Thursday 29 September 2011

SHETLAND - AUTUMN 2011
Autumn Gold . . . .

Last week saw us gain an unexpected 'large' British tick during our stay with friends in Glasgow - we caught up with the Sandhill Crane near Fraserburgh some 4 hr drive further north - quite a bird! Blackdog on the beautiful Aberdeenshire coast saw us scan and eventually catch up with the Black Scoter as well as Surf Scoter, Arctic Skua and Little Gull. Our first day on Shetland saw us catch up with the Pallid Harrier near Quendale, this 'oiled' bird flew a few feet over our car at one point giving superb views! We are currently enjoying our new house and garden in Lerwick and birding around Shetland. Our garden list now stands at a modest 40 and we have ringed several Garden Warblers and Blackcaps! Today we headed over to Unst and caught up with the Black-headed Bunting as well as going to view the Lesser Grey Shrike a second time on the mainland. A couple of Yellow-browed Warblers during our many hours searching in the field and a few Mealy Redpoll keep things ticking over nicely in what has been a gorgeously warm Autumn day. . . . .

Below: Surf scoter first left, Black Scoter far right.
Sandhill Crane.