2004
Bird Sightings and Photos (January to March)
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used in the compilation of the Shetland Bird Report.
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in the database used to compile the report, even if they don't appear here.
Full details of Fair Isle sightings are on the
FIBO website. Photographs
are copyright of the named photographer and may not be used for any other
purpose without their permission.
Wednesday 31st March 2004
There are 2 Wheatears, 2 Robins and 4
Gadwalls at Scatness, a Sandwich Tern
at Scord which was also seen at Pool of Virkie and West Voe of Sumburgh, a
Goldcrest and 2 Robins at Sumburgh Head and a Robin in the
Virkie willows.
Another Wheatear is at
Sandwick, and a Great Grey Shrike and a Goldcrest are at Bigton.
Yet another Wheatear is on Compass Head.
On Bressay, there are 3 Robins and a Goldcrest at Gorie, a
Goldcrest and a Robin at Uphouse, and a Chiffchaff and a
Chaffinch at East Ham.
A Great Skua is in Lerwick.
A
Pied Wagtail and a Mistle Thrush are new on Foula and the
Green-winged Teal and the European White-fronted Goose are still
present.
Tuesday 30th March 2004
There are 4 Gadwalls at Scatness.
A Goldcrest and a Great Skua are at Gorie on Bressay, with a
few Puffins offshore there, while there are 2 Chaffinches at East
Ham.
A Goldcrest and a Carrion Crow are new on Foula and the
Green-winged Teal is still present.
Monday 29th March 2004
The American Coot is still at Loch of Clickimin, along with 2 Coots,
and there are 12 Greenfinches at Helendale.
An adult Iceland Gull was at Scord in the morning. There are 3
Sanderlings and 8 Bar-tailed Godwits at Pool of Virkie.
A Goldcrest is at Baltasound.
A Red-throated Diver on Foula is the first of the year there and the
Green-winged Teal is still present.
Sunday 28th March 2004
The Little Egret is still at Strand Loch.
There are 3 Gadwalls at Scatness, 2 Pied Wagtails at Grutness
and the male American Wigeon is still at Hillwell where a pair of
Little Grebes are still thinking about nest-building.
The adult Iceland Gull is still at Haroldswick and 2 Greenfinches
and Brambling are still at Baltasound.
There are 2 1st winter Iceland Gulls and a 1st winter Glaucous
Gulls at Heogan, Bressay, as well as a Shelduck at the Voe of
Leiraness.
On Foula, the Green-winged Teal, the European White-fronted Goose
and the Pintail are still present along with a Song Thrush, a
Common Redpoll, 7 Snow Buntings and 21 Meadow Pipits.
Saturday 27th March 2004
On Unst, there are 55 Snow Buntings, 3 Jackdaws, a
Bar-tailed Godwit and a Carrion Crow at Baltasound and a Rook
and an adult Iceland Gull at Haroldswick.
There are 4 Meadow Pipits, a Pied Wagtail and 13 Skylarks
at Sandwick.
A Pied Wagtail is at Gremista, Lerwick.
On Foula, the Green-winged Teal, the European White-fronted Goose
and the 10 Whooper Swans are still present along with a Dunnock, 3
Moorhens, 10 Snow Buntings and 11 Meadow Pipits.
Friday 26th March 2004
The American Coot is still at Loch of Clickimin and a Chiffchaff,
20 Greenfinches and 20 Siskins are at Helendale.
The female King Eider is still off Belmont.
There are 6 Bar-tailed Godwits at Pool of Virkie and 23 Whooper
Swans at Spiggie, with a female American Wigeon also reported at
Spiggie.
There are still 3 Jackdaws and a Long-eared Owl at Baltasound.
Thursday 25th March 2004
The American Coot is still at Loch of Clickimin.
The female King Eider is still off Belmont. There are flocks of 20
Snow Buntings at Haroldswick on Unst and West Sandwick on Yell.
The male Green-winged Teal, the European White-fronted Goose, 3
Moorhens, a Dunnock, a Wood Pigeon and 10 Snow Buntings
are on Foula where a flock of 10 Whooper Swans was also seen arriving
from the east.
Wednesday 24th March 2004
The American Coot is still on Loch of Clickimin along with 31
Goldeneyes. There are 8 Goosanders at East Voe of Scalloway.
The male Green-winged Teal, the Pintail, the European
White-fronted Goose, 2 Moorhens and a Song Thrush are all on
Foula.
There are 3 Jackdaws at Baltasound.
Tuesday 23rd March 2004
A White-billed Diver is off Sound Gruney, off the NW coast of Fetlar
and the the female King Eider is still in Bluemull Sound off Belmont. A
Carrion Crow is at Baltasound and the Coot is still at Haroldswick.
On Fetlar, there are 2 Taiga Bean Geese and 2 hybrid Greylag x Canada
Geese with a flock of about 100 Greylags Geese.
The American Coot is still on Loch of Clickimin.
The Little Egret is at Strand Loch and there are 2 Goosanders
at East Voe of Scalloway, and a Water Rail and a Dunnock at
Helendale.
A Goldcrest and 4 Goosanders are at the head of Whiteness Voe.
The male Green-winged Teal is still at Shoadals on Foula along with
the male Pintail while there is a Dunnock and 11 Snow Buntings
also on the island.
Monday 22nd March 2004
The female King Eider is still in Bluemull Sound off Belmont and has
been seen by the ferry crew regularly over the last few weeks. A Dunnock
is at Baltasound along with 2 Jackdaws and 2 Chaffinches and the
Coot is still at Haroldswick.
The male Green-winged Teal is still on Foula, along with the Pintail
and 10 Snow Buntings.
The Little Egret is still at East Voe of Scalloway and is being seen
daily - it sometimes goes up Tingwall valley. The Great Grey Shrike is
still between Ireland and Boddam. The male Green-winged Teal is still at
Scatness. The Bar-headed Goose is still at Spiggie and 6 Lesser
Black-backed Gulls are at Quendale
Sunday 21st March 2004
A Green-winged Teal is on Foula, the first record for the island. Also
present are 8 Snow Buntings, 10 Redwings, a Wood Pigeon, 2
Moorhens, the European White-fronted Goose, a Meadow Pipit,
the Dunnock, a Robin and a Song Thrush.
A Great Grey Shrike, quite probably the bird seen earlier in the week,
is around the plantation between Bigton and Ireland. A female Stonechat
is nearby and another is at Scord. The male American Wigeon is still at
Hillwell. There are 4 Pied Wagtails at Toab and
singles at Virkie and Grutness. A female Shoveler at Scatness and there are 208 Greylag Geese, 3
Moorhens and a Shelduck at Spiggie, 4 Shelducks at Virkie,
and a Black-throated Diver is in Bay of Quendale.
The American Coot is still on Loch of Clickimin. For the second successive
spring, a Song Thrush is in song at Helendale.
There are 2 Song Thrushes at Gorie, Bressay, and a 1st winter
Glaucous Gull and a 1st winter Iceland Gull at Heogan, Bressay.
A Jackdaw and 2 Chaffinches are at Baltasound and the Coot
is still at Haroldswick.
Great Grey Shrike at Bigton -
Steve Minton
Saturday 20th March 2004
The Coot is still at Haroldswick.
The Common Buzzard is still at Kergord. There are 2 Chiffchaffs
at Helendale, one a very grey tristis type, along with 7 Greenfinches.
There are 2 Stonechats at West Voe of Sumburgh and a male at Spiggie
and 2 Pied Wagtails and a Jack Snipe at Quendale.
A Velvet Scoter is on Foula along with 18 Snow Buntings, the
Dunnock, 5 Redwings, a Song Thrush and a Wood Pigeon.
Friday 19th March 2004
A ringtail Hen Harrier is at Dale, north of Lerwick. There are
2 Glaucous Gulls (an adult and a 1st winter)
at Heogan, Bressay. A Water Rail is at Helendale along with 2 Wood
Pigeons, a Pied Wagtail is at Gremista and 3 Redwings are at
Seafield. There are 2 Fieldfares at Toab. On Loch of Tingwall, there are
2 Red-throated Divers and a male Bullfinch is at Kergord.
The Coot is still at Haroldswick.
There are 4 Snow Buntings and a Dunnock on Foula.
Thursday 18th March 2004
The American Coot is still at
Loch of Clickimin and there are 3 Wood Pigeons, 3 Chaffinches and
5 Greenfinches in Helendale. There are 2 1st winter Iceland Gulls
at the Shetland Catch in Lerwick, one of which shows characters consistent with
the form or subspecies 'Kumlein's Gull'.
The male Stonechat is still at Sandwick. A Redwing
and a Song Thrush are at Ocraquoy.
A Canada Goose is at Baltasound, along with 14 Snow
Buntings, while several Meadow Pipits are back on Hermaness and the
Coot is still at Haroldswick.
On Foula, there are 6 Snow Buntings, a Dunnock, 2
Robins, the Great Skua, the Wood Pigeon, 2 Redwings
and a Meadow Pipit.
Wednesday 17th March 2004
A Great Grey Shrike was at the north end of Spiggie in the morning and
there are 2 European White-fronted Geese, 2 Pink-footed Geese and
2 male Scaups also at Spiggie, with 8 Pochards and 2 Little
Grebes on Loch of Brow. The male American Wigeon is still at Hillwell
and a Fieldfare is in the Sumburgh Hotel garden.
The 2 Pink-footed Geese are still at Uyeasound and a Pied Wagtail
is on Saxa Vord.
The wintering Sparrowhawk is still at Collafirth, Northmavine.
On Foula, the first Great Skua of the year was joined by 3 Common
Gulls and 2 Black-headed Gulls, which were new arrivals, while other
birds include 2 Moorhens, the European White-fronted Goose with 30
Greylag Geese, and the Pintail.
Tuesday 16th March 2004
The Coot is still at Haroldswick, a Moorhen is at
Burrafirth and there are 7 Greenfinches and a Brambling still at
Baltasound.
A Song Thrush is at Gorie, Bressay.
On Foula, a Dunnock and a Wood Pigeon are present, while
Sunday's Reed Bunting was found dead.
Monday 15th March 2004
A Short-eared Owl and a male Stonechat are at Sandwick. A
Pied Wagtail flew over Scord. There are 120
Greylag Geese and 60 Twites at Toab and 2 Shelducks
at Pool of Virkie.
There are 2 Mistle Thrushes at Setter on Bressay. A
female Chaffinch is at Sletts Park, Lerwick.
On Foula, there is a Wood Pigeon, along with a Long-tailed Duck,
4 Goldeneyes and 5 Snow Buntings.
A possible adult White-tailed Eagle was reported over Crussa Field, Unst.
Good numbers of Black-headed and Common Gulls have returned over the
last few days.
Sunday 14th March 2004
In Lerwick, the American Coot is still at
Loch of Clickimin, along with 3 Scaups, while there are 2 1st winter
Iceland Gulls at the Shetland Catch, a 1st winter Glaucous Gull at
Holmsgarth, and a Long-eared Owl in Helendale along with a Goldcrest
and 2 Chaffinches.
There are 4 Jackdaws at Fleck and a female
Merlin at Boddam.
On Unst, there are 332 Greylag Geese (158 at Baltasound, 92 at
Uyeasound and 82 at Haroldswick) and 14 Whooper Swans (9 at Uyeasound and
5 at Haroldswick) as well as 2 Pink-footed Geese at Uyeasound, a Coot
at Haroldswick, a Little Grebe on Loch of Snarravoe, a Redwing at
Skaw, 5 Greenfinches, a Chaffinch and a Brambling still at
Baltasound, as well as the Velvet Scoter, and 2 flocks of Snow
Buntings, 16 at Haroldswick and 18 at Baltasound.
There are 2 Water Rails at Urafirth, one which has been present since
January and another which arrived over the last week. There is a pair of
Goosanders at Ronas Voe and the wintering Sparrowhawk is still at
Collafirth.
Long-eared Owl at Helendale -
Steve Minton
Saturday 13th March 2004
The hybrid King Eider x Common Eider is still at the Shetland Catch in
Lerwick. A male
Reed Bunting is at Clickimin n Lerwick.
The Little Egret is still at East Voe of Scalloway. A Red-throated
Diver is on Loch of Tingwall.
On Foula, there are 8 Snow Buntings, 23 Oystercatchers, the
Stock Dove at Ham, the Pintail and a Reed Bunting, feeding
under nurse's cottage bird table .
The hybrid eider at the Shetland Catch - Hugh Harrop
Friday 12th March 2004
The male American
Wigeon is still at Hillwell, one European White-fronted Goose is
still at Spiggie, 2 Shelducks are at Boddam and 4 Red-throated Divers
and 30 Purple Sandpipers at Grutness. There are still 20 Snow Buntings
at Sandwick.
A
Woodcock, 2 Wood Pigeons and 2 Chaffinches are at Helendale.
A Brambling is at Baltasound.
On Foula, birds include a Long-tailed Duck, the Pintail, the
European White-fronted Goose, 24 Greylag Geese, 16 Ringed Plovers
and 2 Snow Buntings.
Thursday 11th March 2004
A hybrid male King Eider x Common Eider is at the Shetland
Catch in Lerwick. They are recorded quite regularly in Iceland so it is a little
surprising that this is the first for Britain, as far as I am a aware. A 1st winter Iceland Gull
is also there and an adult
across the sound at Heogan.
A pair of Goosanders are at Loch of Benston and a Wood Pigeon
is in South Nesting .
On Foula, there are 26 Greylag Geese, the European White-fronted
Goose, the Pintail, a Long-tailed Duck, a Redwing, a
Dunnock, a Merlin and a Stock Dove.
A Feral Pigeon nest in Lerwick contains a small chick.
Wednesday 10th March 2004
On Foula, there are 5 Snow Buntings, 16 Teals, 3 Goldeneyes,
a European White-fronted Goose, 20 Ringed Plovers, the Pintail,
29 Greylag Geese, 12 Lapwings and 3 Moorhens.
Tuesday 9th March 2004
There are 10 Bar-tailed Godwits and 3 Shelducks at
Pool of Virkie and a Chaffinch at Bigton.
On Foula, there are 4 Redwings, a Dunnock, 39
Greylag Geese, a Wigeon, 8 Mallards, 2 Moorhens, 14
Teals, 11 Ringed Plovers and 2 Grey Herons.
Monday 8th March 2004
A ringtail Hen Harrier is at Gorie, and a 1st winter
Glaucous Gull is at Heogan, Bressay.
Sunday 7th March 2004
The White-billed Diver is still of
Kirkabister, Nesting, along with 4 Great Northern Divers and 2
Red-throated Divers.
The male American Wigeon is still at
Hillwell along with 4 Little Grebes, one pair of which are showing signs
of breeding, 2 Shelducks and a Lesser Black-backed Gull. At
Spiggie, there is a Pink-footed Goose and a European White-fronted
Goose. There are 2 Red-throated Divers on Loch of Clumlie, only one
in summer plumage.
At the East Voe of Scalloway there is a Little Grebe,
a Carrion Crow, 6 Goosanders (including 2 males) and the Little
Egret.
The dark phase Buzzard is now at
Kergord, along with 3 Wood Pigeons. There are 4 Snow Buntings at
Dale, Voe.
On Foula,
there are 3 Snow Buntings, a Long-tailed Duck, a Redwing,
14 Twites, a Fieldfare, 10 Skylarks, a male Tufted Duck,
a Goldeneye and a Woodcock.
Two
Skylarks were in song at Scatness.
Saturday 6th March 2004
The American Coot is still at Loch of
Clickimin, along with 2 Coots, 58 Tufted Ducks and 36
Goldeneyes, while 3 1st winter Iceland Gulls and a 'blue' Fulmar
are at the Shetland Catch. An adult Iceland Gull was with the 1st winters
across Bressay Sound at Heogan, Bressay.
A dark
phase Buzzard, presumably the one which has been wintering on Mainland,
flew over Eswick.
An adult Lesser Black-backed Gull and a
Stonechat, probably a 1st winter male of one of the western races, are both
on Fetlar.
There are 60 Snow Buntings at Lunning and a Merlin at Eela
Water.
Friday 5th March 2004
The 2 European White-fronted Geese, a Pink-footed Goose and a
Bar-headed Goose are at Spiggie along with 4 Shelducks, 2
Moorhens and a Water Rail. A Merlin and a Redwing are
at Quendale.
A Water Rail is on Fetlar.
Thursday 4th March 2004
A Snipe was heard drumming at dusk at
Sandgarth, north of Voe.
On Foula, there are 2 Redwings, 2 Golden
Plovers, 20 Oystercatchers, 3 Ringed Plovers, 5 Mallards,
a Robin and a Long-tailed Duck.
Wednesday 3rd March 2004
What is presumably the Nesting Little Egret
is at East Voe of Scalloway.
The American Coot is still at Loch of
Clickimin.
The male American Wigeon is still
at Hillwell along with 2 Shelducks, the male Green-winged Teal is
at Scatness along with a male Gadwall and a Shelduck, and 2
Shelducks are at Loch of Clumlie.
Tuesday 2nd March 2004
There are 2 1st winter and a 2nd winter Iceland Gull at Heogan,
Bressay, along with a 1st winter Glaucous Gull there.
On Foula, there is a Redwing, 14 Oystercatchers, 25 Greylag
Geese, 6 Mallards, 13 Teals, 3 Ringed Plovers, 13
Lapwings, a male Pintail, 3 Goldeneyes, a Long-tailed Duck,
12 Curlews and a Dunnock.
Monday 1st March 2004
The American Coot is still on Loch of Clickimin, along with 3
Scaups and a Moorhen, there are 16 Greenfinches, 13
Bramblings and 4 Chaffinches at Helendale, while there 3 1st winter
and one 2nd winter Iceland Gulls in Lerwick.
There are 27 Snow Buntings at Sandwick and 62 at South Nesting, while
there are 238 Golden Plovers and 23 Knots at Catfirth. There are 4
Moorhens and 2 Shelducks at Loch of Spiggie.
There are 2 (male and female) Goosanders off Kirkabister along with 3
Great Northern Divers and 2 Red-throated Divers.
On Foula, there are 5 Blackbirds, a Long-tailed Duck, 16
Oystercatchers, a Skylark, 12 Snipes, 2 Twites and
small rafts of Razorbills and Guillemots offshore.
Sunday 29th February 2004
There are 9 Bar-tailed Godwits at Pool of Virkie, 4 Sanderlings
and 2 Shelducks at Grutness, and 191 Wigeons at Loch of Spiggie
along with 5 Fieldfares, 2 Redwings, 3 Moorhens and 68
Lapwings.
An adult and a 1st winter Glaucous Gull are at Burrafirth and 5
Great Northern Divers are at Haroldswick.
Saturday 28th February 2004
A flock of 30 Greenfinches are on Trondra, along with a Merlin,
while 7 Goosanders (including 2 males) are at east Voe of Scalloway.
A 1st winter Glaucous Gull and 2 Red-throated Divers are at
Burrafirth.
There have been up to 21 Grey Herons roosting at Vidlin over the last
few days.
A Shelduck is at Leira Voe, Bressay.
There are 3 Red-throated Divers at Brae.
Friday 27th February 2004
In Lerwick, the American Coot and 2 Coots
are still on Loch of Clickimin, an adult Iceland Gull at Gremista and a
1st winter Iceland Gull is at Victoria Pier, a 1st winter Glaucous
Gull at the Catch and a Water Rail and
a Woodcock in Helendale.
At Gulberwick, there are 2 Greenfinches, a Chaffinch and
Robin, together with a Merlin regularly coming into the garden to
catch them.
Nothing better than 5 Grey Herons and 42 Greylag Geese in a
quick round of Baltasound.
Thursday 26th February 2004
There are 9 Greenfinches, 3 Chaffinches, a Brambling
and a Robin on Trondra.
A Brambling and a Chaffinch are at Baltasound.
Wednesday 25th February 2004
A
Brambling,
a Water Rail
and a Jack Snipe
are at Gott.
A female Chaffinch and a Robin are at
Baltasound.
A Merlin, a Redwing and a Jack Snipe are in
Lerwick, the latter flying down the North Road in front of the Shetland Hotel.
Tuesday 24th February 2004
There are 120 Greylag Geese, a Robin
and a female Merlin at Scatness.
A Shelduck is at Leira Voe, Bressay.
Monday 23rd February 2004
There are 7 Greenfinches at Baltasound.
Sunday 22nd February 2004
The 1st winter Ring-billed Gull was roosting on Quendale Beach again,
while there was a Peregrine at Hillwell, the usual 2 European
White-fronted Geese at Spiggie and the grey wintering Chiffchaff at
Brake.
Mary Wilson from Burravoe, North Roe, reported 4 Black Swans at
Burravoe before they flew off into Yell Sound.
A 1st winter Glaucous Gull is still on Bressay with a Peregrine
also there at the lighthouse and 2 Jack Snipes and and a Water Rail
at Ham. A Goosander is at the Marina on Bressay.
There are still 6 Greenfinches and a Brambling at Baltasound.
Saturday 21st February 2004
The Ring-billed Gull was still around Spiggie in the afternoon and in
the evening it roosted on the beach at Quendale in a flock of 580 Common
Gulls.
The male American Wigeon is still at Loch of Hillwell. A single
European White-fronted Goose, a Pintail and 4 Shelducks are at
Spiggie, 9 Pochards are on Loch of Brow, 2 Shelducks, 9
Bar-tailed Godwits and 2 Sanderlings are Virkie and a Shoveler
is at Scatness.
There are 2 1st winter Iceland Gulls are still in Lerwick harbour and a
1st winter Glaucous Gull is at Leiraness, Bressay.
There are 20 Snow Buntings at Haroldswick and 7 at Burrafirth.
Friday 20th February 2004
The American Coot is still on Loch of Clickimin. There are 2 1st winter
Iceland Gulls in Lerwick harbour between Shetland Catch and Heogan on
Bressay and the 1st winter Lesser Black-backed Gull is at Heogan again.
The 1st winter Ring-billed Gull is still at Loch of Spiggie, at the SW
corner. There are 73 Wigeons, 4 Moorhens and a Little Grebe
on the loch. The male American Wigeon is still at Loch of Hillwell along
with the wintering Grey Wagtail still there. There
are 4 Shelducks at Loch of Clumlie, 2 at Grutness and 2 at Boddam. At
Pool of Virkie, there are 7 Bar-tailed Godwits along with 143 Golden
Plovers and 89 Curlews.
Thursday 19th February 2004
A 1st winter Ring-billed Gull is at the NW corner of Loch
of Spiggie. It is the 14th Shetland record.
A Black-throated Diver is Bay of Quendale and there are 2
European White-fronted Geese and 4 Pink-footed Geese around
Spiggie.
The American Coot is still on Loch of Clickimin along with
3 Scaups.
Best sighting of the day, though, is the first advance copy of
The Birds of Shetland (oh, come on, why have a website if you can't
do a bit of self-promotion!).
Wednesday 18th February 2004
The American Coot is still on Loch of Clickimin. A pair of
Bullfinches is at Helendale.
A flock of 13 Taiga Bean Geese, along with a single Pink-footed
Goose, was at Huesbreck in the morning. A flock of 43 Snow Buntings
is at Sandwick, with signs of immigration there with a flock of 10 Blackbirds.
There are 12 Greenfinches at Maywick.
A very early adult Lesser Black-backed Gull is at Baltasound. A flock
of 20 Snow Buntings is at Burrafirth.
A Grey Plover is at Toft.
Tuesday 17th February 2004
The Little Egret is at Vassa Voe.
There are 3 Red-throated Divers and 8 Snow Buntings at Sandwick
while Oystercatchers are back in force with 58 at Bigton, 67 at Hillwell
and 63 at Spiggie. The male American
Wigeon and a pair of
Shelducks are at Hillwell, along with with a Pink-footed Goose and
the Bar-headed Goose in nearby fields while 2 European White-fronted
Geese are still at Spiggie.
Monday 16th February 2004
A very early Pied Wagtail is at Gremista, Lerwick.
A Common Redpoll is at Haroldswick.
There are 2 Woodcocks at Brough and a Peregrine at Gorie on
Bressay.
A Bar-headed Goose is still with Greylags at Spiggie and there are 10
Grey Herons at the head of Weisdale Voe.
Sunday 15th February 2004
The White-billed Diver is still off Kirkabister and 2 Little Auks
and a Velvet Scoter are in Sullom Voe
The Velvet Scoter is still in the voe at Baltasound and flock of 85
Snow Buntings is at Muness on Unst.
There are 63 Red-breasted Mergansers between Whiteness Voe and Bixter
(16 at Whiteness, 12 at Weisdale and 35 at Tresta and Bixter), along with 276
Curlews at Bixter, 157 Wigeons an 14 Whooper Swans at Loch of
Collaster, Melby.
There are 6 Oystercatchers at Peerie Voe, Spiggie, and the first
Skylark was in song at Scousburgh.
Saturday 14th February 2004
The American Coot is still at Loch of Clickimin, along with 3 Coots,
2 male Scaups, 46 Goldeneyes, 60 Tufted Ducks and a
Moorhen.
The redhead Smew is still on Loch of Benston, the 1st winter
King Eider is still at Lax Firth, Tingwall, the White-billed Diver is
still off Kirkabister and Little Egret is in South Nesting at Loch of
Freester.
A 1st winter Iceland Gull
is at Tingwall. There are 3 Greenfinches, a Chaffinch and a
Robin in Sletts Park, Lerwick, 2 Chaffinches at Trondra and a male
Chaffinch in Voe. There are still 6 Greenfinches at Scousburgh.
The female King Eider is still at Belmont, 2 Velvet Scoters
were along the east side of Yell and single Iceland and Glaucous Gulls
are in Mid Yell Voe. A Little Auk is off Lunna.
There are still 6 Greenfinches at Baltasound, along with a
Brambling and a flock of 70 House Sparrows in the same garden.
There are 2 Goldcrests in the plantation at Gluss and others have
spent the winter at the Sullom plantation.
A Water Rail is at Burravoe, Yell, and another 2 have been regularly
seen at the other end of the village.
Friday 13th February 2004
The first Oystercatchers are back in the north isles, with singles at
Baltasound and Burravoe. The wintering Carrion Crow and a Skylark
are also at Baltasound.
There are also 3 Oystercatchers and 5 Wood Pigeons back at
Collafirth, Northmavine.
A Merlin and 8 Snow Buntings are at Sandwick. A Water Rail
is at Gott.
Thursday 12th February 2004
The White-billed Diver is still off
Kirkabister and the 1st winter King Eider is still in Lax Firth.
A Song Thrush and 11 Snow Buntings are at Sandwick.
A flock of Greenfinches are at Sandgarth, north of Voe. A Sparrowhawk
is at Collafirth, Northmavine.
A Common Redpoll is at Baltasound.
Wednesday 11th February 2004
There are 2 1st winter Glaucous Gulls at
Burrafirth and an adult at Skaw.
A 1st winter Lesser Black-backed Gull at Heogan, Bressay, is the first
winter record of this age; a hybrid 1st winter Herring x Glaucous Gull
was also there.
Some wader counts from south Mainland include 111 Redshanks at
Sandwick, and 87 Lapwings and 87 Turnstones at Pool of Virkie,
while a Little Grebe is at Boddam.
Monday 9th February 2004
The American Coot is still at Loch of Clickimin. There are 3 Bullfinches (one male and 2 females) in Lerwick,
a Goldcrest at Helendale and 2 1st
winter Iceland Gulls and a Goosander at the Shetland Catch.
A redhead Smew has been found on Loch of Benston. Other birds still
present include the Little Egret at Vassa Voe, the White-billed Diver
off Kirkabister and the 1st winter King Eider in Lax Firth, around the
salmon cages.
The female King Eider is still at Belmont, along with a Velvet
Scoter, while a Goosander is at Gutcher. At least one Greenfinch
and a Brambling are at Baltasound.
Up to 3 Long-eared Owls have been roosting at Tresta on Fetlar.
A Merlin, a Redwing and 23 Snow Buntings are at
Sandwick.
Sunday 8th February 2004
The American Wigeon and 2 Little Grebes are at Hillwell and 2
Shelducks and 2 Little Grebes are at Spiggie.
The Velvet Scoter is still at Baltasound and
a 1st winter Glaucous Gull flew over, while at least 4 Greenfinches
and a Brambling are also there. There are 2 Chaffinches at
Norwick.
Saturday 7th February 2004
No sign of either King Eider at Belmont, but they could have been hiding
amongst the 650 Eiders and 80 Long-tailed Ducks.
There are 8 Goosanders (3 males) and a Carrion Crow at East Voe
of Scalloway.
Friday 6th February 2004
Despite extensive searching, only the female King Eider was at Belmont,
suggesting that the adult male may be the same as the transitory male seen
briefly at Cat Firth last autumn.
An adult Glaucous Gull is in Baltasound.
There are 192 Wigeons, 71 Lapwings and a Fieldfare at
Spiggie and a single Shelduck at Boddam.
The Common Redpoll and the Long-eared Owl are still at Vidlin.
Thursday 5th February 2004
There are 2 King Eiders at Belmont, an adult male joining the female
in the usual Eider flock. There are 68 Turnstones at Norwick and a
Red-throated Diver at Skaw.
Wednesday 4th February 2004
The American Coot is still at Loch of
Clickimin.
A Black-throated Diver flew past the ferry at Belmont this morning.
There are 7 Goosanders and 14 Red-breasted Mergansers at East Voe
of Scalloway and 88 Redshanks at Loch of Tingwall.
Tuesday 3rd February 2004
As the loch as thawed the American Coot has reappeared at Loch of
Clickimin.
The female King Eider is with Eiders at Belmont. The wintering Carrion
Crow is still at Baltasound.
There are 6 Bar-tailed Godwits at Pool of Virkie and 8 Moorhens at
Loch of Spiggie.
Monday 2nd February 2004
Nature in Shetland
