With ongoing westerlies passerine migrants have been extremely thin on the ground and it was therefore almost a surprise to see a Lesser Whitethroat and a Garden Warbler at Norwick this morning! Peter Hunter then kindly put out the news of a pod of large Dolphins approaching Uyeasound that was quickly relayed by Brydon. Sam & Tom quickly identified them as Bottle-nosed Dolphins being only the second documented record for Shetland after Adrian & Tracey Kettle saw Shetland's first on the 21/12/22. Whilst watching them from Uyeasound harbour alongside Mike & Margaret, Steven Spence very kindly offered us a trip out in his boat to obtain closer views. On our way home we stopped at Dam Loch where we were surprised to see the drake Ring-necked Duck was back in residence having spent a few days on the same loch in early June.
Bottle-nosed Dolphins off Uyeasound
Eclipse drake Ring-necked Duck on Dam Loch
