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Shetland Bird Club

 

 

June 2006

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. Species in red are BBRC rarities. Species in orange are local rarities.

Wednesday 28th June 2006

Puffin and Guillemots at Sumburgh - Tony & Beth Gerrard

Tuesday 27th June 2006

A Cuckoo is at Scatness.

Monday 26th June 2006

A European Bee-eater flew over Baltasound in the evening before settling at Halligarth.

Sunday 25th June 2006

Laughing Gull at Toab - Steve Minton (2 photos), Dave Hall (2 photos); Tree Sparrow at Sandwick - Glen Tyler

Great Skua, Arctic Skua, Fulmar, Puffins and Golden Plover on Hermaness - Anne Meller

An adult Laughing Gull is in fields around Toab and Exnaboe. It seems it may be the bird that was on Unst earlier as the bill pattern is very similar.

A Tree Sparrow is collecting food at Sandwick; the first breeding record for Shetland since 1979.

The European Bee-eater is still at Camb, Mid Yell.

An Osprey flew over Lerwick in the evening. A brood of Shelducks is at Sound, Lerwick; there have also been two broods at Boddam recently.

Saturday 24th June 2006

The European Bee-eater is still at Camb, Mid Yell.

Thursday 22nd June 2006

Eiders and Lapwing at Skaw - Mike Pennington; Oystercatchers and Gannet at Skaw, Unst - Anne Meller

An adult Laughing Gull flew north at Quendale in the late morning; it is conceivably the bird that was on Unst a few days ago.

A flock of 8 Wood Pigeons flew south over Burravoe, Yell.

Wednesday 21st June 2006

European Bee-eater at Seafield, Yell - Hugh Harrop

A Hobby was watched pursuing Moths at 23:00 in the South Biggins area on Foula.

The European Bee-eater is still at Seafield, Mid Yell.

There are 2 House Martins at Sumburgh Head.

Tuesday 20th June 2006

Eider and Wren at Baltasound - Anne Meller

The European Bee-eater is still at Seafield, Mid Yell.

A Marsh Harrier is at Sae Water, Nesting.

Monday 19th June 2006

European Bee-eater at Seafield, Yell - Hugh Harrop; Dougie Preston

An adult Laughing Gull was reported at Burrafirth in the evening. Photographs of this bird are here.

A European Bee-eater is at Seafield, Mid Yell.

A Storm Petrel was off Scord.

The Turtle Dove is still at Baltasound.

Sunday 18th June 2006

Turtle Dove at Baltasound - Mike Pennington; Guillemots and Shag off Skaw, Unst - Anne Meller

A Turtle Dove is at Baltasound. A Black-tailed Godwit is at Burravoe on Yell. A male Scaup is at Loch of Houlland, Nesting. A Marsh Warbler is on Foula.

Saturday 17th June 2006

Greylag Geese at Cullivoe - Anne Meller

A Common Swift is at Burravoe, Yell.

Friday 16th June 2006

dark-billed Arctic Tern - Hugh Harrop; Red-throated Diver (in winter plumage!) at Haroldswick - Anne Meller

A strange dark-billed Arctic Tern is at Loch Vats-houll on Whalsay. Female Red-backed Shrikes are still at Skaw, Unst, and Skaw, Whalsay.

A Marsh Warbler is on Foula.

Thursday 15th June 2006

Canada Geese at Sumburgh - Dave Hall

A Hobby and a record flock of 27 Canada Geese are at Sumburgh. A male Marsh Warbler is singing at Geosetter.

The male King Eider is still at Dales Voe, Delting.

A female Red-backed Shrike is at Skaw, Unst.

Wednesday 14th June 2006

 

Wryneck at Baltasound - Hugh Harrop; Red-backed Shrike at Virkie and Marsh Harrier at Sae Water - Dave Hall; juvenile Wren and Turtle Dove at Baltasound - Mike Pennington; Turtle Dove at Haroldswick - Micky Maher

A female Red-backed Shrike and a Wryneck are at Baltasound. There are Turtle Doves at Haroldswick, Baltasound and on Fetlar.

A Curlew Sandpiper is at Skaw, Whalsay, along with Sanderlings and the female Red-backed Shrike.

A female Red-backed Shrike is at Virkie. A Marsh Harrier is at Sae Water, near Voe.

A Canada Goose is on Fetlar.

Tuesday 13th June 2006

Marsh Warbler at Skaw - Micky Maher; juvenile Rock Pipit - Dave Hall

What is presumably the same female Red-footed Falcon is now at Fladdabister.

A European Bee-eater has been reported from Cullivoe on Yell.

A Marsh Warbler is at Skaw, Unst, and a Canada Goose is at Baltasound.

A female Red-backed Shrike is at Skaw, Whalsay, and a male Red-backed Shrike is on Foula.

Monday 12th June 2006

Paddyfield Warbler on Whalsay - Jon Dunn; European Bee-eaters at Gulberwick - Bob Kelman

A Paddyfield Warbler has been trapped at Skaw, Whalsay - it is the third in successive springs and the first ever for Whalsay.

A first-summer Red-footed Falcon was seen briefly at Collafirth, Delting, before flying west. An Osprey flew over Scalloway in the evening. Two European Bee-eaters have been reported form Gulberwick. A female Marsh Harrier is at Spiggie and another is at Toft.

A first-summer male Common Rosefinch is on Foula.

A male Red-backed Shrike is at Skaw, Unst, and the Turtle Dove is still at Haroldswick. The Turtle Dove is still at Burravoe.

Sunday 11th June 2006

Marsh Harrier at Hillwell and Snipe at Sandwick - Dave Hall; Turtle Dove with Collared Doves and juvenile House Sparrow at Haroldswick - Anne Meller; Curlew at Baltasound - Mike Pennington

A different Marsh Harrier is at Hillwell.

The first-summer Iceland Gull is still at Burrafirth and a Turtle Dove is at Haroldswick.

Saturday 10th June 2006

 

Red-footed Falcon at Bakkasetter - Roger Riddington; Dougie Preston; Marsh Harrier at Hillwell - Dave Hall; Arctic Tern at Skaw - Mike Pennington

A female Red-footed Falcon is at Brig of Bakkasetter ('Brow marsh'). It is the first in Shetland for 10 years and the first in spring since 1992. A Sand Martin is also there. A Marsh Harrier and a Wood Sandpiper are at Loch of Hillwell and Spotted Flycatchers are at Sumburgh and Geosetter.

The Quail is still calling at Northdale, Unst, and 2 Chiffchaffs and a Willow Warbler are at Skaw. The Turtle Dove is still at Burravoe.

Friday 9th June 2006

Subalpine Warbler on Foula - Chris Winter

A male western Subalpine Warbler and a Marsh Warbler are on Foula.

A Quail is calling at Northdale, Unst.

The Turtle Dove is still at Burravoe.

Thursday 8th June 2006

Red-necked Phalarope on Fetlar, Mallards at Haroldswick and Chiffchaff at Skaw - Tony & Beth Gerrard

A migrant female Red-necked Phalarope is at the Houb of Scatsta.

A Quail is calling at Northdale, Unst.

Wednesday 7th June 2006

A Richard's Pipit has been reported at Sumburgh Head.

A male Bluethroat is on Foula.

The Turtle Dove is still at Burravoe, along with 3 Collared Doves.

A male Pheasant at Loch of Houlland survives form a release there a few years ago.

Tuesday 6th June 2006

Dunlin and Whimbrel near Catfirth - Dave Hall

The Turtle Dove is still at Burravoe, along with a Collared Dove. A Brambling is at Maywick.

Monday 5th June 2006

 

Turtle Dove at Burravoe and Rock Pipit at Toft - Dougie Preston; Golden Plovers on Saxa Vord and Red-necked Phalaropes on Fetlar - Anne Meller; Arctic Skua at Clumlie and Red-throated Diver near Voe - Dave Hall

The male King Eider is still at Dales Voe, Delting.

The Sparrowhawk and a Chiffchaff are still at Norwick and 4 Sanderlings are at Skaw.

The Turtle Dove is still at Burravoe.

Sunday 4th June 2006

The Turtle Dove is still at Burravoe, Yell, and a Chaffinch is at Baltasound.

Saturday 3rd June 2006

Arctic Skua and Great Skua at Saxa Vord and Arctic Tern at Haroldswick - Mike Pennington; Black Redstart at Mid Yell and Arctic Tern at Burravoe, Yell - Dougie Preston; Teal at Sandgarth - Tony & Beth Gerrard

The Savi's Warbler is still at Skaw, Unst. It is becoming very elusive, possibly partly because the only available cover, a patch of spearmint and nettle, was very badly trampled on Monday. The landowner is not very pleased at the damage caused. It is relevant to remind people once again that access to many sites in Shetland is at the discretion of the landowner or tenant and access to any fenced areas should be with specific permission.

A male King Eider is at Dales Voe, Delting.

A male Black Redstart is at Mid Yell and the Turtle Dove is still at Burravoe.

There are 2 House Martins at the Sletts, Lerwick.

A Garden Warbler is at Kergord.

Friday 2nd June 2006

Turtle Dove at Burravoe - Dougie Preston

The Savi's Warbler is still at Skaw, Unst.

A male Reed Bunting is at Culswick.

The Turtle Dove is still at Burravoe.

Meanwhile, the buzzard seen at Lerwick on 5th-6th May has been reidentified. It is a dark morph Rough-legged Hawk (the North American race of Rough-legged Buzzard) which was originally caught on a fishing boat east of the Grand Bank, Newfoundland, in September 2003. It was taken to the Faeroe Islands where it was cared for in captivity. Bizarrely, the carer then decided to take it on the passenger ferry from Faeroe to Denmark and released it just off Noss at 4.00 am on 5th May! Within a few hours it was sitting on the Knab in Lerwick looking unsurprisingly bemused. It is possibly still at large somewhere in Shetland - a buzzard flew over Dales Voe a few days ago.

Thursday 1st June 2006

The Savi's Warbler is still at Skaw, Unst, and a Lesser Whitethroat and a Willow Warbler are at Baltasound.

A Red-throated Pipit is on Foula and has been present since 26th May.

The Turtle Dove is still at Burravoe.

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