Skies had cleared pre-dawn and as I walked to my car I flushed a Jack Snipe that landed not far away but out of sight. The Pink-footed Goose had returned to Inner Skaw keeping company with the Greylags there. A colourful sunrise was enjoyed from Lamba Ness where I sea-watched from 9.00am to 10.00am where among a fair northerly passage of both Fulmars and Gannets I saw a superb Little Auk whizzing its way north at 9.12am, a juvenile Glaucous Gull flying north, 4 blue Fulmars moving north, Kittiwakes 13N, 9S, Guillemots 2S and distant Auks (Guillemots/Razorbills) 13N, 13S, Another juvenile Glaucous Gull was sat along the cliffs of Lamba Ness and the blue Fulmar was still holding territory there. The 4 Tundra Bean Geese were still present at Norwick but there was no sign of the Puffin in the bay but a Great Northern Diver. Haroldswick bay produced another Great Northern Diver. A visit to the Post Office in Baltasound produced our first encounter of the year with 14 of the Common Redpolls wintering there and the 2 Slavonian Grebes seen by Mike P in the voe yesterday were still present albeit distant today. We then tried walking east from Belmont where a flock of several hundred Eider were seen distantly in the Bluemull Sound and a flock of 165 Long-tailed Ducks flew east and a flock of 65 Golden Plover were seen flying around.
Trawler distantly off Lamba Ness
Mark wondered if the Unst Glaucous Gulls were feeding around offshore trawlers and this digiscoped image of a distant trawler surrounded by a swarm of Gulls suggests just that!
Juvenile Glaucous Gull at Lamba Ness
Blue Fulmar at Lamba Ness
Tundra Bean Geese at Norwick
Mealy Redpolls at Baltasound
Belmont house viewed from the east
Dusk over a calm Bluemull Sound
