Shetland Misfit: October 2013

Thursday, 31 October 2013

Gannets and Kitties

From on the patch today

Gannets

Kittiwakes

Wednesday, 30 October 2013

Nearly the End

It looks like the end is nigh on the patch - 2 hours today and all I got was a Chiffchaff, a Jack Snipe, 3 Snow Buntings and a Song Thrush.

Snow Buntings

Monday, 28 October 2013

Dusky Warbler

As I was going to Lerwick anyway, thought I would have a quick look in Helendale for the Dusky Warbler, saw that plus 1 Yellow-browed and a Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Saturday, 26 October 2013

Back on the patch after the excitement of the mega yank - 1 Merlin, 55 Fieldfare, 30 Redwing, 1 Song Thrush, a Jack Snipe, 37 Barnacle Geese, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Slavonian Grebe (in west voe), 3 Sanderlings and a female Blackcap. Strangest of all though was a pink legged Rock Pipit.

Barnacle Geese

Merlin

'pink legged' Rock Pipit

Redwing

Thursday, 24 October 2013

The Hidden Cape

A day trip to Unst was in order for the Cape May Warbler at Baltasound, after a couple of hours of frustration in the very windy conditions, the bird was finally located in the sycamores of the old croft and, despite the wind, showed very well on the ground on and off for over an hour. A bit of a disaster happened though, as after taking just a few pictures, my camera packed in - so a big thanks to Gary for allowing me to use a couple of his shots for this post.
News of this bird is now even being carried on the Cape May Bird Obs website.

Tuesday, 22 October 2013

History

A few shots from the patch taken earlier this week.

Black-tailed Godwits

Short-eared Owl

Wednesday, 16 October 2013

Blizzard

The usual dross on the patch today - a couple of Redwing, a Chiffchaff and a Blackcap, plus a Common Scoter in West Voe, but best of all, the 2 Snow Bunting flocks from yesterday have increased to 125 and 150 at least - a proper blizzard.

Snow Buntings

Redwing

Tuesday, 15 October 2013

Still Hard Going

Still slow on the patch, with 5 Blackcaps, 4 'Siberian' Chiffchaffs, a Redwing, a Fieldfare, a late Wheatear, 1 Black-tailed Godwit, a Bonxie, a Chaffinch and a Lesser Whitethroat, birds of the day were 60 Snow Buntings in flocks of 25 and 35 in the 2 different stubble fields.

Monday, 14 October 2013

Wilson's Phal

A few record shots of the Wilson's Phalarope at Sand today.

Sunday, 13 October 2013

Tough Going

Incredibly hard work on the patch today - 4 hours checking every conceivable place that any migrant might be hiding, and the result - 2 'Siberian' Chiffchaff (one of them in a stubble field !), a Jack Snipe, a Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Whooper Swans, a Chaffinch and a Blackcap.

'Siberian' Chiffchaff

Saturday, 12 October 2013

Shopping with Gustav

Being as I had to walk up to Toab shop this morning, it would have been a bit rude not give the Pechora Pipit a bit of a look.

Pechora Pipit

Friday, 11 October 2013

Find Tick, Patch Tick, Year Tick

Light winds all day so there had to be something on the patch, the day started quite well with 8 Greenfinch in the garden (until the postman sent them packing), then, for some reason, I decided to do my usual walk around the patch in reverse today, starting at Sanblister beach. The beach held the usual 2 Redshank along with a fly by Red-breasted Merganser, next stop was Scord beach, after walking through the dune remnants, 3 small waders flew in and landed briefly - 2 Ringed Plovers and something a lot smaller, as soon as I raised my bins they took flight - 2 Ringed Plover and a White-rumped Sandpiper ! I managed a few record shots and the phoned POV, who relocated the Sandpiper on Virkie 30 minutes later. The rest of the patch was a bit of a disappointment after that - 3 Blackcaps, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Merlin, 2 Whooper Swans, a single Redwing and 3 Black-tailed Godwits.

White-rumped Sandpiper

Blackcap

Black-tailed Godwits

Greenfinch

Monday, 7 October 2013

Rain

Pissing down all day, so doing the patch consisted of 20 Barnacle Geese in front of the house and a Yellow-browed Warbler plus 2 Blackcaps in the garden.

Saturday, 5 October 2013

Something for the Weekend

Four hours on the patch - every wall, ditch, iris bed, garden, field, thistle patch and cliff checked - scant rewards though. Totals for the day - 2 Merlin, 3 Blackcap, 1 Robin, 20 Barnacle Geese, 3 Goldcrest, 3 Song Thrush, 8 Wheatear, 3 Grey Plover, 3 Sanderling, 1 Chiffchaff, 3 Reed Bunting, 1 Grey Heron, 4 Pied Wagtails, 5 Redwing, 1 Black-tailed Godwit, 4 Pink-footed Geese, 1 Jack Snipe and 3 Swallows.

Barnacle Geese

Grey Plover

Pink-footed Geese

Wheatear

About Me

Sometimes I try to do things but it just doesn't work out the way I want it to, and I get real frustrated and then like I try hard to do it, and I like, take my time but it just doesn't work out the way I want it to. It's like, I concentrate on it real hard, but it just doesn't work out. And everything I do and everything I try, it never turns out. It's like, I need time to figure these things out, but there's always someone there going “hey Steve, you know we've been noticing you've been having a lot of problems lately, you know? You need to maybe get away. And like, maybe you should talk about it, you'll feel a lot better.” And I'm all like “oh, nah, it's ok, you know. I'll figure it out. Just leave me alone, I'll figure it out, you know? I'm just working on it by myself.” And they go “well, you know, if you wanna talk about it, I'll be here, you know? And you'll probably feel a lot better if you talk about it. So why don't you talk about it?” I go “no, I don't want to! I'm ok. I'll figure it out myself!” But they just keep bugging me, they just keep bugging me, and it builds up inside.I was in my house and I was just like staring at the walls thinking about everything, but then again I was thinking about nothing. And then my wife came in, and I didn't even know she was there. She called my name and I didn't hear her and then she started screaming “Steve, Steve !” And I go “what ? What's the matter ?” She goes “what's the matter with you?” I go “there's nothing wrong” She’s all “don't tell me that ! You're on drugs !” I go “FFS, I'm not on drugs. I'm ok, I'm just thinking, you know? Why don't you get me a Pepsi?” She goes “No! You're on drugs!” I go “I'm ok. I'm just thinking.” She goes “No! You're not thinking, you're on drugs! Normal people don't be acting that way!” I go “just get me a Pepsi ! Please, all I want is a Pepsi !” And she wouldn't give it to me! All I wanted was a Pepsi, just one Pepsi, and she wouldn't give it to me! Just a Pepsi !I'm sitting in my house, when a couple of my mates came in. they pulled up a chair and they sat down. They go “Steve, we need to talk to you.” And I go “ok, what's the matter?” They go “we've noticed that lately you've been having a lot of problems, and you've been going off on one for no reason, and we're afraid you're going to hurt somebody, and we're afraid you're going to hurt yourself. So we decided that it would be in your best interest if we put you somewhere where you could get the help that you need.” And I go “wait, what are you talking about, WE decided ? MY best interests ? How do you know what MY best interest is ? How can you say what MY best interest is ? What are you trying to say? I'm crazy ? They say they're gonna fix my brain. Alleviate my suffering and my pain. But by the time they fix my head, Mentally I'll be dead. They stuck me in an institution, said it was the only solution, to give me the needed professional help, to protect me from the enemy, myself !
Doesn't matter, I'll probably get hit by a car anyways !!!!