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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