In shore Guillemot

 

Glossy Ibis at last

 

Finally after 4 attempts i got to see the Glossy Ibis

This had been in Eel burn at Quendale since 2 January, with 3 others reported up in Unst but all these dying after a few days

I thought i was going to have no luck again having walked the burn from the beach to the wall. I was just looking at a Twite flock (200) when the Ibis flew up from the burn from further up near the loch, an inaccessible place over 3 fences

It flew over my head and down towards the beach. The weather was not good, very dull with Force 5 wind and rain showers

I relocated it in a short section of the burn close to the beach. It flew up and away back towards the loch but came down about 1/2 way along the burn close to a flock of sheep

Thinking it may go back towards the loch i approached from the north and managed to see it low down in the burn looking around.

Photography was impossible due to lots of thick vegetation sprouting up

It did fly up and headed parallel to me back towards the loch giving fine views. It then dropped down beyond the wall but close to the bottom of the crop field

It is thought these may be Spanish Birds, with 160 reported in the UK. Birds also now breeding in the Camargue and attempted to breed in Lincolnshire last year

Although they can seem to be almost black a bit of light reveals more a glossy purple colour.

A new bird for me and worth putting the effort in to see the bird. 

A  small arrival of Chaffinch and Robin have joined the growing numbers of Fieldfare and Redwing

Spiggie Swans

World's first ever double headed swan in Shetland

Possibly 300 Greylag feeding around loch

Plenty of Oystercatchers around, this one showing a white winter collar

More than 200 Rock Doves around Spiggie shoreline

Party of 22 Whooper swans and 8 Mute Swans on Spiggie Loch

Goldeneye duck always follow swans around hoping they rip up vegetation from the bottom of the loch

Juvenile Whooper Swan

Hauled up Grey Seals, resting after having young a couple of months ago