Shetland Misfit: Arctic Redpoll

Showing posts with label Arctic Redpoll. Show all posts

Sunday, 21 November 2010

Red Stars.

Doing the patch this weekend amounted to going as far as the private crop and no further, as on both yesterday and today, the only birds to see were Redpolls. 8 Birds were present on Saturday, including a Coue's, and today there were 22, including what looks like a different Coue's. A quick scan of West Voe on Saturday and the King Eider was still there.

Coue's Arctic Redpoll number one (Sat), this bird showed no dark streaks at all on the undertail and had a fairly large and unmarked white rump. This bird showed a pale forehead sometimes and other times not, depending on posture.

Coue's Arctic Redpoll number two (Sun), this bird showed unmarked undertail covers, apart from one small greyish streak, that wasn't always visible, unmarked white rump, slightly less extensive than the other bird and a small hint of a very pale pinkish was to the 'cheeks'. This bird showed a pale forehead.

Some of the other Common Redpolls present.

Thursday, 2 October 2008

October 2nd 2008. Arctic Redpoll.

All day spent on Unst.

Stunning views of the Arctic Redpoll with 6 Common Redpoll at Valyie (+ a couple of Lesser Whitethroats), 4 Chiffchaffs at Skaw, a Snow Bunting on Lamba Ness (hundreds of Gannets offshore), Common Redpoll in the crop at Northdale with 2 Goldcrest, 15+ Goldcrest, 6 Blackcap, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, a Yellow-browed Warbler and a Chiffchaff at Haligarth.
Failed to locate the American Golden Plover at Baltasound.

Arctic Redpoll.

Common Redpoll & Golden Plover.

Gannets off Lamba Ness.

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 !!!!