August 2005 Bird Sightings and
Photos
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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.
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check the
Bird Club's
Recording page. NOTE that ALL records go into the database used in the
compilation of the Shetland Bird Report EVEN IF they do not appear on this page.
Wednesday 31st August 2005
A Greenish Warbler is at Whiggie Geo on Noss.
The Bee-eater is still in the Virkie willows and there are 4
Bar-tailed Godwits and 7 Ruffs on the Pool of Virkie. A Goldcrest
is at Sumburgh Head.
A Willow Warbler is at Sandgarth, Voe.
On
Foula there were 15+ Golden Plovers, 17 Ringed Plovers, 24
Lapwings, 30 Dunlins, 3 Sanderlings, a Knot, 25+
Turnstones, 20+ White Wagtails and the Barred Warbler from
25th.
Tuesday 30th August 2005
The Bee-eater is at Toab.
There are 2 Goosanders in Weisdale Voe. A Turtle Dove is at
Baltasound and about 5 Sooty Shearwaters were seen off Hermaness. A
Grey Wagtail is at Fugla Ness, Sullom Voe.
Monday 29th August 2005
Bee-eater at Virkie - Hugh Harrop;
Turnstone at Westing and Redshank at Baltasound
- Mike
Pennington
The Bee-eater is still at Virkie.
A seawatch of Eshaness produced 5 Manx
Shearwaters, 5 Sooty Shearwaters, 4 Storm Petrels and a
Leach's Petrel, all between 10.30 - 13.30.
Sunday 28th August 2005
Bee-eater at Toab and Virkie
-
Steve Minton (three photos); Hugh Harrop
(one photo); Black-tailed Godwit and Ruff at Burravoe, Yell - Dougie Preston
A Bee-eater was at the south end of Toab in the afternoon, flying once to
the Virkie willows, while at about 6 pm it flew south and has not been seen
again; autumn arrivals are very unusual.
A Fieldfare and a Willow Warbler are at Wester Quarff.
A juvenile Black-tailed Godwit and a Ruff are at Burravoe, Yell,
and 5 Ruffs are at Uyeasound.
Saturday 27th August 2005
A juvenile Little Gull is at the north end of Loch of Spiggie, a
Tree Pipit is at Sumburgh Farm, a Greenshank is at Loch of Huesbreck
and a pair of Scaups are on Loch of Spiggie.
On Foula, little was seen though there were c 25
Dunlins, a Sanderling and a Knot.
Friday 26th August 2005
The Common Crane was seen flying south at Hagdale on Unst just before
mid-day today and landed at Funzie, Fetlar, a little later.
The male King Eider is still off Wester Quarff and a Greenshank
and a House Martin are at East Voe of Quarff.
The Kestrel and the female Sparrowhawk are still at Upper
Kergord.
On Foula there were 8 Wigeons, 13 Teals, 40+
Golden Plovers, c15 Ringed Plovers, c 50 Dunlins, 3
Knots, a Black-tailed Godwit, 20+ Turnstones, 2 Willow
Warblers, a Spotted Flycatcher and a Common Crossbill.
Thursday 25th August 2005
A Barred Warbler is still on Fetlar.
There are 2 Ruffs at Wester Quarff and 189 Greylag Geese at
Clumlie, while a House Martin at Spiggie is probably locally bred.
On Foula there were 10
Oystercatchers (first for a while), 15 Ringed Plovers, 35 Dunlins,
6 Knots, a Green Sandpiper, 17 Turnstones, c 60 White
Wagtails (at a roost), a Barred Warbler, 2 Willow Warblers and
a Chiffchaff originally ringed on 20th June.
Wednesday 24th August 2005
Sooty Shearwater at Sumburgh
-
Steve Minton; Arctic Tern at Haroldswick - Mike
Pennington
Off Sumburgh Head, there was a Great Shearwater at 11:15, a
Pomarine Skua, 2 Leach's
Petrels, 4 Storm Petrels, 4 Manx Shearwaters and 247 Sooty
Shearwaters, all coming in from the NE, passing the head and then moving SW
and all between 08:30 and 17:45. The Sooty Shearwater count is the highest ever
in Shetland away from Fair Isle, although the previous record of 200 was in just
2.5 hours.
There are 21 Sanderlings and 3 Knots at Grutness, 4
Knots at Boddam, 29 Wigeons at Fleck and 2 Pied Flycatchers
at Scousburgh.
A Peregrine Falcon is at Weisdale.
On Unst, there are 2 Sanderlings and a Knot at
Skaw, 14 Sanderlings and 6 Knots at Norwick and a Knot at
Baltasound.
There were few observations on Fouls but 7 Common Gulls,
a Willow Warbler and 8+ White Wagtails were seen.
Tuesday 23rd August 2005
A Barred Warbler is at Wester Quarff.
A Little Stint and a Greenshank are at Burravoe, North Roe.
On Foula there were c 50 Golden Plovers, a
Black-tailed Godwit, 5 Swallows, 6 White Wagtails and 2
Willow Warblers.
Monday 22nd August 2005
The female Red-backed Shrike is still at Northdale,
Unst, a Pied Flycatcher is at Burrafirth, a Greenshank is at
Baltasound and the Shoveler is now at Haroldswick.
On
Foula there were 6 Knots, 2 White Wagtails, and a Willow
Warbler.
Sunday 21st August 2005
An adult female Red-backed Shrike is at Northdale,
Unst, a Willow Warbler is at Skaw and the
Common Crane is still at Haroldswick.
On Foula, there were 6 Purple Sandpipers, 12+
Redshanks, 45+Turnstones, 2 White Wagtails and a Willow
Warbler.
A Manx Shearwater was seen near Ramna Stacks and further north 3
Sooty Shearwaters were seen up to 20 km offshore.
Saturday 20th August 2005
Juvenile Chiffchaff
and Shoveler on Unst - Mike
Pennington; Hobby at Kergord -
Steve Minton An adult Hobby is at Upper
Kergord along with a Common Crossbill and a female Sparrowhawk,
while a Kestrel and a Jackdaw are at Kergord.
At Scatness there is a Willow Warbler, 67
Sanderlings, 3 Ruffs, a Greenshank, 14 alba Wagtails
and an adult Peregrine Falcon. There are 10 Bar-tailed Godwits and
5 Knots at Pool of Virkie and a male Linnet at West Voe of
Sumburgh.
A Barred Warbler and a Willow Warbler are on
Fetlar.
A Barred Warbler is at Skaw, Whalsay.
On Foula there were 7 Mallards, c 60 Golden Plovers,
36 Lapwings, 2 Swallows, 2 White Wagtails and a Willow
Warbler.
A juvenile Chiffchaff at
Baltasound since at least 17th is presumably locally bred. It still has a gape
flange and a short tail and a male was singing in Halligarth in July. The
Common Crane is still at Haroldswick along with a Turtle Dove, there
are 12 Sanderlings at Norwick and a Shoveler is on Lamba Ness.
A Barred Warbler was seen on a vessel 65 km NW of Hermaness along with
2 Great Shearwaters, 2 Leach's Petrels, 12 Sooty Shearwaters
and 100+ Storm Petrels.
Friday 19th August 2005
A selection of recent photographs from
Rob Fray - Sanderling, Ringed Plover,
Ruff, Knot, Dunlin, Arctic Tern, Arctic Skua, Black Guillemot
On Foula there were 3 Knots, 2 White Wagtails, 2
Willow Warblers and a Common Rosefinch.
A juvenile Little Gull, 12 Knots and a
Sanderling are at Sands of Sand, Fetlar.
There is a Barred Warbler and 8 Common Crossbills at Sumburgh Head and 6
Common Swifts at Sandwick.
The Common Crane is still at Haroldswick. A Wigeon and 8 Ruffs are at Uyeasound and a
Fieldfare at Norwick.
Thursday 18th August 2005
On Foula there were 2 Sooty Shearwaters, a Manx
Shearwater, a Whimbrel and 2 Willow Warblers (one of which
sang briefly).
At least 30
Red-breasted Mergansers were at the head of Dales Voe, Delting. A
Peregrine Falcon is at Tumblin, Bixter.
There are 8 Ruffs, 20 Knots, 300 Lapwings and 500 Golden
Plovers at Gluss and another 6 Knots at Lochend.
Wednesday 17th August 2005 On Foula there few observations apart from a Teal, 4
Black-headed Gulls and 2 Arctic Terns. A Bar-tailed Godwit, 4 Sanderlings
and 13 Knots are at Pool of Virkie.
Tuesday 16th August 2005
Greenshank at Quarff - Jim Nicolson.
The Greenshank is still at Quarff. A Willow Warbler and a
Common Crossbill are at Eswick. A
Chaffinch is at Halligarth and a Sanderling is at Skaw.
On Foula there were 8 Mallards, a White Wagtail and
2 Chiffchaffs (which had probably summered).
Monday 15th August 2005The Greenish Warbler is still eluding
views at Norwick. A Red-necked Phalarope was at Haroldswick in the
morning.
A Ruff and 2 Black-tailed Godwits are still at Pool of Virkie
along with a Bar-tailed Godwit, 11 Knots and 13 Sanderlings
around Virkie and Grutness. The Greenshank is still at Quarff.
On
Foula there were 2 Golden Plovers, 8 Turnstones, c15 Arctic
Terns, 5 Swallows (a family group with 3 juveniles) and a White
Wagtail.
Sunday 14th August 2005
Greenish Warbler at Norwick -
Micky Maher
The very elusive Greenish Warbler, which is an adult,
is still at Norwick. A Hobby also flew over Norwick and 9 Ruffs
are at Easter Loch in Uyeasound.
PLEASE DO NOT ENTER THE GARDEN AT NORWICK.
A Ruff and 2 Black-tailed Godwits are at Pool of Virkie and the Greenshank is
still at Quarff. There was a Kestrel on Foula.
Saturday 13th August 2005
A very elusive Greenish Warbler, 2 Common
Redpolls and a Fieldfare are at Norwick. On
Foula there were c. 50 Arctic Terns at the Hame Banks – of which c20 were
juveniles. The Whooper Swan is still present.
Friday 12th August 2005
The King Eider, which is actually an adult, is still off Wester Quarff
and another King Eider, presumably the bird that has been in the area for
the last couple of years, is off Burwick.
Thursday 11th August 2005
The Common Crane is still at Haroldswick.
There were 3 Sooty Shearwaters off Eshaness. The Greenshank is
still at Quarff.
Wednesday 10th August 2005 
Greenshank - Steve Minton
The Greenshank is still at Quarff.
There are 7 Ruffs at Gluss in Northmavine.
Saturday 6th August 2005
There is a record 245 Redshanks at Virkie, along
with a Ruff.
Monday 8th August 2005 A Knot, a Bar-tailed
Godwits and 4 Whimbrels are at Virkie. Another Knot is at
Weisdale Voe.
A Hobby was reported sitting at Sand in the west Mainland in the evening.
The King Eider is still off Wester Quarff. A Green
Sandpiper flew over Levenwick.
Sunday 7th August 2005A Hobby flew north over Scord towards Toab at mid-day .
Saturday 6th August 2005
Ruffs at Virkie - Steve Minton
There are 2 Ruffs, a Knot and 2
Bar-tailed Godwits at Virkie.
There are up to 40 Collared Doves
visiting one garden at Baltasound.
Friday 5th August 2005
Arctic Skua at Scord - Steve Minton
The Common Crane is still at Haroldswick.
The male Mandarin Duck, still in eclipse but full-winged, is still at
Loch of Hillwell. A Knot is at Pool of Virkie and a Black-tailed Godwit is at
Fleck.
A Green Sandpiper is at Grobsness.
Thursday 4th August 2005
A Black-tailed Godwit is at Boddam.
Wednesday 3rd August 2005
The Common Crane is still at Haroldswick. A Greenshank is at
Henry's Loch, Quarff.
Monday 1st August 2005
A juvenile Ruff is at Virkie.
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Nature in Shetland
