3rd March 2021 Unst NE1 Overcast

A lovely warm calm morning deteriorated mid-afternoon when a cold northerly wind and some showers set in. Burrafirth beach was playing host to 2 3cy Iceland Gulls and a walk around Norwick added a 2cy Iceland Gull, a Robin and a Redwing. Whilst gardening this afternoon, a Pied/White Wagtail overflew heading for Norwick and an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull appeared on the beach - both being my first sightings of each species this year.

Iceland Gulls at Burrafirth

Iceland Gull at Millfield

Lesser Black-backed Gull at Norwick

2nd March 2021 Unst WSW3 Overcast

A nice calm day spent birding. Numbers of early migrants continue to increase with us seeing a Red-throated Diver on a freshwater loch for the first time this year and a flock of 7 off Uyeasound, a flock of 6 Herons, 2 Merlins, more Common Gulls on the beaches, sizeable flocks of Lapwings in the fields, the flock of Skylarks behind our house now numbering 25 and larger flocks of Starlings. A tour of lochs failed to produce a hoped-for Smew but the family party of 6 Mute Swans were still present on Easter Loch but only 3 Whooper Swans and not a single Snipe, white-winged Gull were seen all day.

Skylarks at Millfield

the flocks of Skylarks are a real feature of early Spring on Shetland

Starlings at Millfield

Common Gulls at Norwick

the right hand individual was intriguingly small-billed

Eider at Uyeasound

Otter

1st March 2021 Unst W5 Overcast

A 2cy Glaucous Gull was seen from our house flying around Norwick but a walk around Valyie only produced 3 Chaffinches. A walk around Skaw drew a blank but a few Gulls on the beach at Inner Skaw included 3 Glaucous Gulls (4cy & 2 2cy). 

Gulls at Inner Skaw

Glaucous Gulls at Inner Skaw

28th February 2021 Unst W5 Overcast

We walked the length of Loch of Cliff seeing 2 adult Whooper Swans, 3 2cy Mute Swans and 25 Goldeneye. We spent the afternoon gardening that was enlivened by a flock of 9 Skylarks dropping in behind our house that were soon targeted (unsuccessfully) by a Merlin!

Merlin at Millfield

27th February 2021 Unst W5 Hazy sunshine

More Spring-like sunshine but combined with a strong cool breeze! We walked Burrafirth and Norwick beaches for the monthly SOETAG beached birds survey sadly finding another dead badly-oiled Guillemot at Norwick. On a happier note there was a Great Northern Diver, 3 Red-throated Divers and a 2cy Glaucous Gull at Burrafirth.

2cy Glaucous Gull at Burrafirth

dead badly-oiled Guillemot at Norwick

26th February 2021 Yell NW3 Overcast

A morning spent working on Yell where we saw 3 2cy Mute Swans fly past the windfarm near Cullivoe at 8.48am. Robbie had seen presumably the same trio fly off from Baltasound on Unst at 8.15am. None were 'polish' Swans so at least one wasn't one of the youngsters from Easter Loch. We also saw 6 Bar-tailed Godwits at Hamnavoe and a brief visit to mainland produced a surprise pair of Red Grouse fly across the road.

Mute Swans near Cullivoe

Bar-tailed Godwits at Hamnavoe

22nd February 2021 Unst WSW3 Overcast

A nice mild day that became increasingly sunny. A Water Rail was present in our neighbours field feeding around the silage bales. A walk around Skaw produced a Sparrowhawk along the cliffs and my first 2 Skykarks of the year. Lamba Ness produced the surprise for the day being 2 overflying 2cy Mute Swans heading towards Norwick, a Merlin and an oiled 2cy Kittiwake in bad shape. A walk around Norwick added a Redwing and another 2 Skylarks and we saw another at Haroldswick too.  

Water Rail at Millfield

Mute Swans over Lamba Ness

Redwing at Norwick