Down on beach in Shetland

Its always good to get down to the beach, especially at this time of year when its more or less deserted 

I am not talking people , not one seen but i was in the company of many birds feeding as high tide approached

Its not often Curlew stay around to be photographed but this seemed to be more intent in finding food

The tideline was full of seaweed and this attracted 218 Turnstone and 78 Purple Sandpiper as well as around 150 Starling and a handful of Rock Pipit

Just off shore 85 Long Tailed duck fed and further out 2 Gt Northern Diver, 3 Golden eye and 6 Red Breasted Merganser

The purple sandpipers continue to feed within 10 feet

Most of the LT Ducks were either juvenile or female but a few males fed further out

 

Down on the beach

At this time of year we have plenty of waders on beaches in the south mainland.

Down at Grutness both Turnstone (14) and Purple Sandpiper (12) could be seen feeding among the sea weed

Down at East Voe Purple Sandpiper (18)  and turnstone (26) with  a Snow Bunting. Out in the Voe LT Duck (2) Shag (12) and a several Grey Seals

Rock Pipits

 

Red Breasted Merganser with fish

 

Although Red Breasted Mergansers are reasonably common in Shetland we dont get many in Grutness bay, but there are always some across at west Voe

This one caught a flat fish and then it struggled to eat it over a 10 min period

It was tricky conditions to photograph birds with a force 6-7 wind blowing