A day of Grey

Another enjoyable day birding around the isle, although nothing earth-shattering to show for it. Started around home with the now highly territorial complement of Robins, and a couple of Chiffchaffs in my tattie yard. They certainly weren’t there yesterday, which begs the question of where these things come from. I suspect passerines make landfall on [...]

Have a gander at this

Big trek around the isle today in fine weather after yet more fresh south-easterlies and rain. Noticeable increase in Robin numbers, with 18 logged on my travels. Song Thrushes still much in evidence too, but warblers significantly down again – just 1 Chiffchaff to show for the whole day, and 4 Goldcrests. The main warbler [...]

Last roll of the dice

Excellent day today birding around my end of the isle – after another night of fresh south-easterlies and some more heavy rain, it had eased back to a light breeze by first light, and with fog sitting just offshore there were clearly new birds coming in to the land they could see. Thrush numbers back [...]

Peaceful

Incredibly quiet at the north-east end of the isle today. After a night of torrential rain and south-easterlies, one might have expected better of the day. Out at lunchtime for a wander around in warm, calm conditions, and just a Robin kicking around the house and a Chiffchaff in the plantation to show for my [...]

More hot Little Bunting and pussy action

Now there’s a blog title. If that shameless attempt at luring sad wankers (and frustrated adolescents) to my swell my blog’s visitor-roll doesn’t work, I don’t know what will. Enjoy.
Covered most of the isle today, though not I think seeing an enormous amount that was actually new in – but plenty of recycled birds from [...]

Red-breasted Flycatcher

A somewhat frustrating day at the office today, knowing that the wind had eased a little, and there would be birds to find out there. Knowing there’d be no daylight by the time I got home, I needed to choose a sheltered garden en route to the ferry after work, and trust I’d get lucky [...]

Bunting hunting

Had a really good hour out with JLI at lunchtime wandering around Sandwick – given the atrocious conditions, (south-easterly gales still, with persistent rain showers – horrible to bird in, but promising for when it finally eases), I dared to hope for a Reed Bunting at the least. And the first bird we clapped eyes on [...]

Surfin’ to Bressay

Surely the lamest punning headline to date. Apologies. But no apologies for a glut of photos of one of my favourite ducks of all, a male Surf Scoter. They are just such funky beasts… For once, despite the silly range, I managed a few shots I’m not too unhappy with – which may well have [...]

Here comes the big one

Now there’s an optimistic blog title if ever I wrote one. But you have to hope. Some people forecast imminent changes in the weather using seaweed. Some refer to pine cones. Me, I swear by the occurence of anchor-handlers. The more of them moored offshore from us and not out plying their trade in the [...]

It’s oh so quiet…

…but not for long, I suspect.
With JLI unavoidably away at sea, and JA making his house waterproof, we were woefully underwatched today. God knows how we managed.  Not a great deal to be missed though, just the usual suspects left over from the past few days. I took it pretty easy after a blank day of [...]