Eastern Promise...

As if this morning wasn't good enough (see previous post!). Rory and Will scored large with this stunning Sykes's Warbler this afternoon at Burrafirth! A most accommodating bird, as can be seen below...

And a rear view, to show more 'features', such as outer tail feathers, tertials etc...

Midnight Magic

After hearing "rumours" of some Petrel ringing going on in Shetland, I thought I'd make some inquiries! All it took was just one phone call, and one text, and I was all set for my first ever bird ringing session. And what a session it was too!!!

I arrived at the destination at 2300hrs, and as I got out the car, the sound of tape lure was already in the air. After a quick hello, I was immediately shown a Leach's Petrel 'in the hand'... One that had just been caught as I arrived! What a fantastic start, to a great few hours.

After I'd recovered from this initial shock! The Petrels came in thick and fast, with a total of just over 20 Stormies and 2 Leach's caught in the 4 hours. (Some of the Leach's were even calling as they flew over head!). It was a great privilege to see these nocturnal seabirds at such close quarters, and to be able to photograph and study them too, while being given lots of info on plumage, brood patches and habits etc. I was even allowed to release some of the processed birds back into the dark.... Fantastic night, and many thanks to all involved, but esp. Rory and Will! This was a night that will be remembered for a long long time...

Leach's Petrel

and of course, a Stormie.

After an hours sleep in the car, it was time for migrant hunting... Although the migrants had other ideas! So with only a couple of Willow Warblers, and not a lot else, I decided to head home. I did manage to record this young Chiffchaff though.

Bloody Midges...

Well I'm still here (no thanks to AOL), and the proud owner of a new email address too!

Bird wise, the highlights lately have been Merlin, Common Tern and a small flock of Siskins. Nothing too earth shattering I know, but with the dreaded midge plague we are experiencing just now, being in the 'field' is quite a pain at times!

Mammal wise, the best has been a few Otters and a bull Killer Whale. The pic of the Killer Whale is distant and fuzzy, but I think you can get the idea... It was feeding in the Yell Sound, and many thanks to Brydon for the tip off.....again! (I've got to get a job on the ferry!)

Common Tern fishing off Busta

(I did tell you the Orca pic was crap!)

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...

Oh no!.... not more Crossbills!

Spent today on the Mainland of Shetland, with the hope that there might be some good birds about! but the only ones I managed to find were a couple of flocks of Crossbills, and a very scruffy Redpoll...

The Crossbills were found at Sullom and at Kergord, with the three birds at Sullom proving to be the usual '4E' vocal type that seems to be the norm up here lately... but the Kergord birds were the scarcer '1B's that I've only found 3 times before in Shetland!

The pic and sound clip are of the '4E' birds...

The sound clip also contains Siskin and Curlew calls;

Now we do get quite a few different species and sub-species of Redpoll up here! but this rather scruffy looking individual seems to be in heavy moult, and even has only two fully grown tail feathers. Does anyone care to comment on race?

The weekend starts here...

Another day... another falcon! (and at about the same ridiculous time in the morning too!)

This time it was a female Merlin at about 0600 hrs. The sun hadn't even risen fully yet, and so the slow shutter speed was far from ideal, especially as it was a hand held shot! Not a bad start to a weekends birding... Also more Polecats and Hedgehogs were seen this morning as well! lets just hope it doesn't all end here!

and a Kittiwake at the ferry terminal too...

Update

I've been quite busy at work since I came back, but I'm looking forward to a few days birding over the coming weekend! The only bird of note lately came in the form of a very large (poss fem) Peregrine, flying over my car at 0530 hrs this morning (It came as quite a surprise too!). Apart from that, the wildlife sightings lately have been of mammals. With multiple sightings of Otter, Hare, Polecat and not forgetting Hedgehog, but none have been while I had my camera to hand (typical eh!).

For anyone interested in sounds, I've posted a recording of a Nuthatch taken in the New Forest (see link in sidebar----------> ). It's not a fantastic recording, but in my defence, I was trying to record this, and xbills, and watch Goshawks all simultaneously.

and for anyone interested in sonograms, I've posted a new one at the base of the relevant Crossbill page.(see link in sidebar---------> )