Twite a sight

Starling have done well again this year with lots of flocks of more than 100 

They are nearly as noisy as the adult birds

Not quiet as colourful yet

 

Common Gull feeding on a dead bird. Could this lead to more bird flu. This is a way for it to spread throughout the few terns and gulls that are present this year at Grutness

It would appear that Gannet and Gt Skuas are the main birds to be affected by the bird flu which started among mass produced chickens in China

Great to see lots of young Twite about throughout Shetland, they don't seemed bothered about a close approach, providing you take your time

It will be interested to see what is said about the tern colonies which seem to be well down in numbers

Interestingly, Sandwick terns have been seen in the south mainland several times over the past two weeks. They breed in Orkney, but not yet in Shetland could this be a first.

In the last couple of days a Pacific Swift was seen at Sumburgh Head for a few hours and today a very, very rare Magpie on the west side

Icterine Warbler - Shetland

Good to see the local Blackbirds doing well. This is the seventh blood i have seen in the last two days

 

Down at Grutness, two lapwing chicks and two Ringed Plover chicks survive but only 3 out of 9 young mallard

A few Icterine Warblers arrived but all difficult to see, this one at Grutness was singing most of the time but only gave fleeting glimpses.

A Quail is calling on a regular basis from Clickimin, close to Helendale. Missed out on the Broad Billed Sandpiper which called in at Grutness but was soon chased off by the local Ringed Plover and Lapwings

Better Blue Headed Wagtails

the Blue Headed Wagtails continue to deliver

Both very active and showing even better, could they nest? well they seem to be going back to the same spot time and time again

In the same place a Temminck Stint turned up for an hour but then flew off and couldn't be relocated

The White Tailed Eagle is still passing over Fitful Head on a regular basis

a few more Golden Oriole have been seen briefly and a Male Rosefinch today