A flock of around 200 Eider were seen as we crossed the Bluemull Sound but I couldn't see anything more interesting among them. It was then a nice sunny afternoon to walk a couple of beaches for the monthly Beached bird surveys. Just a single Fulmar found dead on Burrafirth beach where a single adult w/p Red-throated Diver was seen in the voe (being the only site on the island that I saw the species last January), 6 Goldeneye were present on Loch of Cliff, 4 Ringed Plover on the beach and 6 Fieldfares were seen in the fields. The Shetland Ponies at Haroldswick were sharing their field with 4 Redwings and another 3 were present at Norwick where there were 6 drake Teal on the flooded meadows, 5 Purple Sandpipers and 6 Turnstone on the beach.
Path to Burrafirth beach - Fulmars on the ledges
Burrafirth
Fieldfare at Burrafirth
Redwing at Haroldswick
Winter-plumaged Purple Sandpiper at Norwick
