Waxwings

Waxwings arrived in Shetland about 10 days ago and there are still good numbers around especially in Lerwick

Normally Waxwings will feed on berries such as  Rowan or Pyracantha  but all berry plants are in short supply in Shetland

Many people instead put out apples which seem to attract the waxwings. I have also seen Waxwings take insects

These are the first Waxwings we have seen in Shetland since moving here 2.5 years ago, we even had one in our garden and a few flying over during the past few days

There has been the occasional one in June and July but most are seen in Shetland during October or November and again on their return north from the rest of the UK

Back in Sheffield we saw many including one year when we had about 2500. If the berries were still available they would even stay until late April.

Lerwick seems to have been a good place to see them with around 20 birds around the flower park and other at North Road. These photos were taken down at Hillwell where six birds seem to have made home

Numbers of Waxwings vary each year in Britain with hardly any the last couple of years. It all depends on whether there is a berry failure in Scandinavia

                                                                                                 A dispute

More photos at www.amazingshetland.co.uk

White Striped Dolphin

Seen first last Saturday and then Sunday, a mother and young White Striped Dolphins made Scalloway harbour their hunting grounds.

This species of Dolphin is rare in Shetland waters, most of the Shetland people i spoke to have never seen one .

It is not normally seen in shallow water but when we saw the pair they spent time near the marina in East Voe which is shallow. They moved very slowly circling around which no doubt made the fish swim in tight shoals - an easier food target, although some people said they may be disorientated.

The main food is sprat, Blue Whiting as well as squid and small crustaceans

They rarely stray from the deep water beyond the continental shelf and tend to be seen from the Western Isles, if at all. There has been an increase in sightings since the 1990's from north European continental shelf which could be down to warmer seas caused by global warming.

Its strange to see only two Striped Dolphins as normally they are very sociable and are normally seen in pod of 25 or so.

To identify Striped Dolphins, they are stream like and slender with a distinctive flank pattern. it has a dark prominent beak and a gently sloping forehead, the triangular dorsal fin is slightly hooked.

The upper parts dark grey with a distinctive pale grey blaze that sweeps from the fore flank and back up to the dorsal fin. Below is a second strip which is difficult to see unless it jumps clear of the surface.( Britain's Sea Mammals- Hugh Harrop, John Dunn & Robert Still)

I was pleased to hear that mother and calf had made their way out to open sea , passing the college at 6 pm on Monday.

There has only been 13 sightings of Striped Dolphins in Shetland waters, totaling 16 mammals in total. According to Paul Harvey SBRC all those dolphins beached or died.

In the last 4 years there has been sightings in Shetland waters, this pair is the only ones to have had a positive outcome.

http://www.amazingshetland.co.uk

Rare Wheatear

Rare Migrants seemed to prefer Unst these last few days with another Siberian Accentor (3rd for Shetland in as many weeks) , Little Bunting, Waxwing, Wood Sandpiper, Icterine warbler, Arctic Redpoll, Red backed Shrike

Down in the South mainland i was hoping to catch up with another two rare Wheatears. First stop was Scousborough beach. No one else in sight as i entered the beach making my way down to the eastern side where a Desert Wheatear had been present for a few days.

With most of the visiting birders having left Shetland it was good get out and find birds , however a dog walker had found this rare Wheatear.

The bird soon showed a 100 yards or so away near the sea. Sand here is like the desert and with the sun shining and a good warm day why would the Desert Wheatear want to leave.

It is normally found in North Africa or the Middle east. This cracking male bird was very confiding coming within 6 feet, too close to focus. It spent time down near the sea, up on a rocky area and into the dunes.

Males are  a warm sandy colour, with a jet black throat and wing. It stayed 4 days

The second was an Isabelline Wheatear just a short distance up the road at Noss, this bird never showed despite an hour wait. It favoured a stubble field for a 6 day period. Some people tried several times without success others saw it well on their first visit. I did see the Pied Wheatear still down at Scatness and a Greenland Wheatear, still not bad 3 species of Wheatear all within 8 miles or so.

News came in that a Pine Bunting had been found with an Arctic Redpoll in the Ortolan field. I arrive with three others and could find no trace. The stubble field held a couple of Lapland Bunting , 150 House sparrow in two flocks, around 50 Twite as well as Skylark, Meadow Pipit,Starling and Rock Dove. Despite a long search no sign of either bird

At Maywick only a couple of Robin, Goldcrest and Blackcap. Ireland neat Bigton, had a Jack Snipe a couple of Brent Geese, 20 Pinkfeet flew over and 85 Curlew fed in a grassy field. On the sea 38 Mallard as well as Shag and a couple of Grey Seal.