Gannets and Stuff.

Out at Scatness, looking for any returning waders, sidetracked somewhat by a load of feeding Gannets - really smart looking birds when diving just off the rocks, after taking loads of pictures, went up around the cliffs looking for Crossbills - None ! but good views of Black Guillemots and young Rock Pipits, the unused Ravens nest is now being used by Fulmars. Finally spend a good while around the small pool near Ness of Burgi - 1 Arctic Skua (causing chaos with the Arctic Terns), 3 Turnstone and a Dunlin (the first of the autumn's waders ?), several Oystercatchers and finally 3 Crossbills came in to drink briefly. 3 Linnets (2 ad, 1 juv) along the road on the way home.
Not much doing on the Moth front, with northerly winds and top temperatures of around 14 degrees !

Gannets.

Fulmar - with the 'best nest in the west'.

Black Guillemot.

Young Rock Pipit.

Arctic Skua.

Dunlin.

Oystercatcher.

Turnstones.

Crossbills.

2nd - 6th July Highlights.

Pretty quiet in the summer lull - 1-2 Crossbills around the garden on most days, Moth numbers continue to increase - Middle-barred Minor on the 2nd was a new Moth for the garden.


Crossbill.

Young Starling.

Dark Arches (pale form).

Middle-barred Minor.

Swifts and more Crossbills.

After a pretty bird-less day, sat in the garden after tea - 6 Crossbills (3 male, 3 female) came into the roses and left within minutes, 7 Swifts flying around, screaming, overhead for about 90 minutes - as Swift doesn't breed anywhere near Shetland, not sure where they came from or where they thought they were going !

Swifts.

Crossbill.

Red Admiral.

June's Moth Counts.

angle shades - 3
beautiful golden Y - 24
clouded bordered brindle - 99
dark arches - 4
dark brocade - 6
dusky brocade - 2
garden carpet - 12
ghost - 26
ingrailed clay - 6
large yellow underwing - 1
lychnis - 24
map-winged swift - 242
marbled coronet - 29
silver y - 7
small square spot - 3
white-shouldered house - 10
TOTAL - 502


Dusky Brocade.

Beautiful Golden Y.

Crossbills.

Finally got Crossbill on the Garden year-list at 7am this morning (now on 111), whilst emptying the moth trap, 4 birds (3 females, 1 male) came in and landed on the fence for about 5 minutes, then they were off. Heard some more go over the house this afternoon, but by then it was foggy, so no idea of how many.

Crossbill.

Simmer Dim.

A series of photos taken at around midnight, last night, from the garden.


Whimbrel over Quendale Bay.

Moonset over Lady's Holm.

Quendale Farm.

Puffins.

A gallery of Puffins at Sumburgh Head on 28/6/09.

Orcas.

A fine evening spent up at Sumburgh Head, where a pod of 5 Orcas were close inshore, cruising around the base of the cliffs - the spectacle was soured somewhat by the disgraceful behaviour of the coastguard - I never thought I would see Orcas being harassed from a helicopter !!!!

Orcas.

Red-throated Ducks.

Spent a few hours up in the Hills, photographing Red-throated Divers, and a few other moorland birds (yes, I do hold a valid Schedule 1 licence, if anyone is concerned).
Shetland seems to be having a bit of a Crossbill invasion at the moment - 45 present at Kergord this afternoon and 10 at Sandwick (should be the next bird on the garden year-list, with any luck). Also, Cuckoo calling at Kergord.

Red-throated Divers.

Golden Plover.

Black-headed Gull.

Great Black-backed Gull.