Shetland Misfit: September 2008

Tuesday, 30 September 2008

September 30th 2008. Message in a Bottle.

Spent most of the day around Scatness (between showers), hoping to find a Yank - not today tho'.

2 Tree Pipits, 1 Wheatear, 10 Wigeon, 6 Whooper Swans, 2 Grey Heron, 50+ Skylark, 2 Bonxie, 1 Sanderling and 8 Dunlin around Scatness. Lots of Gulls and Gannets feeding in Quendale Bay.

Message in a Bottle found on Moast Beach from County Donegal, Ireland, put in the sea off Malin Head in August.

Bottle Message & Gannet.

Gannets.

Black-headed & Great Black-backed Gulls.

Herring Gulls.

Swell over Lady's Holm & Rainbow over Quendale Bay.

Saturday, 27 September 2008

September 27th 2008. Western Bonelli's Warbler.

Went up to Lunna in central Mainland, late afternoon to see a Western Bonelli's Warbler (the 4th one I've seen since moving to Shetland in 2002).

Western Bonelli's Warbler.

Friday, 26 September 2008

September 26th 2008. Home at last.

Morning on Fair isle.

Little Bunting in the Utra Crop, 2 Ruff at South Light, Lapland Bunting on Gilsetter and 7 Yellow-browed Warblers seen.
Eventually flew off the Island at 11am - thanks to Josie and Dave at South Light for looking after us at such short notice and to Del for finding the Flycatcher and the Thrush.

Thursday, 25 September 2008

September 25th 2008. Siberian Thrush.

All day on Fair Isle.

Started the day by finding a Bluethroat at Utra and picking up a few birds in the South end of the Island - Pied Flycatcher, Whinchats, Siskin, Lesser Whitethroats and 2 Ruff. At about 11am the Obs van came round waving the red flag - male Siberian Thrush on the cliffs near Ward Hill !! Having seen the one on Foula last year, decided to play it cool and stay in the South, and try and find something rare. Within the hour found Arctic Warbler at the Haa.
Eventually went up Ward Hill and saw the Thrush at about 3pm - it was still in the same place, down the side of a cliff about 60 yards away.
Also seen on the Island - Little Bunting by the Shop and 17 Yellow-browed Warbler at various places.

Arctic Warbler.

Bluethroat.

Little Bunting & Ruff.

Siberian Thrush.

Yellow-browed Warblers.

Siberian Thrush - Fair Isle.

Wednesday, 24 September 2008

Brown Flycatcher - Fair Isle Sept '08

September 24th 2008. Brown Flycatcher.

Spent most of the day around South Mainland, until it all went mad again !!!

1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Whinchat, 3 Ruff, 42 Lapwing, 1 Golden Plover and a Merlin at Exnaboe.

1 Blackcap, 4 Siskin and a Lesser Whitethroat in the Garden.

Red-throated Diver and 6 Harbour Porpoise in Quendale Bay.

Caught a flight out of Sumburgh at 4pm for Fair Isle and was watching the 1w Brown Flycatcher around the mast on Ward Hill by 4.30. Added bonus on Fair Isle - Red-flanked Bluetail at the South end of the island seen just before dark, also 8 Yellow-browed Warblers seen (45+ present on the island !).

Brown Flycatcher.

Monday, 22 September 2008

September 22nd 2008. Clear out.

Big clear out of birds last night - very few migrants seen.

4 Whinchat, 1 Blackcap, 1 Willow Warbler, 12 Wigeon, 1 Gadwall, 1 Ruff and a Merlin at Scatness.

5 Robin, 1 Song Thrush, 1 Willow Warbler, 2 Blackcap, 1 North-western Redpoll and a Merlin around the Sumburgh Hotel/Farm area.

Lapland Bunting flew south over the runway near Virkie Willows.

Wheatear & Gadwall at Scatness.

Cormorant off Scatness.

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 !!!!