Shetland Gt Northern Diver

Great Northern Divers are fairly common in Shetland throughout the winter and a few stay all summer, these are non- breeders

There are still several birds in the south mainland in different plumages

This diver was even calling, the first I have heard in Shetland

The one below is now in full breeding plumage a magnificent bird

They dive for longer than Red throated Divers and can re appear along distance away

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Easter Weekend migrants in Shetland

With the winds coming from the east for the last few days things were always looking good for weekend migrants. The wind though has been strong for the past 10 days so has an effect on using a long lens.

We headed down to West Voe first, the tide was in allowing a couple of Gt Northern Divers to come in closer to the shore than normal. Just a bit further out a nice flock of 55 Long Tailed duck and several Shag.

A small flock of Gulls, Herring, Common, Kittiwake, Fulmar, Gt BB and a single Iceland gull in adult plumage kept flying further into the bay. A Couple of new arrived Gt Skua passed over making the gull rise .

From my vantage point, close to a small garden , three Chiffchaff flittered about in the bushes along with a couple of Robin, a wren and several House Sparrow.

Gt Northern Diver which appeared to have a hook in its beak

Nearer the sandy beach, a Wheatear was feeding along with a couple of Rock Pipit. A flock of Turnstone (26) blended in with the seaweed washed up on the shoreline. Just leaving the area when a Sand Martin and a couple of Swallow came in from the sea.

Feeding along with the cattle, a Song Thrush and Redwing, Pied wagtail, Starlings, House Sparrow, several Skylark and Meadow Pipit.

At Sumburgh Hotel gardens which is in the process of being renovated, a couple of Willow warbler and Three Robin, and later in the afternoon a Black Redstart put in a flighty performance.

Lapwings displayed with at least two on nests and Curlew, Snipe, Redshank, Oystercatcher and Mallard found around the pool.

At Grutness, the bay held little except for a couple of LT Duck and Black Guillemot but beside the pool Turnstone(9) Ringed Plover (2) ,Oystercatcher (12) and lots of common Gull rested and bathed.

The garden produce  Robin(3) Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff (2) Wren and further along the road, at the first quarry Chiffchaff(2) Robin and Pied Wagtail

The larger second quarry has little vegetation at the moment as sheep have been allowed in over the winter and some digging has taken place at the backend near the cliff face. Here Robin(3), Blackbird (3) Wren and Twite stayed mainly at the back of the quarry.

Willow warbler

At Quendale it was good to see the Black Throated Diver as it joined 4 Gt Northern Divers. Around the Mill and Dam it was all about Chiffchaffs with 5 birds including 2 singing. A Robin , several Blackbirds and Twite (12) joined in and Swallows flew around the dam. A flock of Oystercatcher (28), Rock Dove (16) Raven (12) and a few Curlew and Redshank found food on a plough field

Elsewhere, a Black Kite appeared in Unst having left Fair Isle the day before along with a Gt Grey Shrike and a White Tailed Eagle was seen again at Tingwall. A few Yellowhammer , Pintail and Garganey and Long Eared Owls further north in the mainland

Fulmar

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Shetland Divers

Over recent weeks we have had 4 species of Diver in Shetland. Black, Red, Gt Northern and White Billed

I did see the Black Throated Diver in west voe but it was very distant so I was unable to photograph it. Black Throated are rare visitors to Shetland. It stayed about a week and may have been the same one that stayed in the same place last year
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 Red Throated Diver

 Red Throated Diver are not common in winter and tend to spend time around Eastern Scotland or Northern England.

 The look smart both in winter and summer plumage and easily distinguished between the Black Throated with its checked back and white face

 This bird at Grutness did a circuit as most birds do and it took about an hour for it to return to the beach end where I waited

 Long Tailed Duck

 A flock of 10 Long Tailed Duck flew in but all stayed distant except this male

 This Gt Northern Diver flew in from West Voe and managed to catch three fish while feeding off the jetty

 Looks like a Scorpion fish which it downed in a couple of minutes 

Gt N Diver

A White Billed Diver has again been off  Kirkabister, these divers tend to keep well off shore.

Other birds of note during this past week included a couple of Bewick Swans (First since 2011), the Pied Billed Grebe at Spiggie and a Little Egret at Lower Voe, Black Redstart at Hillwell and a Brent Goose at Sumburgh Farm