Killer Whales & the last Puffins

We that's it for this year as we said farewell to the Puffins at Sumburgh. Last weekend there were 100's of Puffins on the cliffs and flying around but by Tuesday it was down to just one bird.

Its along winter for these birds as they head out into the North sea where they spend the winter in extreme conditions. The colourful beak become black and will only grow back as the new breeding season approaches.

As for the young ones, it a test of endurance to see whether they are fit enough to survive the heavy seas. It looks like this year has been a good one for most of the seabirds with many birds bringing in fish. Arctic terns are still bringing fish for their young around the coast and many are still very aggressive.

It will be very interesting to see how Seabirds are doing in Shetland as a whole with the Seabird census now complete. Seabird deaths are down by half on last year (as per beach surveys) with only 48 birds found in July.

Whether the Sandeel population is expanding is another matter. Sandeels are food for the ever increasing Herring populations, the sunny weather the best summer in Shetland for years many have increased the plankton that Sandeels feed on or the  sea currents may have been favourable bringing a good number of Sandeels north from Orkney.

What ever the reason its been very welcome to thousands of birds.

Gt Skua chased off by Fulmar

Last week we caught up with Killer Whale Pod 27. which is a group of 7 including two large males. Having just missed them coming in close at Garthsness we headed north to Scousburgh bay and about an hour later they started to come into the bay

They first spent a lot of time in the outer reaches making a few kills before moving towards us and many others looking from the cliff tops. It was great to have two photos below published in this weeks Shetland Times.

A couple of divers tried to get close but the whales came passed them quickly

It was a great sight even though the sun was in the wrong direction . Its been a while since any Killer Whales have been in the south mainland as many seals have already been eaten this year. They are spending more time hunting around Yell and Unst.

Several Minkie Whales have been seen around Noss and further a field with 15 in a pod off Muness, Unst today

Migration has started early, apart from the Crossbills a few weeks ago, Marsh, Arctic,Barred and Icterine warblers have been seen, mostly in Unst and on Fair Isle. An unusual migrant was a Treecreeper seen on a wooden hut (well we don't have many trees) More common migrants such as Willow Warbler, Swallow, Kestrel, Wood Warbler, Pied Fly and a few Black Redstart are now arriving

Come and join me on a Beginners photography course at Islesburgh, Lerwick. Many other courses also available

Close encounter with Seabirds

Anyone starting to get interested in birds should start with a visit to a seabird colony. In Shetland we are fortunate to have several large ones, the best at Sumburgh, Noss and Hermaness but also lots of smaller ones but just as interesting

Puffins always draw a lot of attention and rightly so, they are so interesting to watch and are very colourful. It looks like they may be having a good breeding season for a change with a good number bringing in fish, mostly Sandeels

When you get close up these little birds are even more amazing, look at the stitching around the beak, only an expert could do that.

How different they are in winter when they shed the colourful beak and take on a darker, dirtier look. But then most people wouldn't be out in the north sea where they are found during the dark winter months.

I have only found one dead Puffin on the beach I survey which is good news

Pufflings are just about ready to fly, these come out late in the evening before they jump off the cliffs, some 600 feet high up. Parents then guide them out to sea away from predators such as Skuas

Fulmars can be found through Shetland, some on inland cliffs and even nesting on the ground on Mousa.

They hardly make a nest so it was interesting to see the above Fulmar tackling a piece of wood, surely not to use in a nest.

Please check out my other blogs

shetlandsky.blogspot.co.uk
ww2preserved.blogspot.co.uk  (about Shetland during WW2 and what can be seen now)
shetlanddream.blogspot.co.uk

Spring migrants arrive in Shetland

This weekend the weather was perfect for migrants to move north with either easterly or southerly winds and it was warm as well.

A good number of Gt Skua passed over along with Gt BB looking for suitable prey.

                                                                  Gt Skuas feeding on a Moorhen at Spiggie

Down in the Shetland south mainland it was good to see a number of Puffin back on the cliffs at Sumburgh with a good supporting cast of Guillemot, Razorbill, Gannet, Kittiwake, Fulmar and Shag.

Down at Grutness a flock of 18 Turnstone many in breeding plumage stood around the fresh water pool and a couple of Ringed Plover flew in to join them. A few pairs of Common Gull were mating in the tern colony, which was now filling up with Arctic Terns

A winter plumaged Gt Northern Diver came close in and later a female Common Scoter was showing. A Chiffchaff sang at the garden and a couple of Pied Wagtail flittered around. Nothing was found at the Quarry or farm.

Down at West Voe , Gt Northern Diver (5) showed very well and these were in breeding plumage as was a couple of Long Tailed Duck. Kittiwakes (83) resting in the middle of the bay.

 A flock of over150 Arctic Tern and a couple of Common Tern were noisy with a few carrying large Sandeels waiting to engage in breeding activity.

Again, Turnstones came close in with a flock of 26 among the rocks and these joined by a few Sanderling still in winter plumage & White Wagtail(2) . Going round to Grutness many Skylark and Meadow Pipit sang and a small flock of Swallow (5) flew over the airstrip. Up at Hillwell a flock of at least 70 Swallow and two House Martin was a good sight.

A couple of Arctic Skua came in off the sea attracting the attention of two pairs of Oystercatcher who chased them off. Down at Quendale a Glaucous gull was found aamong the large flock of resting gulls

Gt N Diver, Red Throated Diver, Common Scoter, Long Tailed Duck,  Mallard, Shag, Oystercatcher, Lapwing, Curlew, Snipe, Redshank, Ringed Plover, Turnstone, House Sparrow, Twite, Linnet,  Lesser Redpoll, Common Redpoll, Blackbird, Wren, Puffin, Fulmar, Kittiwake, Guillemot, Razorbill, Black Guillemot, Arctic Skua, Gt Skua, Raven, Hoddie, Rock Dove, Wheatear, Swallow, Gannet, Pied/white Wagtail, Common Tern, Arctic tern, Common Gull, Herring Gull, BH Gull, Meadow Pipit, Skylark, Greylag, Chiffchaff, Shoveler, Tufted, Shelduck, House Martin, Coromorant, Whooper, Mute swan, Sanderling, Dunlin, Glaucous Gull, Coot, Moorhen
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                                                                                              Shetland Wren