Shetland Misfit: 2017

Saturday, 30 December 2017

December Highlights

The only highlights on the patch for December was a Pink-footed Goose seen a couple of times with the Greylags and the Northern Lights showed a couple of times too.

Northern Lights from the garden

Pink-footed Goose

Tuesday, 21 November 2017

Huge surprise on the patch, the 'Greenland' White-fronted Goose that has been around for the last couple of days, looks like it is of the subspecies 'gambelli' - the bill on it is huge! More on Gambelli here.

Wednesday, 15 November 2017

Dunnock

At last, finally year ticked Dunnock with one in the garden this morning.

Saturday, 4 November 2017

PBG - 1st for Shetland

Not a lot on the patch apart from a very late Wheatear, the day was somewhat salvaged with Shetland's first Pied-billed Grebe on Spiggie, giving distant views from the road.

Wheatear

Pied-billed Grebe

Tuesday, 31 October 2017

Patch Highlights October

October was hard work on the patch with not that many easterlies, but there were a few highlights.

Bramblings

Barnacle Geese

Mistle Thrush

Redwings

Ring Ouzels

Siskin

Slav Grebe

Spotted Flycatcher

Song Thrushes

Thursday, 19 October 2017

White-winged Scoter

Yesterday I made a trip to Whalsay, got piss wet through, but managed to see the Steppe Grey Shrike albeit distantly and in the rain! Today headed up to Unst and got crippling views of the White-winged Scoter on Loch of Belmont. And it's still raining!!

White-winged Scoter

Thursday, 5 October 2017

Parrots

A quick look around the south end of Lerwick after work for the Parrot Crossbills, 3 birds were in the same tree that they were found in a few days earlier before moving down to a garden near Sound cemetery. I did have a look yesterday, but only had a female type flying towards Helendale calling.

Parrot Crossbill

Saturday, 30 September 2017

Patch Highlights September

A few pics from around the patch taken during September.

Chiffchaff

Kestrel

Redstart

Spotted Flycatcher

Sparrowhawk

Yellow-browed Warblers

Monday, 18 September 2017

BBC @ DoW

A mad dash up to Dale of Walls before work for the Black-billed Cuckoo, watched it on a couple of occasions as it worked its way up the burn. Photos not brilliant as it was pissing down and nearly dark!

Friday, 25 August 2017

Ruff

Barred Warbler, Redstart, Greenshank, 2 Chiffchaffs,Whinchat, Garden Warbler, Green Sandpiper and 5 Ruff around the patch today.

Green Sandpiper

Garden Warbler

Chiffchaff

Ruff

Redstart

Thursday, 24 August 2017

They're here....

Autumn has finally arrived and has started of quite nicely with 2 Barred Warblers in the garden along with a Garden Warbler and 5 Willow Warblers. Just 1 Willow Warbler on the rest of the patch, but it was pissing down all day, so I'm sure there's more to be found out there when the weather clears.

Barred Warblers

Monday, 31 July 2017

Summer Moths

Some Moths from the summer trapping sessions.

Clouded-bordered Brindle

Dark Sword Grass

Dusky Brocade

Flame Shoulder

Ghost

Gold Spot

Lychnis

Magpie

Marbled Coronet

White-line Dart

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 !!!!