearby a Goldcrest was seen in a bush as we walked down and 2 Wheatear seen one on the road one on a wall nearby. On the beach we saw 12 House Sparrow and the immature Scarlet Rosefinch seen perching on top tall vegetation. We drove close and pulled up and slowly made our way round still seeing the Rosefinch,as this time Hugh H. drew up and went on the beach slowly getting closer to the Rosefinch but that flushed the Sparrows and the Rosefinch too. 2 Sanderling also seen on the beach too. 2 Grey Seal poking their heads vertically up out of the water. 2 Dunlin seen too. Turnstone, Oystercatcher and Great- black-backed Gull seen too. At East Shore nearby we scanned from the car by the beach/ sea edge and saw 10 Bar-tailed Godwits in a flock, a Curlew and the sea a female Red- breasted Merganser and 4 Eider. ON Saturday 4th October, at Bardister Bay, as we were driving away from the baty, we saw a Red Kite flying to the left first spotted by Tony, I saw a female Kestrel fly right from the right hand side of the car. We then visited Eshaness Lighthouse, where we walked out on the the rocky area in front of the lighthouse, 5 Twite flew in and although unobtrusive, I managed to photograph, 2 of their number. On this extremely windy day, up to 300+ Fulmar flew past out to sea plus Gannets. Whilst we were photographing a Rock Pipit by a small pool in front of the sign, a lone Pink- footed Gopose dropped down and landed exhaused from out of the sky. It sat down for a while, until it got its second wind and drank from the pool, before it eventually flew off again. Whilst driving back flocks of 54 and 100+ Pink- footed Geese flew over . I spotted a female Red Grouse on the left side of the road, plus a Raven and Hooded Crow seen too. Back at Bardister bay in the evening, a Cormorant and the 6 female Red- breasted Mergansers were on the island. A Hooded Crow flew over, Wigeon seen too plus plus Curlew and then finally at 3.50pm a Red Kite flew past left and inland over the valley. On Sunday 5th October, after a second visit to the Siberian Thrush, we again lined up by the bushes on the edge of Loch Asta but when it was apparent that again people were seeing it from the other side, we again went into the field and I was near the fence and stood by Hugh H. and he said concentrate on the bush ahead and even after he left, people were indicating it was there, I suddenly saw it, the excellent 1st winter male Siberian Thrush (my 4th ever, 2 in China Big Wood near happy island and 18 Sept 1994 at Burnham Overy Dunes) and got my camera on it. It was right at the top of the bush feeding on elderberries only partially obscured & then it looked right at me almost in full view. A birder's dream bird! Before it flew down. I looked at my pictures and was elated I had the shots. . A male Siskin, Song Thrush and Goldcrest and 5 Starlings seen plus 5 Greylags on the Loch. We then drove down to Scallowway Harbour, we parked by the harbourside and saw 2 Pale-bellied Brent Geese on the water, 2 Red- throated Divers over the far side plus 5 Black Guillemots, 3 Kittiwakes flying around with a Black- headed Gull. Meanwhile looking over the harbour over to the left a fantastic Storm Petrel which flew low over the water and the distinctive white bar underwing noted. On Monday 6th October, a Redwing was seen in the bushes of the back garden plus a Starling and a Wren. Back at Scatsca Plantation, we only heard YBW, this time but 5 hooded Crows flew over, 30 Rock Doves fed in the field beyond the Sedge Lake, a Redpoll head calling flew over and seen. Redwing, Blackbird, Pied Wagtail, Robin heard, Goldcrest and Meadow Pipit. At Toft Harbour up to 9 Shag seen plus 8 Black Guillemots, Whilst looking out to sea a Storm Petrel flew by. 30 Kittiwake stood on the Pier (most adults with 4 immatures), Turnstone and on the near beach a brief Purple Sandpiper, Wren and Meadow Pipit that flew and perched on a fence wire. Gannet, Herring Gull and BH Gull seen too. On the Journey to levenwick, 3 Mute Swan, Raven, Hooded Crows, 18 Oystercatchers stood in a field. At Levenwick we stood looking down and overlooking a garden, in the field left of the garden, a triangular weedy patch, up popped up the excellent Western Sub-alpine Warbler, perched on a tall weedy stem, it then showed periodically amongst the weeds before being perched on the fence line around 3X, Goldcrest seen in the garden too. Back at Asta Loch, the 1st winter Siberian Thrush was seen in the garden opposite the Loch and there were about 15 people in front of me on a raised bank and from the 'second row' I only got fleeting view of the Sibe Thrush tossing over the leaf litter by the edge of some bushes before it eventually flew left and out of sight. . A male Blackbird seen too. On Tuesday 7th October, in the garden a Chiff- Chaff seen plus a Twite flew up and perched on the wires right in front of our accommodation. By a pool near Bardister, we saw 3 fine Whooper Swans but we could not stop to photograph them, in such a scenic location, which was a great pity. AtRonas Hill, another very scenic area with very deep valley sides, we saw 66 Eider, 53 females and 13 males on the water, 2 Guillemot seen also, with 3 Tysties, 3 Shag, 4 Twite seen in the vegetation then perching on the wires. Near a homestead, some bushes with a spring incluyded both male and female Blackcap. Back at Eshaness, we saw Hooded Crow, Rock Pipit, Gannet, Fulmar and Meadow Pipit and as we drove away, I spotted a fine male Red Grouse on the left side stood sentinel appearingreasonably close from the car and we managed to obtain a few pics of this bird. Back at Scatsca Plantation, 5 Bramblings flew nout from a tall tree, YBW heard, female Blackcap see. Also 30 Rock Doves were still in the field beyond the Sedge W pool. Back at Toft harbour, I was setting up the gear when a Swallow suddenly flew low and right over the beach, a good start. 2 Curlew and 5 female Red- breasted Merganser initially seen distantly in the harbour. That quintet then very memorably flew in formation and flew right towards us where they were actively feeding right in front of us all diving in unison and incredible sight! 8 Turnstone, Rock Pipit, 2 Tysties one showed reasonably well. Finally Trondavowe where we tried for a RB Fly, as I followed the others they thought they had it the bird flew out of the tree edge and flew into a bush and then over the road, when it flew back it was clear it was a Garden Warbler. I heard a Yellow- browed Warbler and Jake's Magic tape drew it into the vegetation near me where I managed a few pics when it flitted low in the bushes. A male Blackcap also seen , Goldcrests and Robin too. On Wednesday 8th October, we drove back to Loch of Spiggie, 64 Whooper Swans (18 of their number were immatures) were initially seen in front of the hide, we saw 3 Slavonian Grebes plus 2 Rock Pipit really close to the hide, Whilst outside we saw a female Marsh Harrier. we drove around the seaward side of the Lock and half way along there was a pull in, where we saw a Little Grebe by some reeds and another Marsh Harrier seen. Critically though we saw around 40 Teal but they flew into a mid inlet, they were initially covered by vegetation but then the Harrier went fairly close by and 20 birds swam out onto the Loch including the fine female Blue- winged Teal, at last we saw her. We then drove up to a farmstead and overlooking a stone wall we looked at the back of a building and a fine Ortolan Bunting (a bird becoming increasingly difficult to encounter so this sighting was especially welcome- the photo doesn't really do it justice as the colouration was more vivd through the telescope) was perched here but it was steadily raining and suddenly the rain came down in torrents and we had to retreat back to the car.