Quality Time...

Just got back from a very enjoyable family holiday to Dollar in Central Scotland. As far as the flights go, the 'volcano' was very accommodating, and didn't screw things up at all, and even Flybe managed to get everything right! (total shock!).

Apart from some quality family time, I even managed to get a wee bit of local birding in, and try and photograph some species we don't see very often in these island, and some that are just too hard to photograph up here!

I also managed to resist the urge to travel to Cornwall for the 'escaped' ? House Finch, or to Linc's for the Pratincole (well tempted!), as I'm sure I would be either single, or writing this from a hospital bed if I did...



Dollar can be a very beautiful place in Springtime....

Now I reckon it's time for some migrant hunting back on the islands! Fingers crossed eh...

Eyjafjallajokull ???

After having to settle for a 'record' shot of the Collared Dove a few days ago, I didn't reckon on having to settle for another so quickly!, but this shot of a female Merlin was all I could muster, after a passing car decided to frighten it away before I could get a decent shot... There is a local 'tradition' on Yell of blasting car horns at each other, when passing friends and neighbours. Now this might be a friendly thing to do most of the time, but when trying to observe and photograph nervous birds it's not great when passing cars start blasting their horns!

With no migrants at all this morning (NE winds), looks like I'll have to go further afield to see some decent birds.... That's If this "Eyjafjallajokull" volcano will allow? (they have got to be taking the piss with a name like that! I doubt even the Icelanders can pronounce that one!)

On the plus side; it can't be long before we see these wee fellas around here again,With their weird calls;

Garden Tick (not that I keep a 'garden' list...honest!)

Not sure why Mr Linnet decided to pay a visit to my garden at last! I mean it wasn't like I'd covered the ground in seed or anything....

And the winner is.....

Award for the crappiest record shot of the year goes to;

This Collared Dove was the only new migrant in Burravoe today, and I've probably pinched it from jase's patch on Whalsay! (So a second hand migrant as well!) The Chiffchaffs have probably increased to two birds, but with them being mobile it's hard to tell, and 'Snowy' is still down on the farm... Can't be long now till good migrants arrive, can it?

Random pic of the day; Turnstone.

Oh... and yes, it's yet another pic of that bloody bunting.

Plucky

The 'plucky' little Chiffchaff was still singing in my garden, and Snowy the friendly Bunting was still down at the farm, but that was about it for today...Rain and Northerly winds don't make for good birding here!

This is the local ssp of Wren 'zetlandicus'. It too found something to sing about today. It's subtly different from the British bird, and this also includes it's song. Below is a link to one of my recordings taken in June last year...

http://www.xeno-canto.org/europe/recording.php?XC=48202

Ringing Update; A Herring Gull with ring number GN09032 that I photographed at the old pier in Burravoe on the 23/04/2010. Was ringed as a chick at the Horse of Burravoe on 28/06/2002 [didn't get very far then!]... cheers again for the info Dave.

Moorland madness

The male Snow Bunting was still 'chillin' in it's favoured farm yard this morning, and I've no idea how it stays so clean and White looking, as just being there for 5 min or so, me and the dog were covered in mud... and other stuff! (Seems to be a reoccurring theme lately). Also on my patch was a rather flighty Common Sandpiper down at the Voe, Chiffchaff in my garden, my first 'definite' Whimbrel of the year, and the 6 Fieldfare and single Redwing still.

I've even managed a short and very windy recording of this Bunting (Curlew in background)

lately I've also taken to sitting in the middle of moorlands and trying to get recordings of waders. This sounds like quite a nice pass time, but when you consider the weather up here just now (strong winds and rain/drizzle) it's not very enjoyable! but there is method to my madness, and more on this later (if I survive!). Below is a quick recording of the local ssp of Common Snipe (G.g.faeroeensis). In the background is an alarming Fieldfare.

And a Golden Plover with a 'zetlandicus' Wren...

And a Wheatear getting all Territorial and trying to kick a rival's ass...

Singing in the rain...

Don't know how I've not managed a Linnet on my patch before now, but away from the Sumburgh area, these birds start getting harder to find. Found this bird while trying to sound record the Chiffchaff singing in the rain! Also in Burravoe were 1 Snow Bunting, 6 Fieldfare and 1 Redwing.

The raindrops were even bouncing off it's back! Photographed in atrocious conditions...

This Otter (one of 3) was also out and about during my early morning dog walk, and with fieldcraft, [with fieldcraft I mean crawling through sheep shit and mud!] I even managed to get within 7 feet or so. Now smelling of shit and covered in mud you might get close to Otters, but it ain't all that great for getting close to your wife, and even my dog didn't seem too impressed...

Most today's photos have been taken on about iso 800 and that's all due to the heavy fog and drizzle.

Blast from the past; 28 April 2005 seen me ticking off Whites Thrush at Quarf, Shetland. This was one of only four British Spring time sightings of this beautiful thrush, and thanks to living in Shetland I've now seen 3 birds in total, and I'll still go for the next available too! (Still not managed a pic either...maybe this year)