New Patch at Sandwick

Even though I am doing a few surveys, the beach and breeding birds I have decided to do a patch one as well

I have always done one prior to moving to Shetland so after being here 4 years of searching around I have started  on close to home down at Sanick/ Noness in Sandwick.

Besides being next to a sandy/ rocky beach with an easterly sea flow there are areas of cliff, some small gardens with grass and shrubs, a cemetery / Church, farm buildings, a stream, old buildings and vehicles , rough grassland and areas where sheep and horses graze.

I have already seen a few good birds which I will start the survey with. Today was very cold with occasional snow flurries although nothing much . This was the end of three days of easterly gales.

Today:
Mistle Thrush (2) Red Throated Diver, Shag (5) Turnstone (98) Redshank (17) Curlew, Ringed Plover (4) Oystercatcher (28) Lapwing (17) Golden Plover (67) Hoodie(2) Greylag(28) Starling (100+) House sparrow (8) Twite (22) Blackbird (3) Redwing (8) Fieldfare (10) Long Tailed Duck (8) Goldeneye(2) Common Gull (4) Herring Gull (2) GBB, Wren,Rock Dove (2), Rock Pipit,(12) Meadow Pipit (2), Black Guillemot, Red Breasted Merganser   - 29 Species

Totals (Inc Prev)

1. Black Redstart                                                          32. Rock Pipit
2. Dusky Warbler                                                         33. Meadow pipit
3. Blackcap                                                                  34. Red Breasted Merganser
4. Chaffinch                                                                 35. Black Guillemot
5. Ruff
6. Merlin
7. Mistle Thrush
8. Red Throated Diver
9. Siberian Oystercatcher
10 Shag
11 Turnstone
12. Redshank
13 Curlew
14 Ringed Plover
15 Lapwing
16. Golden Plover
17. Hoodie
18. Greylag
19. Starling
20. House sparrow
21 Twite
22 Blackbird
23  Redwing
24 Fieldfare
25 Wren
26 Long Tailed duck
27 Goldeneye
28 Common Gull
29 Herring Gull
30 GBB
31 Rock Dove