23rd January 2024 Unst

We returned to Uyeasound where seeing 4 Iceland Gulls and a Glaucous Gull were the highlight.

Uyeasound: c.200 Eider, c.400 Long-tailed Duck, 4 Purple Sandpiper, first cycle, two second cycle and adult Iceland Gulls and first cycle Glaucous Gull.

Adult Iceland Gull at Uyeasound

22nd January 2024 Unst WSW8 Rain clearing

We waited for the worst of storm Isha to clear before heading to Uyeasound at around midday where we obtained prolonged views of the second-cycle Kumlien's Gull in a field alongside Easter Loch accompanied by 2 Iceland Gulls and a Glaucous Gull.

Uyeasound: 90 Long-tailed Duck, second-cycle Kumlien's Gull, first cycle and second cycle Iceland Gulls and a second cycle Glaucous Gull.

Second cycle (3cy) Iceland Gull at Easter Loch

smooth grey mantle consistent with it being a second cycle (3cy)

Second cycle (3cy) Kumlien's Gull at Easter Loch

Second cycle Kumlien's Gull alongside second cycle Iceland Gull

Second cycle Glaucous Gull at Easter Loch

21st January 2024 Unst SW6 rain clearing

We returned to Uyeasound and were pleased to see the Kumlien's Gull and 2 Iceland Gulls stood on the ice at Easter Loch although they all too soon flew off to the salmon cages where there was at least another Iceland Gull present. 

Uyeasound: 3 Iceland Gulls, Kumlien's Gull & Bar-tailed Godwit.

First and second cycle Iceland Gulls at Easter Loch

Second cycle Kumlien's Gull at Easter Loch

Second cycle Kumlien's Gull and Herring Gull at Easter Loch

First cycle Iceland Gull and second cycle Kumlien's Gull at Easter Loch

Second cycle Kumlien's Gull at Easter Loch

It's interesting to see how the darkness of the outer primaries appears to change with the angle and lighting. Aged with the help of a couple of far better qualified Gull enthusiasts than me by virtue of its amber iris, bicoloured bill, rather plain upperwing coverts / scapulars and the pale tips to its median coverts.

20th January 2024 Unst SW5 rain clearing

After five days of effectively being snowed-in, it was nice to be out birding today. First-up, we bumped into the Canada Goose at Haroldswick Hall that has previously been present in Baltasound. Loch of Cliff was playing host to a couple of large congregations of Gulls stood on the ice but single third-cycle Glaucous Gull was the best we could find among them. Burrafirth then produced a surprise as at least 47 Goldeneye were sat on the sea. We then tried Uyeasound where a Kumlien's Gull was seen briefly patrolling the littoral near the Hall but all too soon flew out to the salmon cages joining 2 Iceland Gulls out there.

Haroldswick: Canada Goose, 2 Barnacle Geese & Grey Heron.

Burrafirth: 47 Goldeneye & Glaucous Gull.

Uyeasound: 2 Mute Swans, Kumlien's Gull & 2 Iceland Gulls.

Loch of Snarravoe: 7 Whooper Swans.

Baltasound: 4 Whooper Swans & Pink-footed Goose.

Canada Goose at Haroldswick

Larger than the accompanying Greylag Geese, not particularly long-necked, pale-breasted and lacking any hint of a dark gular stripe.

part of the flock of Goldeneye at Burrafirth

Kumlien's Gull at Uyeasound

Views mainly very distant but its grey-washed outer primaries and tail band are just about discernible in the above images. Whilst I found it impossible to age in the poor light at the distance involved, its bill might suggest that it's a second-cycle. If so, perhaps it's this individual returning for its second winter...? Hopefully we'll obtain much better views in the coming days...

Whooper Swan on ice at Loch of Snarravoe

14th January 2024 Unst NNW7 wintry showers

Unsurprisingly the arctic blast produced my first Glaucous Gull of the year.

Norwick: 2 Great Northern Diver & Glaucous Gull.

Third cycle Glaucous Gull at Norwick

13th January 2024 Unst NW5 wintry showers

I sea-watched from Skaw from 9.20am - 11.35am with the highlights being 4 blue Fulmars and 5 Little Auks flying north.

Skaw: 2 Great Northern Diver, 4 blue Fulmar, 5,400 Fulmar, 111 Kittiwakes, Black Guillemot, 2 Guillemot & 5 Little Auk.

Norwick: Red-throated Diver.

Great Northern Diver off Skaw

12th January 2024 Unst W5 Occasional drizzle

A few species seen in and around our garden today included a Song Thrush, 5 Redwing, a Dunnock and 2 'Northwestern' Common Redpolls.

Dunnock at Millfield

the surprise of the day being a very scarce winter visitor in Shetland

7th January 2024 Unst NNW4 Overcast

With an overnight north-westerly wind easing before light I decided to try sea-watching from Skaw where the highlights during 90 minutes from 9.20am were 2 blue Fulmars and 5 Little Auks flying north. We then completed the SOTEAG beached bird surveys for Norwick and Burrafirth - the latter was again playing host to a blue Fulmar on the cliffs there. 

Skaw: 2 blue Fulmar, c.6,750 Fulmar, 10 Kittiwake, 15 Guillemot & 5 Little Auk.

Norwick: Long-tailed Duck, 2 Purple Sandpiper & 8 Twite.

Burrafirth: blue Fulmar.  

Little Auks passing Skaw

blue Fulmar passing Skaw

Purple Sandpiper at Norwick

Great Black-backed & Herring Gulls at Burrafirth

blue Fulmar at Burrafirth