Breeding failure?

For the first time since I moved to Shetland about 5 years ago, the usual 'late Summer' post breeding congregation of Kittiwake at Toft ferry terminal, is noticeable in it's complete lack of juvenile birds this year! does this mean a total failure of local birds? this is a shame indeed, as I reckon this is one species where the juv/first winter birds actually look nicer than the adults!

The local Arctic Skuas were still in attendance, and always ready for a free meal though. Which in turn made for some very interesting and fast photography...

On a separate note. I'm in the process of swapping my broadband from AOL to BT. So if I'm off line for a while then you know it's not gone to plan...

Bring back the 'ashes'...

No... nothing to do with cricket. More to do with natures finest!

Ok, so the ash clouds were a pain in the arse for everybody wanting to fly, but for a bit of piece and quiet they were a god send!

Trying to record the calling Black Guillemots high pitch whistle, when they are only a few meters away, should be easy. But with planes and helicopters buzzing around constantly this morning, I found myself wishing the Icelandic volcano with the unpronounceable name would cough back into life!

On second thoughts, that might mean a change to my holiday plans if it does...... hmmm, looks like I'll have to do without my recordings, or just get up even bloody earlier!

Good to see skuas attacking some thing other than me...

Fetlar folly!

Phalaropes 3, Dougie 1...

That's the score so far with my day trips to Fetlar (only one sighting out of 4 visits!). So what's happened to these wee birds this year? It has been quite a cold Summer with a lot of Northerly winds, so maybe they are indeed struggling? With a bit of luck they are just hiding out in the long vegetation...

So with no Phals, it was time for plan 'B'. I'd always wanted to get some decent sound recordings of the Arctic Skuas and Whimbrels, and with a good population of both on Fetlar, it seemed like a good opportunity. The only slight fly in the ointment was the strong breeze... Not ideal, but I did manage some recordings. scroll to the end of the post for the sounds...

Arctic Skua;

Whimbrel;

Moorland sounds;