Shagged Out.

Having spent three weeks in Alaska last year, and being blown away by the Pacific Sea-birds around the Kenai Fjords and the Pribilof Islands, this year I've decided to put a bit of effort into their Atlantic counterparts. So most of today was spent on the cliffs at the end of Scatness, getting up close to the Shags etc (a bit dodgy, leaning over cliffs in a 20mph wind !).
Other birds included - 2 Chiffchaffs and a Fieldfare in the Garden, and a Ruddy Shelduck at Spiggie.


Shag.

Shag.

Shag.

Shags.

Shag.

Shag.

Black Guillemot.

Gannet.

Gannet.

Fieldfare.

Ruddy Shelduck.

Ruddy Shelduck.

Great White Egret.

After walking around Scatness for hours and seeing very little (one each of Lesser Whitethroat, Robin, Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff), a Great White Egret on Brow Marsh was most welcome, if a bit distant - a definite air of the Med the last couple of days with the Kite, Nightingale and now this Egret.


Great White Egret.

Great White Egret.

Great White Egret.

Black Kite & Nightingale.

Up early to try for the Black Kite, seen yesterday evening at Sandwick, arrived in the Sandwick/Cunningsburgh area at about 7am, and then sat in the fog for over an hour !!! After the fog had burnt off, scanned the hills and valleys for another 2 hours - no sign. Moved location, south, to Channerwick and spent another hour scanning the hills there - still no sign !! However on getting back to Sumburgh, got some news that the Kite was feeding on a dead Rabbit at the side of the road back at Channerwick - exactly where myself and 'the Bell' had just been scanning ! after a mad dash north we were soon watching the bird, it continued to show on and off for about the next 2 hours - down to the pub for a celebratory pint or two (or seven as it turned out). Pub time called short with a Nightingale showing reasonably well at nearby Toab.


Black Kite.

Black Kite.

Black Kite.

Black Kite.

Black Kite.

Nightingale.

Nightingale.

Angle Shades.

2 Lesser Whitethroats, a Willow Warbler and a singing Chiffchaff in the Garden, 2 Swallows over and a Common Tern on the rocks in front of the house. Lapwings still displaying at the back of the Loch. The best migrant was an Angle Shades, caught in the moth trap last night with a White-shouldered House Moth.


Angle Shades.

Angle Shades.

White-shouldered House Moth.

Lapwing.

Lapwing.

Lapwing.

Lapwing.

House Martin.

Goldcrest and Chiffchaff in the Garden, 2 Swallows and a House Martin over the end of the runway and 3 Black-tailed Godwits flew north in front of the house towards Quendale.

Subalp overdose.

Most of the morning spent at Scatness with the Subalpine Warbler, which was showing stupidly well in the sunshine - also at Scatness - 1st summer Iceland Gull, 7 Swallows, 9 Whimbrel and 2 Lesser Whitethroats. Lesser Whitethroat still in the Garden.


Subalpine Warbler.

Subalpine Warbler.

Subalpine Warbler.

Subalpine Warbler.

Subalpine Warbler.

Subalpine Warbler.

Black-headed Gull.

Starling.

Lesser Whitethroat.

Chiffchaff and Lesser Whitethroat in the Garden (+ at least 7 Swallows going north), 2 Whimbrel and the 1st summer Kumlien's Gull still at Scatness.


Chiffchaff.

Chiffchaff.

Lesser Whitethroat.

Sub Alp Returns !

Finally went out at about 5:30, after all the rain had stopped, checked a few gardens at Scatness and, amazingly, the Subalpine Warbler was sub-singing in the same garden it was in at 9am yesterday ! Also at Scatness - 2 Swallow and 2 Sand Martin. 2 1st summer Iceland Gulls (inc Kumlien's type) and a Swallow past the House, female Blackcap and Chiffchaff in the Garden.


Subalpine Warbler.

Subalpine Warbler.

The Subalpine Warbler Garden - not sure how it managed remain undetected in here from 9am yesterday until 6pm today !

Blackcap - Hiding in the rain.

Sub Alp Dip.

Managed to dip on a male Subalpine Warbler just down the road at the end of Scatness - due to the fact that Vodafone can't seem to be able to maintain a signal when the weather is sunny and calm - maybe they need some kind of digital Viagra for the mast on Mossy Hill ! After searching for the Subalp for about 5 hours in total to no avail, did, at least see some other stuff - a male Ring-necked/Tufted Hybrid on the Loch, 2 1st summer Iceland Gulls (inc 1 showing some characteristics of Kumlien's Gull), 3 Fieldfare, 2 Swallow, a Sand Martin, 2 Chiffchaff and an Arctic Skua. Also a Large White in the Rhubarb Patch.


Large White.

Fulmar.

Oystercatcher & Bonxie.

Arctic Skua.

Iceland Gull (showing some characteristics of Kumlien's Gull).

Sand Martin (honest).

Swallow.