24th December 2020 Unst N4 Overcast

A light dusting of snow on the higher ground combined with a northerly wind saw me head to Lamba Ness for another early morning seawatch but it proved much quieter today with 40 minutes producing 300 Fulmars, 5 Gannets, a drake Red-breasted Merganser, an adult Glaucous Gull and 2 Guillemots all flying north.

Drake Red-breasted Merganser passing Lamba Ness

With temperatures forecast to rise overnight this will be as close as we'll get to a white Christmas at Millfield this year - Happy Christmas everyone...!

23rd December 2020 Unst N4 Overcast

I headed back to Lamba Ness for another seawatch where an hour sat in much colder temperatures today produced a Great Northern Diver, 4,000 Fulmars, a blue Fulmar, 6 Gannets, 2 argentatus Herring Gulls, 5 Great Black-backed Gulls, 12 Guillemots, a Black Guillemot and a Little Auk all flying north. 

Great Northern Diver passing Lamba Ness

blue Fulmar passing Lamba Ness

22nd December 2020 Unst NW5 Wintry showers

With the wind swinging northwesterly in what feels like the first time in weeks I gave Lamba Ness a try where there was a Fieldfare and a Snow Bunting along the track and a 40 minute seawatch produced 500 Fulmars, 80 Gannets, a Common Gull, 5 argentatus Herring Gulls, 2 Great Black-backed Gulls, 8 Kittiwakes, 30 Guillemots, a Razorbill and a Little Auk (at 10.25) all flying north. I saw the Moorhen and one of the Reed Buntings whilst returning along Holsens Road and on arriving home there were 5 Redwings and a Chaffinch around our house. The north end of Loch of Cliff was playing host to 2 female-type Velvet Scoter, 10 Goldeneye and a Jack Snipe.

Velvet Scoters on Loch of Cliff

21st December 2020 Unst SW4 Overcast

The Common Redpoll made another brief visit to our garden.

18th December 2020 Unst S3 Overcast

Whilst a walk around Skaw proved quiet our return journey along Holsens road produced a Moorhen, 2 Blue Tits and 3 Reed Buntings. An adult Peregrine was seen hunting over Norwick beach where a puff of white feathers indicated it had made a strike but whatever it had attempted to take appeared to have taken shelter on the taing as the Peregrine flew back and forth over it before eventually being chased off by a Herring Gull.

Reed Buntings along Holsens Road

Blue Tit bearing a ring along Holsens Road

Peregrine at Norwick

17th December 2020 Unst SW5 Heavy Showers

A Common Redpoll made a welcome but all too brief visit to seed scattered on the ground in our garden.

Common Redpoll at Millfield

16th December 2020 Unst S2 Overcast

One of Mike's Velvet Scoters - a female-type - was seen off Skibhoul Stores in Baltasound.