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Nature in Shetland

winner of a Shetland Environment Award 2004

Shetland Bird Club

 

Latest Bird Sightings and Photos

Send  in your news. 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. For details on how to submit records by e-mail 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. Species in red are BBRC rarities. Species in orange are local rarities.

* IMPORTANT E-mail addresses now changed and spelling corrected on all pages *

Shetland Breeding Bird Survey

First visits should be made to survey squares by 10th May.

Sunday 30th April 2006

Fulmars off Saxa Vord - Anne Meller; Great Skua on Hermaness - Mike Pennington; Merlin at Scatsta a few weeks a ago - Bryan Gray

A new White-billed Diver is off Banna Minn, Burra.

The Hooded Merganser is still at Loch of Quoys, the White-billed Diver is still at Burrafirth and one of the Hornemann's Arctic Redpolls is still on Hermaness.

Saturday 29th April 2006

Arctic Redpoll on Foula - Geoff & Donna Atherton; Arctic Redpolls on Hermaness - Jonathan Swale (3 photos, last 2 show the same individual); Common Sandpiper at Sandgarth - Tony & Beth Gerrard; Greenfinch at Haroldswick - Anne Meller

The Hooded Merganser is still at Loch of Quoys. There are 2 Arctic Redpolls on Hermaness - they appear to be hornemanni birds on structure. A Greenfinch is at Haroldswick.

Another Arctic Redpoll, which appears to be exilipes, is on Foula.

Two Common Sandpipers have returned to Sandgarth, Voe.

Friday 28th April 2006

The Hooded Merganser is still at Loch of Quoys, and the White-billed Diver is still at Burrafirth. A Wood Sandpiper is at Burrafirth and a Greenshank is at Baltasound.

Thursday 27th April 2006

Lesser Black-backed Gull at Burrafirth - Mike Pennington

The Hooded Merganser has been reported again at Loch of Quoys, and the White-billed Diver is back at Burrafirth. A flock of 8 Pintails is at Baltasound.

Wednesday 26th April 2006

Brambling at Burravoe, Yell - Dougie Preston

An Arctic Skua and a Whimbrel are at Haroldswick.

A female Ring Ouzel is at East Yell and an Arctic Skua is on Yell. A second-summer Iceland Gull and a Whimbrel are at Burravoe, Yell.

Tuesday 25th April 2006

Iceland Gull at Boddam - Dave Hall; Black-tailed Godwit at Haroldswick - Micky Maher

A Hoopoe is at Maywick. The first Common Tern of the year is at Pool of Virkie, a Pink-footed Goose is at Ringasta, 2 Swallows are at Hillwell and a second-summer Glaucous Gull is at Scatness along with 2 Gadwalls, 2 Shovelers and 2 Pintails. A first-summer Iceland Gull is at Boddam. A Great Tit is at Ocraquoy for a second day.

There are 4 Black-tailed Godwits at Scatsta and 2 Sand Martins and a second-summer Iceland Gull at Loch of Voe.

A Black-tailed Godwit and a Sand Martin are at Haroldswick, another Sand Martin is at Burrafirth and 4 Swallows and 3 Siskins are at Baltasound.

Monday 24th April 2006

Wren at Belmont and Redwing at Skaw - Anne Meller

A Willow Warbler is at Quoys on Unst.

Sunday 23rd April 2006

White-billed Diver at Burrafirth - Micky Maher; Brambling and Starling at Haroldswick - Anne Meller; Whooper Swan at Haroldswick - Mike Pennington; Black-tailed Godwits at Virkie and Fulmars (2 photos) - Dave Hall

The Hooded Merganser is still at Loch of Quoys, although it was not seen yesterday, and the White-billed Diver was back at Burrafirth in mid-afternoon, but was not there before or after. A Black Redstart is at Uyeasound and 2 Swallows are at Baltasound.

There are 2 Green-winged Teals at Scatness, along with 2 Pintails, 2 Gadwalls and 2 Shovelers. A flock of 19 Black-tailed Godwits are at Pool of Virkie.

Saturday 22nd April 2006

Kumlien's type Gull at Gremista - Dave Hall

A male King Eider is in the Firth at Tresta, off the Ness of Bixter. There are 22 Knots at Tresta and a ringtail Hen Harrier at Sefster.

An Iceland Gull with characteristics of Kumlien's Gull is at Gremista, Lerwick. A first-summer Glaucous Gull is also present.

Friday 21st April 2006

Siskin at Haroldswick - Anne Meller

A White-billed Diver, probably a second-summer, was at Burrafirth in the morning but there was no sign of it in the afternoon.

The male Hooded Merganser is still on Unst at the Loch of Quoys. It was also reported there yesterday. A Sand Martin is at Loch of Quoys and a Chiffchaff is at Norwick.

A Willow Warbler is at Virkie.

Thursday 20th April 2006

Siskin at Haroldswick - Anne Meller

A Siskin is at Haroldswick.

A Chiffchaff is at Sumburgh.

Wednesday 19th April 2006

White-billed Diver in Bluemull Sound - Vaila Smith and Brydon Thomason; White-billed Diver at Kirkabister - Steve Minton; Puffin and Great Skuas on Hermaness - Anne Meller

An adult White-billed Diver is in Bluemull Sound. It was probably present yesterday. The regular White-billed Diver is still at Kirkabister, Nesting.

A male Yellowhammer, a female Sparrowhawk, and 5 Bramblings are at Haroldswick and a Greenshank is at Burrafirth. There has been no sign of the Hooded Merganser today.

A Black Redstart is at Sumburgh Head.

Tuesday 18th April 2006

The male Hooded Merganser is still on Unst, but becoming more elusive as it the water level drops at Haroldswick and it is more often on the Burn of Burrafirth.

An Arctic Skua was at Burrafirth.

Monday 17th April 2006

Hooded Merganser at Haroldswick - Mike Pennington

Chaffinch, Redshank and Turnstone on Unst - Anne Meller; Pintail at Scatness - Steve Minton

The male Hooded Merganser is still on Unst, moving between Haroldswick pool, Loch of Quoys and the Burn of Burrafirth. A first-summer Iceland Gull is at Burrafirth and there is a Barnacle Goose at Haroldswick with the flock of 8 still at Baltasound. A Rook is at Haroldswick and 3 Jackdaws are at Baltasound.

The Greater Canada Goose is at Brig of Bakkasetter. A Chiffchaff is at Sandwick and 6 Wood Pigeons are at Channerwick. A male Pintail, 2 Gadwalls, 2 Shovelers and 4 Wheatears are at Scatness.

The 2 King Eiders are still at Dales Voe, Delting.

Sunday 16th April 2006

The male Hooded Merganser is on Unst, moving between Haroldswick pool and Loch of Quoys.

Saturday 15th April 2006

Hooded Merganser at Burrafirth and Haroldswick - Steve Minton (3 photos); Wendy Dickson (one photo); Dougie Preston (3 photos); Anne Meller (3 photos); Brydon Thomason (one photo)

A male Hooded Merganser is on Unst, moving between Haroldswick pool and Loch of Cliff (most often on the arm of the loch known as Loch of Quoys). It is the first for Shetland although currently no records are accepted in Category A of the British List.

There are also 2 Swallows and 2 Wheatears at Haroldswick.

There are 2 King Eiders at Dales Voe, Delting, the male being joined by a female.

Friday 14th April 2006

A male Black Redstart is at Skeld and a Jackdaw is still at Reawick. Another Jackdaw is at Virkie and a Wheatear is at Sumburgh.

Thursday 13th April 2006

A Woodlark is on Foula.

A female Black Redstart is at Burravoe, Yell. A Carrion Crow is at Kergord. A first-summer Iceland Gull is at Burrafirth.

Wednesday 12th April 2006

The White-billed Diver is still off Kirkabister, Nesting. A Jackdaw is at Skellister, Nesting.

Tuesday 11th April 2006

A flock of 28 Wood Pigeons is at Scousburgh. The Greater Canada Goose is still at Brig of Bakkasetter, and the Smew and the Coot are still at Scatness.

Monday 10th April 2006

A male Wheatear at Sumburgh Head is, amazingly, the first to be reported. A ringtail Hen Harrier was along the Bressay shore of Noss Sound.

Sunday 9th April 2006

The Rough-legged Buzzard is still on Fetlar.

Saturday 8th April 2006

Yellowhammer and Knot at Burravoe, Yell -  Dougie Preston

There are 4 Greenfinches, 2 Knots and a male Yellowhammer at Burravoe, Yell.

There are 5 Pintails and 2 Shovelers at Loch of Spiggie.

Friday 7th April 2006

Four Great Skuas at Burrafirth are the first reported back.

There are 36 Knots at Tresta, a Pink-footed Goose at Sand, Garderhouse, and 2 Jackdaws with really pale silvery collars typical of the eastern form at Reawick.

Thursday 6th April 2006

A female Black Redstart is at Burravoe, Yell.

Tuesday 4th April 2006

T

Sparrowhawk at Oxensetter - Stan Brown

The King Eider is still at Dales Voe, Delting.

A Sparrowhawk is at Oxensetter and a Mistle Thrush is at Eshaness.

A male Hawfinch at Bigton.

Monday 3rd April 2006

Glaucous Gull at Gremista - Steve Minton

The King Eider is still at Dales Voe, Delting. The White-billed Diver is still off Kirkabister, Nesting. A Pheasant nearby at Loch of Houlland survives from a release a few years ago.

A first-winter Glaucous Gull is at Gremista, Lerwick. A Dunnock is the Sletts in Lerwick.

The Smew and the Greater Canada Goose are still at Hillwell and there are 2 Stocks Doves still at Quendale.

Sunday 2nd April 2006

Fieldfare at Scatness - Steve Minton; Greenfinch at Burravoe - Dougie Preston

A male King Eider is around the mussel rafts in Dales Voe, Delting; it is presumably the bird that was in the area last spring.

A Great Tit is at Hoswick. The female Yellowhammer is still at Scatness, along with 20 Fieldfares. A European White-fronted Goose is at Bakkasetter and the Greater Canada Goose flew over there.

There are 4 Greenfinches at Burravoe, Yell.

Saturday 1st April 2006

Brent Geese at Baltasound - Micky Maher

A flock of 4 Stock Doves is at Quendale. A female Yellowhammer, a female Brambling and a Rook are at Scatness. A Sandwich Tern is at Scord. The Water Rail is still at Virkie and a Black Redstart is at Clumlie.

A Mistle Thrush and a Pied Wagtail are at Collafirth, Northmavine, and a Sparrowhawk and 25 Wood Pigeons are at Sullom.

The 4 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 8 Barnacle Geese, a Pink-footed Goose and a Greenland White-fronted Goose are at Baltasound. There are 2 Jackdaws at Haroldswick.