Gannets

Bonxies

Bonxies- the Shetland name for Great Skua.Fits them perfectly!

Puffins

Shetland in June

Overxast skies greeeted us as we arrived at Sumburgh Airport after a relatively trouble free flight(s) up from Heathrow.

As we may be going to Mouse tonight and I hadn't slept well I decided a lay down was in order or would I watch a match of the World Cup?

Neither I ended up birding...it was the sighting from my window of a Bonxie(year tic)
that was enough - must go out! No rain - even the wind and cloudy skies were forgotton!


Actic Terns all around in the skies these dainty beauties were entertaining and then in roared the GBB guls - gbh was about to begin! But the sheer quality og the flying from the Arctics was enough to keep most of their feed for their young!

Eiders - females on the sea with young. Another year tick!

Gradually edging towards 200!

Went for a walk up to the lighthouseand read about the Puffling....but the weather was the kind to keep Puffins underground or out at sea fishing!
But Kittiwakes and Guillemots and Razorbills plus the gulls and the presence of a Bonxie or two or three keptt me busy.

Wheatear ....and another - a Shetland new bird for me.....(as were the Razors and Guillemots.....)

I missed an Arctic Skua - so eyes will be peeled .....
and there were Twite about again where .....but they are on the expected list.....
(common scoter was also seen....a unusual siting here....)

Heard at the evening meal these missed birds and the sightings by several people of ....Otter ...grrlll!

The trip to Mousa was postponed ...due to the swell.
Watched the end of the Cameroon game - at least it was exciting and then bed - in the daylight! Simmer dim does exist - light until 11 at least and then again this am 4!

off around the South Mainland today.....

Purple Herons

Well Dungeness called last week - Purple Herons(yr tic) yes-RFFalcon - nope
Yellow Wagtails (Yr tic) - Yes and Yellow=legged gulls (Yr tic) with some rather hansome Med gulls!

Stand out birds these - on way home I heard there was a Hoopoe in Surrey - well the directions were wrong and I didn't even see any birders where I went! big dip!

I heard lots of peeps dipped as well - please if you are bothered enough to report a bird get the site correct! You must know where you are!!!!

Yesterday Common Rosefinch came up on the pager and I couldn't go grrrll.

Still I am going to Shetland on saturday for a week so I should add some nice birds to my list even if nothing rare shows....and maybe Otter - a Shetland tick!

Puffin, Red-necked Phalarope,Storm Petrel, Black Gulliemot, Great SkuaorBonxie as they are called - so there are 5 yr ticks and finally reach the 200!

Photo's of birds seen over the w/e

These are all Phil Wallace's - amazingly he was down in Wales on Saturday - got there much earlier than us...and went to nagshead as well!
On Sunday he came to Richmond Park after I had left!
Phil takes a good photo - so I shall share his now...for those of you who dont know what a Marmora's Warbler looks like here is one!
Followed by a Pied Flycatcher - I just love these birds and then a red backed shrike- I think they might come out in the reverse order we will see!

Phew - a Lifer!

Bob and I were all set for Saturday in Norfolk watching raptors - in particular Honey's and Monty's!

But Honey's appear few and gfar between and there is some doubt over a couple of sightings...

and then tere was the rare,,,,a bird neither Bob nor I had seen in this country, well I hadn't seen it anywhere!
Friday evening Bob rang...."about this Warbler"..."where in Wales is it?""I'll look it up and get back to you".
Meanwhile I am enjoying an Indian takeaway from one of our favourite resturants and a fine wine - al fresco and chatting about my friends latest trip- this time to Sorrento...loooking at her photo's of birds taken to id them or check the id....
there was a scurry....eek...what is it? Well superb a Hummingbird Hawk Moth - I say dont run away get your camera ready!

it was not a Hornet (nope we saw one on Saturday and it was a reall big b*****!)

Not one HHM but two!

Bob rings - near Gwent - oh easy say I ...shall I drive?

That was the beginning,,,,yes and we got to see the Marmora's Warbler singing his little heart out - poor chap even building a nest....if a lady Dartford should happen across his path she will be captured forthwith!

Lots of Tree Pipits , several Whinchats, a Cuckoo who continued calling every now and again and the mood was right! An easy twitch.
So there was a Lifer plus 3 year ticks for me and a Joe Ray birder tick!
That was an unexpected surprise and a very nice one to finally meet another young birder who is serious about our hobby.

On to Westwood Wood in Monmouthshire ....to spy another Iberian Chiffchaff....and a Wood Warbler altho the hoped for Redstart didn't materialise ....the habitat was good for one...but...

so then on to Nagshead in the Forest of Dean....as we went we of course kept bumping into the birders we either knew or who had been for the Marmora's!

Yes indeed Pied and Spotted Flycatchers later.....very nice day for me altho the close weather is not my favourite and the sun decided to hide behind cloulds so we couldn't look for a particular butterfly Bob was after...we ended at the Raptor watch point seeing little altho there was a pair of Painted Ladies to admire!

So a handful of Red Kites and lots of Buzzards - no Honey's....and a Kestrel or two - oh a Raven....most noteable of the rest.


Back home via a nice Pub for dinner - try to remember the name?

Sunday am was catch up time on the previous day's cricket a spot of Cllr duties and then a race to Richmond ark where a reported Red-backed Shrike had come up on the pager.

I walk in having parked myu car outside the park with bins...as I arrived I recognised a familar "Gibster" and Glen a a young chap with the bird in his scope...nice one!

Watched the adult male being harrassed by Blue and Great Tits and Greenfinches...catching insects and a particularly enjoyable bumble bee!

Good to catch up with Seth and his Big Butterfly year.....