Heatwave.

Very little wind and constant sunshine all day made it feel almost like the Med ! The day started with what was to be just a quick scan from the Garden, looking north towards Quendale to see if I could finally get the Honey Buzzard on the house-list, after scanning for a few minutes, picked up a raptor flying towards me, but still miles away. After dashing inside to get the 'scope, the bird had got a bit closer, however, once in the 'scope it turned out to be the White-tailed Eagle and not the HB ! After getting as close as Exnaboe, the bird then turned around and flew back north out of sight.
Finally got to the end of the Scatness road, just as a Warbler disappeared into the 'Subalp' Roses, as I stopped to try and push it out to get some views of it, shockingly, an Otter came out instead ! Managed to get some views in the end of a Marsh Warbler, as it showed on and off, but was singing quite often. Later in the day 6 Canada Geese flew past the house towards the Loch.
A Grey Wagtail was on the house roof at 10pm.
Several Painted Ladies and Silver Ys on the wing.


Canada Geese.

Otter.

Painted Lady.

Silver Y.

More Sanderlings.

No apologies for even more Sanderling shots, as they are very confiding (and entertaining) on Moast Beach at the moment. All the seaweed on Moast is absolutely crawling with maggots - presumably Seaweed Fly larvae - no wonder it's covered with Waders. A Turtle Dove landed on the beach briefly - it's natural habitat in Shetland !

Sanderlings.

Turnstone.

Common Gull.

Scatness.

A few hours on the patch between surveys - last weeks Subalpine Warbler remains, now sub-singing and being generally secretive, 102 Sanderling and the 1st summer Iceland Gull were on Moast Beach - not much of a beach at the moment, as it is covered in rotting seaweed about 4 foot deep ! Just missed a 1st summer Little Gull on the Loch (moved off towards West Voe about 10 minutes before I arrived).


Subalpine Warbler.

Sanderling.

Arctic Terns.

Iceland Gull.

Herring Gull.

Bressay.

A day on Bressay, surveying - plenty of Bonxies on territories (tho' only one pair could be bothered to mob me), good views of both Dunlin and Golden Plover at breeding sites and several Shetland Bumblebees in the Gorie garden.


Dunlin.

Golden Plover.

Bonxies.

Shetland Bumblebee.

'Something' being towed past Noss.

Sanderlings.

Saw the Laughing Gull again this morning, as it fed with other Gulls, off the end of the Runway. Even better was a flock of 93 'tame as yer like' Sanderlings on Scord Beach - the only things that seemed to put the wind up them were Bonxies and the occasional big wave. Another 72 Sanderling were on Moast Beach along with a 1st summer Iceland Gull.

Sanderlings.

Iceland Gull.