Migration trickle

It was good to see that 4 Two Barred Crossbills are still down at Clickimin. These birds tend to be quiet so you can easily walk past them.

 Family party of Whooper swan at Spiggie, they might be local breeders

As we set off last Saturday morning news came in that a Great Snipe had been flushed down at Dalsetter but had flown south. and up in Unst a Blyth Reed Warbler was seen . Things are picking up and as well arrived at Sumburgh Hotel a flock of Swallow (26) flew over while Greenland Wheatears (12)flittered about down the east side.

Greenland  Wheatear

This is a good number of Greenland Wheatears and on Friday there seemed a lot at Burra, I flushed 18 down one side road.

On the pool at Grutness, a Knot and Dunlin(5) fed down one of the channels but generally it was quiet as the terns and gulls have left their nesting area in the boulders.

 Knot

On the beach at Grutness- Turnstone (12), but on East Voe beach , Turnstone (84) Sanderling (5) Ringed Plover (6) Redshank (3) all feeding in the seaweed along the shore line

 Dunlin

 Turnstone

 Knot

 Dunlin

 Golden Plover - Virkie

 Knot

A good variety of waders gathered at Virkie, including Ringed Plover (97) Turnstone (45) Bar Tailed Godwit (2) Black Tailed Godwit (6) Curlew (10) Redshank (15) Dunlin(23) Golden Plover, Knot (12), Sanderling (6)

Bar Tailed Godwit

Yesterday the Crossbills seemed to have disappeared but a few good birds have started to move through with Barred warbler, Quail, Spotted Redshank, Common Rosefinch & Short Eared Owl

Pied Billed & Spiggie birds

With the weather good this weekend we headed south to Spiggie an RSPB reserve. This is a large area with a road leading down the western shore. In Winter it is good for Duck, Waders ,swans and on this occasion we had 39 Whooper swans

The Pied Billed Grebe had now moved to the northern part of the Loch and tended to favour an area of reeds quiet a distance from a viewing spot.

It has been seen catching large fish but only small ones caught today. This bird has been in Shetland since early November 2017 and on the whole is fairly easy to see, although distant most of the time.

If any cars or walkers pass, it moves well away from the reeds , so you need to spend a bit of time to get reasonable views. This American visitor, a first for Shetland seems well settled so we hope it staying well into spring.

                                                                                                 Iceland Gull

Apart from the grebe and Whoopers, Two Grey Heron could be seen flying about and lots of Graylag Geese passed over, disturbed by a Peregrine Falcon.

In addition to the Iceland Gull, three Glaucous Gulls could be seen with other gulls but tended to keep well away from the edge. Flocks of Curlew, Redshank, Lapwing and Oystercatcher moved about and sometime disturbed Snipe and Fieldfare

Duck present included, Teal, Wigeon, Mallard, Shoveler, Shelduck (4) and Goldeneye