Shetland Arctic Terns

Although there has been less Arctic Terns in Shetland, possibly down to Bird Flu the colony down at Grutness seems to have done ok

There might only be 25% of last years terns here. Elsewhere on Bressay only one check raised with a few dead ones 

These terns will be migrating south anytime now and have to pass though several areas infected with the flu and already 1,000 have died further south.

It will be interested to see how many return next year

 

Shetland common birds

Always good numbers of Twite in Shetland as well as 100's of noisy Starlings

Seems to be good numbers of Oystercatcher now breeding and they returned  in January, normally not seen in numbers until March

This could be another bad year for bird flu, already about 5,000 Black Headed Gulls have been found dead, as they have migrated through infected areas in Europe. Also two people confirmed with bird flu this week in separate incidents. When we do beach surveys we now spray the birds to inform others that they have already been counted as they could well be infected. 
 

Black Headed gulls already hard hit with bird flu, which species will be next

In the past few days had distant views of American Wigeon, Garganey and White Tailed Eagle but northerly winds have halted migration