17th March 2012
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Signs of spring |
Siskin at Vatshoull |
Meadow Pipit at Skaw |
Iceland Gull at Hamister |
The Kumlien`s gull also at Hamister |
Teal at Symbister |
Pied Wagtail at Hamister |
There now seems to be a good build up of Oystercatchers, Lapwings
and Skylarks, the latter now singing on the odd occasion that it
isn't pishing down and blowing a gale from the South West. Today the
Common Scoter flock off Vatshoull was at nine birds which
must be a local record with a female Siskin also in a Vatshoull
garden for the last day or two. |
9th March 2012
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Ringed Scorie |
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JH763
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Pied Wagtail |
Grey Heron |
How unobservant am I ? I was recently trawling through old Gull pics
from Symbister when I came on the above Glaucous Gull photo from
19/1. My finger was hovering over the delete button when I noticed
the Juvenile Herring Gull on the left is ringed on both legs.
I know I have glanced at this pic several times and missed it each
time. I have since found out that it was ringed as a chick at
Orndalen , Tromso in Norway on 6th July 2011. Still little to report on the migrant
front, two Pied Wagtails have been around Hamister since 7/3
and I managed to catch up with the elusive Common Buzzard
today at Vatshoull. |
4th March 2012
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Long staying Kumlien`s
Gull |
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Spotted the Kumlien`s Gull on a neighbours
roof with a Herring Gull while preparing Sunday lunch. After two
days of strong SE winds I was hoping for at least a Mistle Thrush
today but had to settle for a Woodcock in the Skaw plantation
and what was possibly the same Red Throated Diver on Vatshoull loch
and later at North loch of Skaw. Sounds like more SE winds on the
way so there may be something before the weeks out. |
28th February 2012
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Update |
Its now just over two weeks since my last entry.
The Little Gull
was last seen on the 17th with Iceland Gull numbers slowly
dwindling. Eight are at Symbister today with six in the North Voe
and one at Skaw. I had thought the adult Kumlien`s Gull was
long gone but it has suddenly reappeared with the gulls in the
North Voe this afternoon. Four female Common Scoters were off
Vatshoull yesterday and Dunnocks are overwintering at Saltness and
Gardentown. Norman Poleson has reported a possible Buzzard
sp. below his house at Brough on consecutive mornings but I have yet
to catch up with it. |
13th February 2012
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Little Gull |
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26 Iceland Gulls with one Great Black Backed at Symbister |
Iceland Gull numbers appear to be on the decrease with "only" twenty
two at Symbister today. Numbers peaked 7/2 with fifty four Icelands
on this date and with quite a few more gulls unchecked amongst the
pelagic boats I expect a few more were present. A first winter
Little Gull with the Symbister flock was nice as
they are nowhere near annual on the island.
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25th January 2012
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Final Gull count |
First Winter Glaucous Gull (again) |
As we are away fishing tomorrow morning I thought
I would do a last gull update. Yesterday (24th) an incredible forty
nine!! Iceland Gulls were at Symbister and with over thirty
resting on the shore it made counting them a lot easier. Today
Iceland numbers were down to about thirty eight but Glaucous
Gulls were up to seven. Should be back to resume this drivel in
a few weeks.
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20th January 2012
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Red Throated Diver |
Got a call from my uncle Bobby Irvine in mid
afternoon about a diver on North Loch of Skaw. This
turned out to be a Red Throated and is by a long way the earliest
bird I have seen on fresh water on Whalsay. Earlier in the day
there were thirty one Iceland Gulls and three Glaucous Gulls at
Symbister. The Kumlien`s is still staying faithful to the same
field at Hamister. |
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19th January 2012
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Glaucous Gulls |
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The white winged gull invasion has picked up pace on Whalsay with an
amazing thirty six!! Iceland Gulls and two Glaucous Gulls
below the Symbister fish factory today. Hope I can find
something to report that isn't a gull sometime soon. |
14th January 2012
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The great all Shetland Iceland
Gull count |
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With record numbers of Iceland Gulls in Shetland at the
moment the "nature in Shetland" boys decided to organise a
synchronised count on Saturday 14th. BM and myself had a day in the
field turning up twenty Iceland and two Kumlien`s Gulls, by a
long way a record for the isle. A third winter Kumlien`s was on
Hamister beach flying off just as the camera was coming out of the
bag. This huge influx is all the stranger because of the lack
of first winter birds, three of twenty two on Whalsay with a similar
story everywhere else. The Shetland day total was an impressive 152.
Little else of interest was seen though BM had the Bean Goose
again at Isbister and a first winter Gannet flew south past
me at Breiwick beach which was unseasonal. JD had the
Great White Egret yesterday (13th) fly in landing on the
beach below Vatshoull though I missed it. This is the first
confirmed sighting since 27/12, where's it been? |
11th January 2011
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More Iceland Gulls |
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Am on daily visits to the fish factory at the moment with Iceland
Gull numbers at seven there this afternoon and a single adult on
Hamister beach. Like everyone else thoughts of an Ivory or
Ross`s Gull joining the flock keeps you going. Nothing like a
bit of blind optimism. |
6th January 2012
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Iceland Gulls |
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Iceland Gulls and Juvenile Kittiwake at Symbister
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9/1/12 |
9/1/12 |
The current Iceland Gull influx into Shetland seems to have
reached us too with BM yesterday finding a first winter at Skaw
then five of different ages at Symbister below the fish
factory. My efforts at photography were hampered somewhat by the car
being filled with spray every thirty seconds or so. The Kumlien`s
Gull was back in its chosen Hamister field today after being
seen and photographed at Shetland Catch factory in Lerwick
yesterday. It was with a second winter Iceland Gull and BM informed
me that yesterdays five Icelands were still at Symbister. A walk in
the Skaw Taing accompanied by BM added single Little Auk and
Merlin to the year list. |
1st January 2012
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Common Buzzard |
After the usual Christmas/new year excesses
I was out a couple of times today. The Kumlien`s Gull was in
its usual Hamister field and two Chaffinches and a Long Eared Owl
were also at Hamister. Six more Chaffinches were at Symbister
and one European White Fronted Goose was still in the
Skaw Greylag flock.
JD was out doing his annual new years day
birdrace against Tommy from Fair Isle and after a slim defeat last
year was looking for revenge in 2012. Jons best birds were a
Common Buzzard being mobbed by a Hooded Crow over
Challister Ness, a Little Auk off Symbister, a Jack Snipe
in the Symbister meadow and a couple of Iceland Gulls so with
a very reasonable 51 species seen the title is apparently back in
Whalsay. |
photo Jon Dunn |