Friday 28 November 2008

November 25th - 28th.

Peregrine at Quendale on 25th, Merlin at Grutness and Waxwing in Virkie Willows on 28th. Otherwise lots of rain and darkness.


Shag & Merlin.

Monday 24 November 2008

November 24th 2008. Black Redstart.

South Mainland.

250+ Greylag Geese, female Merlin, 10 Whooper Swan, 43 Wigeon, 13 Tufted Duck and a Grey Heron at Scatness.
40+ Long-tailed Duck, 1st year Iceland Gull (eating a road-killed Blackbird !) and Black Redstart at West Voe of Sumburgh.
4 Fieldfare, 3 Redwing and 26 Snow Bunting at Sumburgh Head.
Robin at Grutness.



Black Redstart.
Black Redstart & Rock Pipit.

Saturday 22 November 2008

November 22nd 2008. Gulls.

Spent all day in and around Lerwick, looking for the Ivory Gull seen yesterday afternoon - no sign ! 2 1st year Iceland Gulls at the Shetland Catch, and a 2nd year near Tesco.


Herring Gulls.






Iceland Gulls.
Kittiwake.
Kittiwake & Long-tailed Duck.

Friday 14 November 2008

November 14th 2008.

2 Chiffchaffs in the Garden, 23 Greylag Geese in front of the House, heavy rain all day !!!



Chiffchaffs.

Thursday 13 November 2008

November 13th 2008.

Great Northern & Red-throated Divers in the bay in front of the House.

Great Northern Diver.

Tuesday 11 November 2008

November 11th 2008. Hume's Warbler.

Spent the whole day on Bressay, started off at Gorie - 1 Long-eared Owl, 5 Fieldfare and a Robin, then checked various other birdless sites, finishing up at Gardie House. Found Hume's Warbler while Gary was trying to get better views of a Water Rail around the pond. the Hume's was pretty elusive, but was calling a fair bit and responded immediately to an ipod (didn't respond at all to Yellow-browed calls or - due to Gary's DJ skills - Radde's Warbler or Rufous Woodpecker !!).
Also at Gardie - 2 Robins, 2 Water Rail and a Chiffchaff.
Gary's photo's of the Hume's can be seen here -
http://www.nature-shetland.co.uk/naturelatest/latestbirds.htm



Hume's Warbler.
Long-eared Owl.

Monday 10 November 2008

November 10th 2008. Yellow-browed.

Yellow-browed Warbler in the Garden, mid morning - given the date and the wind direction, it ought to have been a Hume's - no justice !! Also Robin in the Garden and 3 Common Scoters in Quendale Bay.

Saturday 8 November 2008

November 8th 2008. White-fronts.

6 Woodcock, 2 Goldcrest and a Black Redstart around Sumburgh Farm, 5 White-fronted Geese flew south past the House mid afternoon, 1 Robin in the Garden.


White-fronted Geese.

Friday 7 November 2008

November 7th 2008.

1 Waxwing, 5 Fieldfare, 7 Redwing and a Robin in the Garden, Brent Goose past the House.


Redwing.

Thursday 6 November 2008

November 6th 2008.

Started off in Lerwick and checked most of the trees between there and South Mainland.

4 Chiffchaff and 2 Waxwing in Helenedale, A Chiffchaff and a Robin at Casho, 2 Goldcrest, a Sparrowhawk and 3 Chaffinch at Wester Quarff, A Chiffchaff and 100+ Redwing at Hoswick, Water Rail at Channerwick, 60+ Fieldfare and a Merlin on Mossy Hill, 100+ Redwing, 20 Fieldfare, 50+ Blackbird, a Robin and a Waxwing at Geosetter, Single Waxwing in the Garden at dusk.



Merlin on Mossy Hill.

Wednesday 5 November 2008

November 5th 2008. Olive-backed Pipit.

Eventually saw the Olive-backed Pipit at Toab, after it had disappeared for a good while. Also around Toab - 2 Robin, 2 Waxwing, 120+ Twite and 1 Kestrel.

2 Fieldfare, 6 Redwing, 3 Snow Bunting and a Waxwing around Old Scatness Broch.

4 Waxwing in the Garden.


Olive-backed Pipit.

Tuesday 4 November 2008

November 4th 2008. Another Waxwing.

A single Waxwing spent all day in the Garden, feeding on apples and rose hips (a different bird from 2 days ago), another 3 Waxwing flew south over the house at about 3 pm.


Waxwing.