An unpromising start to the day with low cloud and a fresh southwesterly wind. I arrived at Skaw to the sight of two hirundines sat on the washing line being a Swallow and my first Sand Martin of the year. A quick look at Norwick produced more surprises with a flock of 11 Tree Sparrows and a Great Tit both also being the first we've seen this year and 2 Blackcaps, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Goldcrest and 2 Brambling. On arriving home we received a number of messages from Brydon and Robbie to say there was a Common Buzzard doing the rounds at Baltasound and within a few minutes we heard the Gulls screaming outside and sure enough there was the Buzzard circling very high in the sky - the first I've seen on Shetland! I then headed to work on Yell where I only checked the garden of the Windhouse bod that was playing host to 2 male Common Crossbills - another yeartick! I returned home via Easter Loch this evening where I saw my first Mute Swan of the year on Unst and a juvenile Iceland Gull and there was a Green Sandpiper at Haroldswick.
Sand Martin at Skaw
Lesser Whitethroat at Norwick
Great Tit at Norwick
Male Common Crossbill at the Windhouse bod, Yell
