November 15, 2005
What's that? The fat lady singing?
Well, it's back to work for me now, and this time the autumn really does seem to be over. I'm settling into my winter routine now, getting up in the dark, making an arse of feeding the hens and the sheep outside in the pre-dawn gloom, battling the roosting Starlings that have snuck into the byres to share the warmth and shelter with the hens, and hopefully blag a free breakfast... then feeding myself in the kitchen, a couple of bits of toast and a mug of strong filter coffee, before racing to catch the ferry to work. Half an hour later I'm on Mainland Shetland, and 20 minutes drive into the rising sun sees me at my desk by the pelagic factory, daydreaming of gulls from the high Arctic. There'll come a time in the next few weeks when it'll still be dark at 9am when I get into Lerwick. Yesterday was a taste of what's to come, as it teemed down with rain and was getting dark by 2.30pm in the overcast conditions.
Complete contrast today as high pressure pushed in overnight - a dusting of snow on the exposed peat banks as I drove into town, and a fine clear sunny day. Temperatures down to freezing tonight.
Went out on Sunday and fruitlessly searched for a Laughing Gull. No such luck, but a nice flock of 23 Long-tailed Ducks, and a juvenile Pomarine Skua made my day. 8 adult Whoopers on the loch outside the house all day, doing their best to ignore my stupid dogs racing up and down the airstrip when P and I walked them.
Autumn? Gone when the Pine Bunting buggered off. Winter? Right here, right now.
Follow the Weather Starling for a forecast, or see Shetland live on the NAFC webcam… 
Today's North Atlantic chart
An Icelandic Birding Diary (Iceland, funnily enough)
Nature in Shetland website - all the up-to-date bird, insect, cetacean etc news for Shetland, plus photos... indispensable.
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Come back soon!
November 04, 2005
Pine Bunting
Miracles. They happen sometimes, only very occasionally, which is what makes them so miraculous. Yesterday I bumped into JL down the island, and in an idle moments conversationwe speculated what could conceivably be found by either of us today. I reiterated my feelings that it was going to be a Desert Wheatear, an Arctic Redpoll, or a rare thrush. JL didn't seem so sure, and stated matter-of-factly that he'd go for a nice male Pine Bunting...
...fast forward to this lunchtime, and I come in from working outside to find P casually mentioning that JL has phoned about some bird or other. "Arctic Redpoll" asks I. Nope. I play back the answerphone message - bugger me if JL hasn't gone and found a male Pine Bunting... Nipped down the island (this was a big twitch - all of a mile from home!) and had brief (racing to catch a ferry to mainland) but blinding and close-up views. JL, bless him, had gone there to meet me to make sure I got onto the bird. What a beauty. PINE BUNTING PICTURE
Follow the Weather Starling for a forecast, or see Shetland live on the NAFC webcam…
Today's North Atlantic chart
An Icelandic Birding Diary (Iceland, funnily enough)
Nature in Shetland website - all the up-to-date bird, insect, cetacean etc news for Shetland, plus photos... indispensable.>>
Come back soon!
November 02, 2005
Autumn's over here
The vicarious thrills of hearing about the incredible Azores fall could only last me so long, and the increasing numbers of Chimney Swifts in Britain and Ireland have failed to produce one here yet (haha, laughs hollowly), though one today on Holy Island is cause for some optimism. If it happens the damn thing will be in the south mainland, in which case I shan't bother stirring for it - I saw 2 in Cornwall in 1999 at the end of a brilliant week birding down there, so it's all about finding my own on my patch, or not at all!
Really though, that ain't gonna happen. Managed another Mistle Thrush yesterday, and there are still reasonable numbers of Redwings and Fieldfares lobbing around here. If there's to be a final rarity on here this autumn, it's going to be either a good thrush (odds on favourite Black-throated, though I'd much prefer an Eye-browed or a Siberian - wouldn't we all, though...) or more likely an Arctic Redpoll.
Five Whooper Swans in today, and still odd trickles of geese overhead. JL had couple of Waxwings in the plantation a couple of days ago, so there's some colour out there to be seen yet. Won't stop me hoping for a small, bat-like swift until the next week or two's over...
Follow the Weather Starling for a forecast, or see Shetland live on the NAFC webcam…
Today's North Atlantic chart
An Icelandic Birding Diary (Iceland, funnily enough)
Nature in Shetland website - all the up-to-date bird, insect, cetacean etc news for Shetland, plus photos... indispensable.>>
Come back soon!