More Moffs

Another quiet week around the patch, with just a Common Whitethroat singing in the garden today.
On the moth front, a third for Shetland ! An Elachista argentella trapped on the 20th.



Elachista argentella





Who knows ?!!!  see comments

 

Blastobasis lacticocella - numbers building up in the trap about 2 weeks earlier than last year



Ingrailed Clay - and a whack looking one at that



By Popular Demand

After much debating in the pub last night as to what vids to put on my blog, no proper winner came out, so here's a few that were mentioned - the first one is the infamous Mr Ryder on TFI Friday "we're sorry, we're sorry, we're so, so sorry". Especially for Mr Dunn (do you only have drinks that have your initials on them JD ?).

Second on is Placebo - Nancy Boy, it's said that 'it's fun to take a trip', but I wouldn't recommend watching this vid if you have.

And Finally, my personal favourite - Cradle of Filth - Her Ghost in the Fog, operatic thrash at its best !

Enjoy !!!!

'Portlandica' ?

As promised at some time, I can't remember when, some more shots of the 'portlandica' Arctic Tern at Scatness last Friday. If indeed they are still known as 'portlandicas' or whether or not this is one. Whatever the case it still looks a little out of place in amongst the Arctic Tern colony.



The 'portlandica'




Typical Arctic Tern



Vomit Birds




Puffins - only included because they are patch year-ticks !





Shags



Crap

there was going to be an update coming about a 'portlandica' Artic Tern  on the patch, but being that i've sat in 'da wheel' all afternoon suppin, it will have to wait, anyway here's a picture -

Angry William

Still quiet on the patch, with only a male Pintail on the 14th to show for all the effort, a juv Crossbill in the garden on 15th was a year-tick.

Moffs

Now that its summer, its hardley surprising that the birding is crap (despite the current run of easterlies), although I did year-tick Swift today. After a full run around the patch, and getting 2 Great Northern Divers in Quendale Bay for all the effort, the only other migrants around were 2 Silver Ys in the moth trap.

Garden Carpet




Map-winged Swift




Silver Y




Great Northern Diver



Time gentlemen please....

No birding at all today (no sign of the Rosefinch in the garden was as far as it got), however a grand day out in the town, on the lash all afternoon and then this at the Clickimin in the evening -

Still Singin'

The male Common Rosefinch is still singing in the garden, now joined by a singing Chiffchaff. The Rosefinch is sporting a nice new and shiny leg iron, so presumably wasn't rung that long ago.

European Paddybird.

All the way up to Northmavine for a first for Shetland - Squacco Heron at Urafirth - showing incredibly well on occasion, but spending quite a bit of its time tucked under the bank, hiding.
On the way back home a quick stop at Kergord for no Subalpine Warbler in the pissing rain, so it was off to Burra for the Long-tailed Skua - porn views !!

Singing Rosefinch

A fine singing red male Common Rosefinch in the garden today (I think that this is possibly the reddest one I've ever seen)

Another 'Boris'

A nice, calm, windless day and a time for some photo opps in West Voe, though my attention soon wandered of into the realms of Northern Eider, with at least one, probably two, possibly three 'Borealis' present - the lobe shape is spot on for one of them and a bit in between for the other two, all three had sails of some sort though.



and then I got bored and started taking shots of Fulmars !



Puffins

From Sumburgh Head on 26/5

Arctic Skua

Some photos of Arctic Skua from the patch on 25/5

New and improved ?

With Blogger doing a new and improved version of things, it meant that for several days I couldn't do any updates, plus a couple of posts have gone missing into the ether, and finally, when everything was supposedly OK I couldn't log in !!!

So here's a summary from the last few weeks -



Common Redpoll - one in the garden for a few days, and a year-tick.




female Pintail on the Loch on 25/5




Barnacle Goose on the Loch for a few days towards the end of May




Garden Warbler in the Hotel Garden on 26/5




Icterine Warbler at Sumburgh Head on 26/5




Sedge Warbler in the garden on 26/5 - garden tick !!!




Whinchat - another year-tick on 26/5





Mutes Swans - up to 8 have been on the Loch during May




Wood Pigeon - the only migrant on 4/6