Shetland migration starts

Looks like migration has started 

This is one of three Peacock butterflies down at Grutness, a scarce migrant

Lots of Greenland Wheatears can now be seen, this with a beetle on its beak

Always lots of Greenland Greylags making a loud noise as they flew over

Rabbits making a come back

Still Fulmars on the cliffs, making them feel less empty

Gannets passing Sumburgh from their nest sites on Noss

 

Shetland visible migration

 While looking for the Short Toed Lark at Scatness (which i didn't see) it was noted that there was 100's of Meadow Pipit and Skylark. Not the best thing to find when you are looking for one bird in a large area

These birds are feeding up ready to migrate when the weather turns.

While we dont have a lot of small birds, like down south these two are aways on view during the breeding season

It

It is especially good to see Skylarks which are still in good numbers in Shetland. In England they have declined and in a Farmland bird survey that the woodhouse Wildlife Group organised we found them mainly in stubble at this time of year

shetland wryneck

 Just coming back from a quiet Quendale when i saw a bird on the road near the  cattle grid at Hillwell

as i got closer i could make out it was a Wryneck

It jumped onto the lower bar of the gate then into the field but didn't fly

I had the camera on the passenger seat so it opened the window and managed to get a few photos before a car came passed and it flew up onto the wall then headed south over a field towards the mill

It was not seen by anyone else, so it goes to show you have to be in the right place at the right time.

Yesterday at the same spot  a Pallid and hen Harrier passed by heading south, missed by most people

We are now starting to get invaded by birders from the south, some expecting around 500 people

Just hope they dont cause as many problems as last year

Looking forward to  more good migrants, down south there has been several American warblers but no so far here.

Rose coloured Starling inn flight- Part 2