Patch Highlights September

A few pics from around the patch taken during September.

Chiffchaff

Kestrel

Redstart

Spotted Flycatcher

Sparrowhawk

Yellow-browed Warblers

New Birds

The first hint of a south-easterly and new birds on the patch - 2 Willow Warblers, a Siskin, 6 Swallows, a Sparrowhawk, 1 Arctic and 2 Common Terns and 3 Goldfinch ( in the garden, no less ).

Goldfinch

Sparrowhawk

Willow Warbler

Photogenic Turnstones on the Loch

Hell 'n' Dale 'n' That

Now that it's light enough in the morning to go birding after work, I've been checking Helendale, Clickimin and Seafield before the 9 O'clock bus home. This week was a bit like being back south, with 2 Blue Tits, 2 Great Tits, a Sparrowhawk, 2 Wood Pigeons and 3 Chaffinches in Helendale. Seafield a bit disappointing with just a few Redwings and Blackbirds.

Blue Tit

Great Tit

Blackbird

Sparrowhawk

The Fall

From the 19/4 until the end of April, there was a bit of a fall on Shetland, and the patch did quite well out of it (for a change !). Highlights included Black Redstart and Great Grey Shrike in the garden on the 20th, 3 Ring Ouzels, a Reed Bunting, 2 Wood Pigeons and 57 Robins on the 21st, White-tailed Eagle over on the 29th and a Sedge Warbler on the 30th. Plus Goldcrests and Dunnocks most days, a Sparrowhawk on the 22nd and 2 Iceland Gulls on the 19th - a pretty good 10 day spell.

Sparrowhawk

Black Redstart

Dunnock

Great Grey Shrike

Goldcrest

Iceland Gull

Ring Ouzels

Sedge Warbler

Wood Pigeon

White-tailed Eagle

Marsh.

The wind swinging around to the south west seems to have stirred things up a bit. with Marsh Harrier and Sparrowhawk on the patch today, also, 3 Lapland Buntings, 4 Garden Warblers, a Barred Warbler, 3 Ruff, 2 Knot, a Spotted Flycatcher, a Redstart and 2 Willow Warblers. The American Golden Plover from Virkie flew towards the patch, but after checking all of the possible suitable habitats, no luck !

Marsh Harrier.

Lapland Bunting.

Garden Warbler.

Ruff.

Sparrowhawk.

When I Dip !

Pretty quiet around Scatness, although fog and rain didn't help, a quick look in the morning got me 1 very wet Chiffchaff. News of a Red Kite (a Shetland tick !) at Levenwick came through in the afternoon - so that's Scatness abandoned and off to Levenwick, though not before getting another patch year-tick in the form of a Sparrowhawk which flew over the house just as I was leaving. Got to Levenwick and promptly dipped on the Kite, it had just buggered off into the mist - sometimes there seems to be no justice ! Another brief look at Scatness early evening, and another year-tick - Pintail.

Sparrowhawk.

October 9th 2008.

Chiffchaff and Sparrowhawk in the garden.

Sparrowhawk (munching House Sparrow).

September 18th 2008.

Spent the morning around Toab, rain in afternoon.

18 Sanderling and 2 Swallow at Scord.

4 Spotted Flycatcher, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 10 Chaffinch, 3 Whitethroat, 4 Willow Warbler, 1 Chiffchaff, 3 Redstart, 2 Song Thrush, 3 Robin, 4 Blackcap, 17 Black-tailed Godwits, 4 Bar-tailed Godwits, 15 Knot and a Sparrowhawk at Toab.

8 Bar-tailed Godwits, 15 Black-tailed Godwits and a Kestrel at Pool of Virkie.

1 Spotted Flycatcher, 1 Redstart, 1 Robin, 1 Kestrel, 2 Blackcaps and a Whitethroat in the Garden.

Whitethroat in the Garden & Sparrowhawk taking a beating from the local Starlings.