March

Apart from a fly-through Hen Harrier on the 31st, most of March was pretty much a waste of time. The usual fare managed to sneak in though with Song Thrush on the 11th, Chaffinch on the 12th, Goldcrest on the 18th, Pied Wagtail on the 26th,Moorhen, Shelduck and Bar-tailed Godwit on the 28th and a Siskin on the 31st. Despite there being Stonechats on areas outside the patch this month, I still managed not to find one!

Goldcrest

Chaffinch

Siskin

Purple Sandpiper

Fulmar

Sunset with Fitful Head

Hebrew Character

Looking southwest from the garden

Black Red

Three year ticks on the patch today - Wheatear, Pied Wagtail and Black Redstart. Still quite a few birds kicking about, today's totals are - 3 Goldcrests, 4 Chiffchaff, 5 Brambling, 2 Chaffinch, 1 Linnet, 1 Robin, 4 Pied Wagtail, 1 Song Thrush, 1 Wheatear and 1 Black Redstart.

Black Redstart

Brambling

Chiffchaff

Chaffinch

Goldcrest

Pied Wagtails

Sumburgh Head from Scatness

Fall in the garden

A bit of a mini fall in the garden today with Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Brambling, Chaffinch, Robin and Dunnock all present.

Blackcap

Brambling

Chaffinch

Dunnock

Robin

Missing

Fine weather for the last few days of March and the beginning of April - but still missing Wheatear, Dunnock and Pied Wagtail for the year-list. The male Siskin remained in the garden until the 2nd replaced by 4 Chaffinches on the 3rd and 2 Pintail remained on the Loch throughout. A sunset, through the gloom one night, showed a small sunspot.

Chaffinch

Siskin

Sunspot

March - the first half

Just two year-ticks so far in March - Skylark and Chaffinch - and that's with checking the patch out every day so far this month ! Other highlights - up to 5 Shelduck on most days, Peregrine on the 6th, 5 Pintails on the 15th, a Robin from the 9th and 9 Barnacle Geese on the 18th.

Barnacle Geese

Chaffinch

Shelduck

Last Week

A bit of a hint of spring last week, with a few Pied Wagtails, Robins, Dunnocks and Chaffinch on the patch, plus 5 Common Scoters still in Quendale Bay.

Some Crap

Some crap from the last few weeks -

A Chaffinch in the garden, so far the rarest bird on the patch this month (yes, it really is that bad !!!)

Whooper Swans.

Male Goldeneye.

Long-tailed Ducks.

The tropical looking West Voe.

And yet another storm on its way.

Inside.

Stuck inside all day, due to the snow, 7 Blackbirds, a Chaffinch, 2 Redwing, a Fieldfare, a Snipe and tons of Sparrows and Starlings having a right good feed in the garden.


Blackbird.

Chaffinch.

Redwing.

Snipe.

During one of the few times today that the sky was clear.

It's Grim Up North.

Owing to the fact there was sod all at Scatness (just a female Chaffinch and a pair of Linnets), a trip up north to Unst for the Black Stork was in order. The bird was initially in the burn at Burrafirth and then decided to fly all over the place getting mobbed by Bonxies and Oycs. Better views than the 2008 Ronas Hill bird, with a couple of fairly close fly-bys.
A brief stop on the way home for a quick look at the Hybrid thing at Sandwater, to see what the fuss was about - and well, it is a very odd looking thing that seems to be a Pochard x Pintail !

Black Stork.

Hybrid Duck.

Chaffinch.

Linnet.