Big and Small

Two days around the patch and sod all in the way of migrants ! Plenty of time playing with the camera then....

Wrens

Fulmars

Shetland Wren

More from the patch today....

Trog

'Shetland' Wren and other bits and bobs from the patch -

Golden Plovers

Shetland Wren

Hybrid Duck

Some Stuff

Now that it's the middle of July, and the patch is pretty crap, so here's some stuff from the past few weeks -

Great Northern Diver - at least 4 birds are summering around the patch



Wheatear - one of a few species that have had a good breeding season this year




Wren




Silver Y




Middle-barred Minor




Large White




Rhingia campestris



Happy House.

Another futile walk around the patch, on the strength of a Red-backed Shrike at Virkie and a Marsh Warbler on Whalsay, there was maybe a chance of getting something half decent - no way Pedro - 2 House Martins and 5 Sanderling was about it ! Seems that Wrens are having a good year, with at least 3 broods now wandering around Scatness (though numbers may decline rapidly if they discover my moth trap !)

House Martins.

Redshank.

Wren.

It's all over now, baby blue.

It looks like it's all over for this spring, a couple of hours on the patch and nothing ! Looks like it's going to be a couple of months relying on the moth trap to produce something good, and as the garden has already had 2 first for Shetland (Reed Dagger and Dark Spectacle) and several seconds and thirds, it may just keep some kind of interest going until the autumn (which is only about 10 weeks away !). Until then I think I'll just enjoy the good weather, as long as it lasts, and get a few shots of common stuff at Scatness.


Lapwing.

Redshank.

Wren.

.....and Justice for all.

Justice at last, news of the Red Kite at Cunningsburgh at dinner time had me heading north again, at least most of the mist had gone today but heavy rain was just around the corner, so confidence wasn't too high. As it turned out it was all pretty easy - saw the bird over the hill side pretty much straight away as it was being mobbed by Ravens and some Hooded Crows and occasionally saw it perched on the fence posts at the top of the hill, this scenario continued for some time before, yet again, it lifted into the returning mist.
Back at Scatness it was year-ticks galore - a House Martin along the cliffs, 7 Swallow and 6 Sand Martin at the back of the Loch, Arctic Skua over the house and a Common Tern at Scord Beach. The Canada Goose, from a few days ago, returned and the 5 Barnacles, the Brent and 28 Pink-feet remain. A Blackcap and a Willow Warbler were present in the garden and a female Merlin flew past late afternoon.

Red Kite.

Canada Goose.

Great Northern Diver.

Wren.

Mass Fledging.

It seems like today was the day that everything fledged ! loads of young Starlings around Scatness and at least 3 broods of Wrens all moving about the dry stone walls (no doubt the Wrens will be trying to help me in their own way soon, as they empty my Moth trap before I get to it !).
18 Whimbrel (14 flying south & 4 on the beach) look like signs of autumn being just around the corner.
Several Painted Ladies seen flying around as well.

Wrens.

Rock Pipit.

Painted Lady.

Third Time Lucky.

Three visits to Scatness today, as it's still blowing a south-easterly.
Visit One - Nothing !
Visit Two - Still nothing, but Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler and 2 Redstarts in the Garden.
Visit Three - At last - 3 Tree Pipits, 3 Swallows, 3 Whooper Swans, 2 Goosander (which kindly flew past the Garden at dusk, taking the House list up to 166), 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Lesser Whitethroat and a male Bluethroat !
Have just been informed, by the Missus, that there was a Turtle Dove in the Garden at 6am this morning !


Common Sandpiper.

Redstart.

Suicidal Wren.

Whooper Swans.