Another Killer week

Hello, another week packed with a mixture of jaunts out locally pre and post work, and a welcome continuation of some fieldwork too.

On the eve of my last post (6th) my first swift of the year was gliding around the Sumburgh hotel,
with the following day seeing my second of the year from the front room window.
The rest of the day was spent enjoying family walks locally, for which we are incredibly fortunate to have many.

Monday (8th)  turned into a great day, with a fantastic start. A pod of Killer whales (orca) were heading towards the section of coast behind our house, so much like the Humpback sighting the previous week, I delayed breakfast for a trip to the cliffs.

It was fantastic to watch them slowly making their way South, where later in the day they were seen to make a kill off Sumburgh Head. The rest of the day was spent planning for work.

Mid-June heralds the start of red-necked phalarope monitoring, so lots of planning and preparations ahead of the forthcoming fieldwork. Our reserve monitoring takes place in the north, predominantly on Fetlar, so Tom our assistant warden will have the enviable role of carrying out the bulk of these surveys.

A lot of monitoring has been missed this year, due to lockdown restrictions, but now they are being slowly eased, I have been able to get out to some of our sites to pick up some wader monitoring. It is always superb to be out in the field observing breeding curlews, oystercatchers, redshanks and snipe.

Monday also saw the arrival of another new bird for my Shetland list, a Savi's Warbler arriving in a garden at Scatness. Although it wasn't the showiest of birds it did give brief views as well as intermittent bursts of its reeling song. Also in the garden keeping the Savi's company, was a blackcap and a marsh warbler.

A busy week of work followed with planning for the year ahead, and looking at what might happen if restrictions are eased further, with the potential of tourism returning late in the summer.

In between the desk based tasks, it was great to see our first butterflies in the garden with a red admiral, and a large white flitting through the garden. A hedgehog in the garden and a few frogs in our new pond, added to the diversity around. It was also great to see the range of plant life beginning to bloom, with ragged robin, birds foot trefoil and a few orchids starting to flower (not my strong point, so I'll work out what species we have in the garden).

A further splash of colour was added towards the weeks end, with a Rose-coloured starling alongside Loch of Spiggie, it always remained distant feeding in fields, but it was great to finally catch up with one this year, after their current inlux into Western Europe.

                                                             Rose-coloured starling 

 

This weekend, we have enjoyed some nice coastal walks as well as a trip up to Sumburgh Head to get our puffin fix too.

Just this morning while attempting to post this blog, I nipped out for a morning wander. Adding another new species to my Shetland list with a local singing Quail. Just over the bay at Boddam, right in front of Paul's house. If I strain my ears, you never know it might make it onto the garden list!