Caution, Parental advisory!

This title refers to the antics of the local dog Otter when he found a female (and cub)!

I spotted the male as he came out of the water and started calling. Then this female with cub appeared and homed in straight to him. One thing led to another, and I started to feel like a 'voyeur', as daddy and mummy Otters got down and dirty... and all in front of the kids as well! (For full size pics, check out the link in the side bar -----> )

and on the 'migrant' front, I also scored my first Chiffchaff and Bonxie of the year today...

Also more Rock Pipits (photos of two diferent birds) inc one with a 'super' and 'Pinkish' tinge...but not much Grey though! (colours not altered, see side bar for more hot 'Pipit' action!)

Survey work produces results!

Today was a day for doing my early season BTO (ttv's) surveys of East Yell. I had three areas to cover, and got soaked in the process. The sun was out and the birds were singing, but every now and then the heavens opened and it rained in monsoon proportions... This work was rewarded by a singing Male Wheatear, my 'first' for the year, Not a hope of a photo though as it was obviously charged up with hormones, and was zipping about all over the place. Also seen during my surveys were 2 Pheasants calling. This ain't something you hear very often in Shetland, as only a few survive being released! These birds at Aywick have been around for many years and I've seen them occasionally, but this is the first I've heard displaying in Shetland! 3 Chaffinch were the only other birds of note (2 at Aywick, and my singing Burravoe bird)

When trying to take photos of the local Rock Doves, I noticed one individual had a ring on it's right leg. So I zoomed in and tried to capture as much of the ring info as I could. This resulted in me noticing the terrible state of the birds feet. Most of the toes were missing or gnarled, but the bird still walked as normal. I believe this can be caused by a mite infestation, and is obviously not caused by the metal ring. An investigation into the origins of this bird is underway, as it's number looks readable in the many photos taken (ES 58139).

I also downloaded some Rock Pipit photos I took yesterday, which included another very Grey looking bird. This bird had an extensive grey colour to most of it's upperparts, and flanks, but lacked the stonking White 'super' of the previous bird. Click the link to see the original bird http://burravoebirding.blogspot.com/2010/03/petrosusor-is-it_30.html). Yet again there is just a hint of Pinkish colour to the lower throat. The colours in the photo below have not been altered.

Everythings Hazy!

Finished Night shift this morning, and due to sleep deprivation, I'm sure I've been hallucinating! It was while boarding the Ferry at Toft to go home, I could swear I seen 5 'White' Geese flying towards Firth! I got the bins onto them just before they dropped down the other side of a hill, and I'm happy they didn't have any black to the wingtips (birds only seen from behind), so I'm putting them down to be 'escapes' of one form or another. But the real question is; Did they ever exist? and where are they now? If nobody else sees some strange white geese in Shetland soon, I might just lock myself away where I can't do any harm. At least until the proper Spring migration starts...


I also seen 4 Bar-tailed Godwits at Hamnavoe on the way home (I think?), and when I finally arrived home, I could hear the Male Chaffinch 'singing' in the museum garden next door. So not only am I hallucinating, but I might also be hearing things too? Who Knows.....



The above photo 'might' contain a Rock Pipit (taken on my early morning dog walk). If you can't see a bird in the above picture then I'm in more trouble than I thought!

'petrosus'...or is it?

Finally managed to get a decent shot of the 'petrosus' Rock Pipits. These wee buggers are so busy chasing each other, and doing song flights etc, that they were nigh on imposable to capture in a pic. This bird landed right next to me while I was trying to photograph the more flighty bird in the below pics....

This bird had just a hint of 'littoralis' about it! An obvious 'super' (behind the eye only), with a touch of grey colour on the mantle/nape/crown, and a feint pinkish touch to the throat (all more obvious in the field than in these pics) ...The colours of the above bird have not been 'touched-up'!
Any thoughts on the above would be most welcome! (feel free to email me if you prefer)

Frozen Nuts!

Today was a day for birding East Yell. Starting in Burravoe and finding nothing, I ventured up towards Mid Yell, where the Beardie was still hauled out and enjoying the sunshine...

Can anyone can tell me what sex this animal is?

From here it was South to a sheltered bay, where I lay on the cold ground to get close to the birds feeding on the shoreline. 'Field craft' did let me get close and after 20min or so the birds were walking past me unconcerned.

It was then that I could feel the cold from the ground starting to seep in, and I figured if my wife and I ever wanted to have kids, then this was the time to get moving...... It's good to keep your options open, eh!