Waders- Sanderling

Lots of Sanderling down the south mainland a few days ago, just getting ready for a long journey up to breeding grounds in the arctic

and one Dunlin

 

Sumburgh Puffins

Nothing like seeing Puffins to brighten your day

Looks like good numbers back on the cliffs, the first at the beginning of April. There are still sometimes that no puffins can be seen as they head back onto the sea.

No sign of any Puffins dying of bird flu, although i have found a few dead Guillemot but these may have died through another cause

Its a bit odd seeing a none breeding bird this early, they normally come back .in July and mix with other puffins

 Lots bring in nest material, no fish seen.

Dont forget you can still buy my new book- Shetland Puffins (£14)+ postage

The young ones- Sumburgh

Lots of young birds around

Ringed Plover with 3 young

                                                                         Young Ringed Plover

                                          A coming together Ringed Plover and Lapwing

                                                                         Mallard with 9 young  

                                               Lapwing chick, one of two seen

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Dead hedgehog

                                                 Starlings carrying food, count 21 nests, most in stone walls

                            Good to see two swallows and twelve House Martin near Sumburgh quarry

 These last few days a number of interesting migrants have turned up. In Unst 4 White Tailed Eagles at Hermaness, several Golden Orioles , three Osprey, two/three White Billed Divers, thanks to Roy Twigg (From Sheffield) who was visiting Shetland for finding a distant one near Cunningsburgh. Sad news that the Long Tailed Skua had been taken into care and was in a poor state. 

This might be bird flu as it seems to be affecting Skuas the most. Over the weekend i have found 21 dead birds including a Gt Northern Diver, Eider, lots of Gannets, Kittiwake and Herring gulls- not all down to bird flu hopefully.