Summer Birding.

It’s no surprise that things are slowing right down here now as spring finally fades away into summer (only a week until the nights start drawing in!). Gannet and Kittiwake full island counts have now been completed and monitoring of many other species is going well. There are still a few signs that things may be better than last year, but it feels like a long way to go yet. The first Eider ducklings appeared in South Harbour on 14th, so that’s a start, whilst Storm Petrels are at their colonies at night (and some have been ringed) and Puffins are now carrying fish in good numbers into Buness.

In terms of the migrants, the River Warbler lingered until 13th (as did the Red-backed Shrike) and a few bits continued to trickle in, with a Marsh Warbler trapped today.

Today's Marsh Warbler nicely showing off its wing formula, with the placing of the emargination on the 3rd primary particularly useful in the identification, see the excellent comparison of Marsh and Reed Warbler on http://www.portlandbirdobs.org.uk/bpp_marsh_vs_reed_warbler_310506.htm for more on these species.

Yesterday saw an interesting little selection of new arrivals, with an Osprey coming in off the sea at South Harbour and continuing north over the island the best of them. A Sparrowhawk was also new, whilst a small arrival of finches included Brambling, Mealy Redpoll and six Siskin. A small movement of Greylags included 13 heading north on 11th with 8 seen on 13th. The other new species for the year was a Red Admiral on 13th.

On the Guest House front, a couple of cancellations mean that we now have a little bit of space in the late-September/early October period. There's also still the chance to come and enjoy some potentially quality birding in late August/early September and late October (from 12th) as well. Check out the previous sightings on http://www.nature-shetland.co.uk/naturelatest/oct.htm to get an idea of what you could find in late October, or have a read of the 2004 FIBO Annual Report!