Crossbills & Garden Tick.

After the wind went to a light NNE last night, I felt pretty sure there would be something kicking around today. It all looked good as I looked out of the kitchen window first thing, to find 9 Crossbills in the garden, munching on the rose-hips (looking at the state they were in, they must of been through some crappy weather to get here). Fired up, I then checked Scatness - nothing ! apart from a lot of Meadow Pipits and Skylarks moving south, again, with a Merlin having a pop at them every now and then. After the Italian Grand Prix, got a phone call from 'Mr Bentos' saying there was a Harrier heading my way, as I have not got any Harriers on the garden list, it didn't matter which species it was, it was going to be a garden tick. Pretty easily picked up, thanks to the Starlings going nuts, a Marsh Harrier, heading slowly back north towards the Pool of Virkie and eventually lost to view somewhere around Exnaboe. This now takes the garden list to 171, and to 118 for the year.

Crossbills.

Marsh Harrier.

Wood Sand.

After Thursday's easterlies and yesterday's northerlies, the weather was finally calm enough to actually see what had turned up - not a lot as it happens. A few half decent bits 'n' pieces around Scatness - 3 Common Crossbills feeding on the thistles, a Wood Sandpiper on the small pool, one each of Black-tailed and Bar-tailed Godwit in with the Redshanks, Redstart in the garden and Peregrine and Merlin both present.

Just what you'd expect to see among Meadow Pipits !!

Crossbill.

Peregrine.

Redstart.

Crossbills - Wave Two.

An early start around South Mainland, following south-easterlies and rain last night - 6 Sanderling on West Voe beach, a male Crossbill at the Sumburgh Hotel + 16 Black-tailed Godwits over, 4 Sanderling, 2 Dunlin, 3 Willow Warblers, 2 Whinchat and another Crossbill at Grutness, a Swift, a Willow Warbler and a Tree Pipit at the Farm, a Greenshank on Pool of Virkie, 10 Crossbills and 2 Willow Warblers at Levenwick, and a very elusive Wryneck at Geosetter. The Crossbills at Levenwick were feeding on Rose hips and Thistle heads, pretty much as expected, but the one at the Hotel seemed to be feeding on the Lichen on the roof ! Not sure how much sustenance a Crossbill would get from this, but Reindeer seem to do alright eating Lichens (tho' probably not off hotel roofs !).

Sanderling (demonstrating the phrase 'chasing your own shadow').

Eider.

Male Crossbill.

Female Crossbill.

More Crossbills.

5 Crossbills around the cliffs at Scatness early evening (there were 90+ present earlier in the day !) also, 12 Swallows over the loch and loads of newly fledged Wheatears.


Crossbills.

Young Wheatear.

Gannets and Stuff.

Out at Scatness, looking for any returning waders, sidetracked somewhat by a load of feeding Gannets - really smart looking birds when diving just off the rocks, after taking loads of pictures, went up around the cliffs looking for Crossbills - None ! but good views of Black Guillemots and young Rock Pipits, the unused Ravens nest is now being used by Fulmars. Finally spend a good while around the small pool near Ness of Burgi - 1 Arctic Skua (causing chaos with the Arctic Terns), 3 Turnstone and a Dunlin (the first of the autumn's waders ?), several Oystercatchers and finally 3 Crossbills came in to drink briefly. 3 Linnets (2 ad, 1 juv) along the road on the way home.
Not much doing on the Moth front, with northerly winds and top temperatures of around 14 degrees !

Gannets.

Fulmar - with the 'best nest in the west'.

Black Guillemot.

Young Rock Pipit.

Arctic Skua.

Dunlin.

Oystercatcher.

Turnstones.

Crossbills.

2nd - 6th July Highlights.

Pretty quiet in the summer lull - 1-2 Crossbills around the garden on most days, Moth numbers continue to increase - Middle-barred Minor on the 2nd was a new Moth for the garden.


Crossbill.

Young Starling.

Dark Arches (pale form).

Middle-barred Minor.

Swifts and more Crossbills.

After a pretty bird-less day, sat in the garden after tea - 6 Crossbills (3 male, 3 female) came into the roses and left within minutes, 7 Swifts flying around, screaming, overhead for about 90 minutes - as Swift doesn't breed anywhere near Shetland, not sure where they came from or where they thought they were going !

Swifts.

Crossbill.

Red Admiral.

Crossbills.

Finally got Crossbill on the Garden year-list at 7am this morning (now on 111), whilst emptying the moth trap, 4 birds (3 females, 1 male) came in and landed on the fence for about 5 minutes, then they were off. Heard some more go over the house this afternoon, but by then it was foggy, so no idea of how many.

Crossbill.