Magic days

Sunday started dry and sunny, but still windy. A large skein of around 100 Pinkfeet flew over the house calling, geese are always great to see and these counted as a Garden tick. Following these was a flock of 46  Twite.

We managed to get out in the afternoon and went to Veensgarth where initially no birds could be found  but then a flock of Common Redpoll flew in and landed in a tree close by - the tree may have been rarer. They flew over to the larger group of bushes and trees to join a very white , large Redpoll, this was the Arctic Redpoll which had been present for the past few days and it showed well until a group of birders turned up then it flew round the back to join the common Redpoll flock.

It gave further views to all and was joined by a Red Breasted Flycatcher close by which flew up onto a fence post several times. Raven, Hoddies and flocks of starling past by.

Moving down to Cunningsburgh we again locked onto another Red Breasted Flycatcher, this one giving very close views, and our 5th RBF since moving to Shetland. These flycatcher have arrived in the UK in good numbers recently It was good to see it catching flies, and coming back to the fence before digesting the insects. A Blackcap joined  the flycatcher in the garden.

Round the corner a very active Yellow Browed Warbler and a Pied Flycatcher put on a good show . O the way back to the car a couple of Swallow flew over, apparently they have nested in the area this year. Further  swallows put in an appearance as we made our way back to Sandwick. As we made our way past Mail a quick glance at the sea produced a couple of dorsal fins which instantly reminded me of Porpoise. Stopped in the lay-by at the top of the hill we looked back over the bay to see more than 20 Porpoise moving south, a great way to end the day.