Disaster.

The year-list is now definitely over, and next years one is going to start late ! Owing to a bizarre accident involving a coughing fit whilst making my way to the bathroom - the result - torn ligaments in my ankle and excruciating pain and a trip to the hospital - now on crutches for 6-8 weeks, so the only birding that's gonna get done is from the living room window !

This is what my ankle now looks like -


And this is what it feels like ! -

Falling Snow.

Back on the patch for a few hours despite the falling snow - the usual drossy stuff being still about, the only highlights being - 2 Jack Snipe, a Golden Plover and 2 Skylarks (scarce on Shetland in winter).


The right (dis)honourable Sir Sparkington de Dawg - not so expert Rabbit chaser !

Skylark.

Curlew.

Greylag Goose.

Golden Plover.

Dark Days.

Now into the dark days of winter, with little or no enthusiasm for thrashing the patch, the few times that I have been out since the weekend it's just been the usual winter fare, and looks like staying that way until at least March !


Snipe.

Goldeneye.

Greylag Geese.

Merlin.

Red-breasted Mergansers.

Red-throated Diver.

Twite.

Stumbling Man.

This week's top tune - TAD - Stumbling Man.

Along with Soundgarden, TAD were one of the first (and better) bands to come out of the Seattle 'Grunge Scene'.

A March In The Melting Snow.

A good stomp around the patch today, as all the snow seemed to be melting and the wind had dropped - 250 Greylags and a Pink Foot were in one of the fields, 4 Snow Buntings on the beach in front of the house, 2 Jack Snipe and a Woodcock flushed from the 'wet bit' (+ loads of Snipe), and 8 Golden Plover and 7 Skylarks were in the fields bordering West Voe.

Snow Buntings.

Lapwing.

Pink-footed Goose, in with the Greylags.

Turnstone.

Yoga for Drunks.

The media are forever telling the people of Britain that we are a 'binge drinking' society and that it's very bad for our health - so after a good session at the pub, why not try some yoga ?


Savasana - Position of total relaxation.

Balasana - Position that brings the sensation of peace and calm.

Setu Bandha Sarvangasana - This position calms the brain and heals tired legs.

Marjayasana - Position stimulates the midriff area and the spinal column.

Halasana - Excellent for back pain and insomnia.

Dolphin - Excellent for the shoulder area, thorax, legs, and arms.

Salambhasana - Great exercise to stimulate the lumbar area, legs, and arms.

Ananda Balasana - This position is great for massaging the hip area.

Pigeon - Tones the body, and builds flexibility and helps get rid of 'stress'.

Other than this bit of foolery, the only things seen today were - 9 Snow Buntings, a male Merlin, 7 Whooper Swans and a Golden Plover.

Hyperborea.

Despite a reasonable thaw setting in over the weekend, today it was back to normal, with more snow coming in. A fairly decent few hours on the patch - the Water Rail was still in the ditch before doing its usual trick and running up a drainage pipe, the Glaucous Gull is still about and showing pretty well (in daylight this time !), 175 Greylags are now in the field in front of the house and 42 Wigeon are on the sea, surprise of the day was a Black-tailed Godwit in with the Lapwings.

Glaucous Gull.

Black-tailed Godwit.

Greylag Geese.

150.

150 for the patch year ! And all thanks to a ringtail Hen Harrier putting the wind up all the Starlings at about 9:30, I wouldn't normally be out at that time (it's barely light), but scanning the sea from the living room window I picked up a 1st year Glauc close in, so it was only fair that I walked down to the rocks to get a few photos. Whilst doing this the Starling flock got up from near the Loch and went 'bananas', scanned around, expecting a Merlin but got the Hen Harrier instead - most welcome. Around the rest of the patch - 12 Skylarks, 2 Whooper Swan, 3 Golden Plover, 6 Great Northern Divers and 4 Red-throated Divers.

Glaucous Gull.

Hen Harrier.

Zombie Eaters.

This week's top tune - Faith No More - Zombie Eaters

Brixton Academy 28/4/90. It just so happens that I was at this gig, stood somewhere near the front, just to the right of 'Big Sick Ugly Jim'. After the gig finished, spent a few days in Brixton with a couple of mates savouring the delights of Railton Road, bit of a mad era really.

Frozen.

With the patch now completely frozen, a 2 hour walk produced pretty slim pickings. The good thing is that Scatness has a couple of freshwater springs, that remain flowing, even in pretty harsh weather, a walk along them today produced a Water Rail and a Jack Snipe in one and a Moorhen in the other. Around the rest of the patch and everything seemed to be on the seaweed covered beaches - a total of 157 Snipe (most of them on Moast Beach), 2 Golden Plovers and 30 Wigeon. The Robin and Chaffinch remain in the garden and a Turnstone has now joined the Starlings in the garden.


Turnstone (on the garden fence).

Wigeon.

Golden Plover.

Snipe.

The Patch, with Fair Isle in the distance.