Lap Bunt

Migrants still very thin on the ground around the patch - Lapland Bunting and a very healthy population of House Sparrows in the stubble field at Old Scatness, Blackcap in the garden, Kestrel and Tree Pipit around Scatness and a Shoveler on the Loch.

The House Sparrow flock

Pinkies

2 Lesser Whitethroats in the garden this morning along with the Yellow-browed Warbler - no sign of the Blyth's Reed, but it is an elusive little bugger. Out on the rest of the patch - a part albino House Sparrow, a Snow Bunting on Moast Beach and 262 Pink-footed Geese over with another 12 on the deck.

House Sparrow

Pink-footed Geese

Aftermath.

In the aftermath of last nights storm, Scatness seems to have survived quite well, the thistles and docks are still standing (but now at 45 degrees), the trees still have plenty of leaves and the one iris bed is still standing tall. Bird wise - well it's better than yesterday anyway, 23 Song Thrushes were kicking about, 11 Goldcrests, a Whinchat, a Redwing, 2 Blackcaps, 3 Lesser Whitethroats, 2 Garden Warblers, 3 Brambling (on the beach !), 13 Lapland Buntings, 90 Twite, 1 Robin, 2 Siskin, a Black Redstart and a Greenshank.
'Miguel Sanchez', the mad Sparrow is still in the garden.

Siskins.

Garden Warbler.

Goldcrest (on the cliffs).

Pied Wagtail.

Mad Sparrow.

What's going on ?

Not sure what's going on now, after a few days of north-westerly winds and no birds, woke up this morning to find Lesser Whitethroat and Chiffchaff in the garden ! The rest of the patch remained true to form though with about 40 Dunlin and 12 Sanderling on Moast Beach and a Silver Y by the Loch being the best I could manage.

Dunlins and Sanderling.

House Sparrow chicklets.

Silver Y.

2G, 2B

A wry look at some events over the weekend.

Too Good One -

Apparently, Shetland has had a good spring after all ! A discussion on Birdforum suggests that lots of rare birds have turned up, but we've kept them all quiet ! Here's a few 'well informed' quotes -
“After a number of incidents last year involving mis-identification of Ring Ouzel as rare thrush sp and the ignominy of having a Lancy found and identified using an Iphone and an Internet forum by some rich twitchers there was a meeting up there and they decided on a news management strategy.So now only a small percentage of the birds on Shetland get released so all the masses start to think it isn’t worth the flight cost.Not only that they created a great smokescreen by getting the Shetland council to apply for loads of grants to promote nature tourism. Instead of spending this on advertising (have you seen any buses near you carrying Shetland Ads?) they've pushed out a few press releases and spent the rest on new camera equipment.So when you're sat late at night wondering why the Shetland Wildlife site is the last one to be updated with the days news its because they're all in the pub deciding what to put out and laughing themselves silly at the quality images they're getting of all the rare from their new 7D's.I bet you thought I'd just made a mistake didn't you?”

“one still wonders if more iberian stuff might have been found if people had put more graft in. Amazing that those two have found 2 Ibe Chiffs this spring.... whose was the Great Reed? Does anyone go birding on Unst when they're not there?”
The full discussion can be seen here

You can't suppress what's not there !

Too Good Two -
Congrats to all the guys who went over to Lundy for the Little Shearwater - an awesome sight indeed in British waters !

Little Shearwater showing well (I know this wasn't the view a few people got, and I am open to bribes to keep that quiet or to reveal the whole story - whichever bid is highest !)

Too Bad One -

That goal - English goalies - stop cleaning your gloves with butter !

Too Bad Two -
Obama rattling on about the oil leak in the gulf of Mexico and how a British company has "polluted all our beaches", agreed it needs sorting out as soon as possible and it is indeed a mega disaster, but maybe America should start cleaning some of it's own mess up as well (see here), before it starts criticizing other nations - stones and glass houses and all that.

Scatness.

After last night's easterly wind and rain, I was hoping for a garden full of Warblers this morning - not a chance ! However, whilst emptying the moth trap (mainly of wet egg cartons), a Green Sandpiper flew over the house bringing the garden year-list up to 112. Down at the end of Scatness , a Ruff and a Greenshank were on the Loch & 10 Knot and 14 Dunlin were on the bathing pool.

Dunlin.

Knot.

Ruff.

Greenshank.

Rock Pipit.

And a few 'satanic' looking birds in the garden.