Shetland Misfit: May 2008

Saturday, 31 May 2008

May 31st 2008

Caught this Setaceous Hebrew Character in the moth trap last night.

Friday, 30 May 2008

May 30th 2008. Thrush Nightingale.

Common Rosefinch and Sedge Warbler at Scatness, Thrush Nightingale and Yellow Wagtail at Grutness, Grey-headed Wagtail and Marsh Warbler at Quendale, Sparrowhawk and 3 Swifts over Brow Marsh.

Thrush Nightingale

Thursday, 29 May 2008

May 29th 2008. Nightjar.

Icterine Warbler at Sumburgh Head, Common Rosefinch at the Sumburgh Hotel, Nightjar on Whalsay - trying to hide on a wall in somebodies back garden !! also male Red-backed Shrike there.

Nightjar

Wednesday, 28 May 2008

Spent the morning up on Ronas Hill with Gary Bell, looking for passage Dotterel, this was soon abandoned when a Black Stork flew over heading northeast, as this was only the second Shetland record (the first was in 1977 !) we came down off the hill to look for it again.
No sign of the Stork around North Roe area (it did seem to be dropping down there somewhere), 2 Greenshank, male Goosander in the area.

2 Manx Shearwater off Eshaness in the afternoon, Long-eared Owl and singing Redwing at Kergord, Common Rosefinch in the Sumburgh quarry.

Black Stork

Monday, 26 May 2008

May 26th 2008. Sub-alp - Garden tick !

1st summer male Subalpine Warbler in the garden for a few minutes early morning - another house tick !! (157)

Got better views of the Tawny Pipit at Dalsetter, Sparrowhawk at Sumburgh Head, Whinchat at Scatness.

Sunday, 25 May 2008

May 25th 2008. King Eider.

Little Stint on Moast Beach, but very little else at Scatness.

1st summer male King Eider around Scord Beach - after taking photos, managed to see the bird from the kitchen window - taking the house list up to 156 !

King Eider

Little Stint

Saturday, 24 May 2008

May 24th 2008. Tawny Pipit.

Male Black Redstart in the garden, Tawny Pipit at Dalsetter late afternoon.

Tawny Pipit

Friday, 16 May 2008

May 12th-16th 2008. Caithness.

5 days around Caithness, mainly around the Wick/Thurso area.

Red Deer seen on most days, a few Ospreys, Black-throated Diver and Barn Owl.

Red Deer & Stoat

Friday, 9 May 2008

May 9th 2008. LEO.

Long-eared Owl in the garden at 7am !!

Monday, 5 May 2008

May 5th 2008

About 300+ Common and Arctic Terns at Grutness, + a few common migrants around Sumburgh Farm.

Common & Arctic Terns

Friday, 2 May 2008

May 2nd 2008

Male Scaup in Lerwick on Clickimin, male Scaup on Spiggie, 1 Ruff at Hillwell, 1st Year Iceland Gull at Quendale, Lesser Whitethroat and Reed Bunting in Virkie Willows.

Iceland Gull

Thursday, 1 May 2008

May 1st 2008

Male Redstart in garden.

About Me

Sometimes I try to do things but it just doesn't work out the way I want it to, and I get real frustrated and then like I try hard to do it, and I like, take my time but it just doesn't work out the way I want it to. It's like, I concentrate on it real hard, but it just doesn't work out. And everything I do and everything I try, it never turns out. It's like, I need time to figure these things out, but there's always someone there going “hey Steve, you know we've been noticing you've been having a lot of problems lately, you know? You need to maybe get away. And like, maybe you should talk about it, you'll feel a lot better.” And I'm all like “oh, nah, it's ok, you know. I'll figure it out. Just leave me alone, I'll figure it out, you know? I'm just working on it by myself.” And they go “well, you know, if you wanna talk about it, I'll be here, you know? And you'll probably feel a lot better if you talk about it. So why don't you talk about it?” I go “no, I don't want to! I'm ok. I'll figure it out myself!” But they just keep bugging me, they just keep bugging me, and it builds up inside.I was in my house and I was just like staring at the walls thinking about everything, but then again I was thinking about nothing. And then my wife came in, and I didn't even know she was there. She called my name and I didn't hear her and then she started screaming “Steve, Steve !” And I go “what ? What's the matter ?” She goes “what's the matter with you?” I go “there's nothing wrong” She’s all “don't tell me that ! You're on drugs !” I go “FFS, I'm not on drugs. I'm ok, I'm just thinking, you know? Why don't you get me a Pepsi?” She goes “No! You're on drugs!” I go “I'm ok. I'm just thinking.” She goes “No! You're not thinking, you're on drugs! Normal people don't be acting that way!” I go “just get me a Pepsi ! Please, all I want is a Pepsi !” And she wouldn't give it to me! All I wanted was a Pepsi, just one Pepsi, and she wouldn't give it to me! Just a Pepsi !I'm sitting in my house, when a couple of my mates came in. they pulled up a chair and they sat down. They go “Steve, we need to talk to you.” And I go “ok, what's the matter?” They go “we've noticed that lately you've been having a lot of problems, and you've been going off on one for no reason, and we're afraid you're going to hurt somebody, and we're afraid you're going to hurt yourself. So we decided that it would be in your best interest if we put you somewhere where you could get the help that you need.” And I go “wait, what are you talking about, WE decided ? MY best interests ? How do you know what MY best interest is ? How can you say what MY best interest is ? What are you trying to say? I'm crazy ? They say they're gonna fix my brain. Alleviate my suffering and my pain. But by the time they fix my head, Mentally I'll be dead. They stuck me in an institution, said it was the only solution, to give me the needed professional help, to protect me from the enemy, myself !
Doesn't matter, I'll probably get hit by a car anyways !!!!