16th and 17th May


Yet another stunning, cloudless day on the 16th but with a chilly westerly breeze to remind you where you were; it was another quiet day in terms of grounded migrants with the highlight being a Nightingale caught in Holland House gardens in the evening (only the seventh island record).   Other totals included 4 Collared Doves, a good total of 37 Sand Martins, 2 Sedge Warblers, a Whitethroat, 3 Blackcap, 13 Chiffchaffs, 3 Willow Warblers, a Goldfinch, a Goldcrest and a Siskin.

                Also of note were 3 Garganey, a male Ruff, an excellent flock of 95 Bar-tailed Godwits roosting on Ancum, 2 Whimbrel and the Kumlien’s Gull still floating around the south of the island.

                Gorgeous again on the 17th, hardly a cloud in the sky or a breath of wind but slightly predictably it was slow in the field again (we are not at all jealous of all the birds on Shetland!); the two highlights of the day comprised a pair of Red-necked Phalaropes which pitched up on Gretchen and the Nightingale re-trapped in Holland House.   Migrant totals were even down on yesterday and included 3 Woodpigeons, a Collared Dove, a Redwing, 11 Sedge Warblers (mostly birds back on territory), 3 Chiffchaffs, a Willow Warbler and a Goldfinch.

                Other little bits included a Heron (first one for two weeks), a good 5 Garganey (two pairs and an extra drake), totals of 191 Ringed Plovers, 188 Sanderling, 94 Bar-tailed Godwits and 394 Turnstone and the Kumlien’s Gull showing no signs of wanting to leave.


Nightingale                    Simon Davies

just keep walking....

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