Pick of sightings this week was at least one Long-eared Owl I found in willow scrub by the river. Although there have been a couple of previous records (including a farmer who inadvertently flushed seven owls from a large conifer when he felled it for the church Christmas tree!) this is my first sighting in the village.
In the same area there were signs of an influx of
Chiffchaffs including this unusual one…
The time of year, the yellowish undertail etc. probably means it isn’t a ‘Siberian’ chiffchaff but a very interesting bird nonetheless. If anyone has any thoughts I would be interested to hear them…
Since my last post we have had a fortnight in one of our
favourite places, Shetland.
Although the winds never quite swung to the east to drop
birds in we still picked up a superb Lesser Grey Shrike...
And Barred Warbler…
And this Reed Warbler got the heart racing before I got a proper view of it…
We also found Marsh Harrier, a rarity in Shetland, before it
got heavily mobbed by gulls...
As well as the usual high quality ‘common’ birds of Shetland
including all three divers and a nice selection of seabirds…
We also did well for cetaceans with sightings of Risso’s
dolphins (including unfortunately this dead one)
Harbour Porpoise, a number of Minke whales and we were also some
of the only people to see Orca with two bulls and a female watched as
they passed Sumburgh Head.
We also had regular sightings of Otter, including on the
beach below our holiday cottage.
A magical place!
