Thursday 2 January 2020

2nd January 2020 Unst SW7 Overcast

A colourful sunrise was soon lost to thick cloud. It had remained very windy overnight that continued throughout the day but it again remained dry. I sea-watched from Lamba Ness from 9.20am to 10.20am and then visited Skaw. We then walked out to Petester on the Loch of Cliff.

Lamba Ness sea-watch 9.20am - 10.20am; 1 Red-throated Diver south, 150 Kittiwakes (mainly south)

Skaw; 1 Glaucous Gull 2w, 4 Fieldfare

Petester, Loch of Cliff & Burrafirth; 1 Common Snipe, 5 Glaucous Gulls (ad,4w,2x2w,juv), 1 Fieldfare 

Sunrise over Hill of Clibberswick at 9.05am

Heavy seas off Lamba Ness

Red-throated Diver flying south past Lamba Ness

Adult winter Kittiwake passing Lamba Ness
Despite c.150 being seen it only included a single first-winter

Cormorant off for a swim at Skaw

Second-winter Glaucous Gull at Loch of Cliff

Fourth-winter Glaucous Gull at Loch of Cliff
Whilst its plumage appears that of an adult the subterminal band to its bill presumably ages it as a 4w