Shetland Misfit

Saturday, 16 January 2016

The 2 Bays

A nice clear and frosty day, and while the sea was relatively calm, I focused mainly on West Voe of Sumburgh and Quendale Bay.
In West Voe - 1 Razorbill, 2 Guillemots, 80 Long-tailed Ducks, 1 Velvet Scoter, 3 Red-breasted Merganser, 9 Goldeneye and, surprisingly, a Whooper Swan.
In Quendale Bay - 21 Great Northern Diver, 1 Black-throated Diver, 6 Red-throated Diver, 12 Long-tailed Ducks and 18 Eider.
I did managed to check the rest of the patch - 3 Whooper Swans, 2 Goldeneye and 2 Tufted Ducks were on Loch of Gards, a Song Thrush was in the gardens at the end of the road, a single Golden Plover was in Wiffy's Fields along with 2 Meadow Pipits (either early birds or wintering) and, finally, around 450 Greylag Geese mainly in the fields between the house and the Loch.

Greylag Geese

Long-tailed Ducks

Shag

Whooper Swans

Tonight's Sunset

Fair Isle from the garden

The Moon - last night and this morning

Thursday, 14 January 2016

West Voe Overload

Just went and did West Voe today, and what a good move that was - the Velvet Scoter was still present among the 90 or so Long-tailed Ducks, 2 Guillemots and 9 Tysties also on the bay. Then it all went a bit hectic (for January anyway) - firstly picked up 4 dark looking ducks flying in, they landed among the Long-tails for about 20 minutes before flying back out to sea - 2 Scaup and 2 Common Scoter! Also in around the duck raft were 12 Goldeneye, 2 Red-breasted Merganser and a Little Auk, plus 4 Great Northern Divers.

Great Northern Diver

Sunset from the house

Wednesday, 13 January 2016

Twite

A check of the bay from the living room window, and the Black-throated Diver is still in Quendale Bay (first seen yesterday afternoon). 6 Twite were in the garden, they were turning up regularly up until new year, but this is the first time I've seen them this year. Elsewhere on the patch was a Song Thrush and 4 Tufted Ducks.

Twitw

Fitful Head and Quendale Bay from the house

Loch of Gards with Fitful Head in the background

Monday, 11 January 2016

Velvet Scoter

The first calmish day for a while, and the Velvet Scoter in West Voe finally came into camera range. Also in West Voe were 70 Long-tailed Duck, 9 Goldeneye and 2 Tysties. On the rest of the patch there were 85 Wigeon, 2 Tufted Duck and 40 Teal on the Loch, 1 Oystercatcher, 1 Purple Sandpiper and a Jack Snipe out on the headland, plus a fly over flock of 100+ Lapwing with a single Golden Plover in amongst them. The goose flock in front of the house had a reappearance of the 2 Barnacle Geese.

Velvet Scoter

Barnacle Geese

Eiders

Oystercatcher

Purple Sandpiper

Looking south from the headland

Simburgh Head from Scatness

Mammatus clouds - the first time I've seen these on Shetland

Wednesday, 6 January 2016

Patch Again

The 2 Pink-footed Geese were still on the patch this morning, plus 75 Wigeon, 2 Tufties, 40 Teal and 3 Goldeneye were on the Loch and Raven finally arrived on the year list, with 2 in front of the house.

Pink-footed Geese

Tuesday, 5 January 2016

Pinkies.

2 Pink-footed Geese in front of the house this morning were a welcome addition to the patch year list, other additions were a Guillemot in West Voe and 2 Fieldfares in the garden.

Pink-footed Geese

Monday, 4 January 2016

Q.I. Gull

The day started off relaxed enough, with the 2 Barnacle Geese feeding in front of the house, until a phone call informing me that there's a possible Slaty-backed Gull in Lerwick !!! Managed to get there and see the bird and it looked pretty good on the deck, in flight tho' the primary pattern was al wrong. So having established between us all that is wasn't a SBG, I'm still none the wiser as to what it is exactly, but this seems a close fit - http://gulldk.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/presumed-hybrid-great-black-backed-gull.html

Barnacle Geese

Gull sp

Sunday, 3 January 2016

Another Storm

Despite 60 mph winds, sometimes gusting up to 90, I headed out to have another look at West Voe, and what a change from new year's day - the whole bay is now just full of breakers. Spent an hour scanning the sea and picked out a single Velvet Scoter off Jarlshof and a few Long-tailed Ducks, around the rest of the patch I only managed 2 Tufted Ducks and 2 Barnacle Geese.

Barnacle Goose

West Voe of Sumburgh

Friday, 1 January 2016

Happy New Year List

Out on the patch just after first light this morning (that'll be 10 o'clock then) to get the patch year list off to a good start. Started in West Voe of Sumburgh, and this was definitely the place to be with 2 Velvet Scoters among the Long-tailed Ducks and then a major surprise, give the time of year, 2 Little Gulls feeding in the breakers - bonus. Did the rest of the patch after lunchtime and added a Little Auk and 2 Great Northern Divers (in Quendale Bay) and a Shelduck among the usual ducks on Loch of Gards.

Little Gulls

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 !!!!