[rlchew]

31st May 2008 – south Mainland

The early hours of the morning before the arrival of the ferry in Lerwick Harbour at 7 a.m. saw the expected range of seabirds from the boat …. Kittiwake, Fulmar, Guillemot, Razorbill, Black Guillemot, Puffin, Gannet, Great Skua, Arctic and Common Terns and Great Black-backed Gull.

On my first full day on Shetland the weather was cloudy and drizzly but bright sunshine did arrive later in the day.

This was an excellent start to my Shetland visit, with close-up views of some very confiding Puffins at Sumburgh Head being the highlight. By close-up, I mean a Puffin having to take a detour to walk round your boot. Sorry, I got in your way .

Here is a summary of my sightings:

Leebitton: 3 Red-throated Diver, 3 pairs of Eider, 2 Oystercatcher, 2 summer plumaged Dunlin, 9 summer plumaged Turnstone plus several Gannet, Shag and Great Skua offshore.

Loch of Spiggie RSPB reserve: 7 Tufted Duck, 2 Teal, 2 Mallard, 2 Mute Swan, c.30 Great Skua, 4 Swallow plus a few Oystercatcher, Redshank, Curlew, Lapwing, Rock Dove and Great Black-backed, Herring and Common Gulls.

Loch of Hillwell: 3 Raven, 1 Hooded Crow and 1 Great Skua all feeding on a Rabbit carcass, c.20 Mallard, c.20 Tufted Duck, 1 male Pintail, 3 male Teal, 2 male Gadwall, 1 Coot, 1 Mute Swan, c.10 Arctic Tern, 2 Lapwing, 1 Heron, c.30 Oystercatcher and c.20 Swallow.

Pool of Virkie: 6 summer plumaged Dunlin, 2 Redshank plus a few Oysterctacher and Curlew.

Sumburgh Head RSPB reserve: large numbers of Gannet, Fulmar, Guillemot, Razorbill, Puffin and Shag plus smaller numbers of Kittiwake, Great Skua and Cormorant, 3 Twite, 2 Wheatear, 4 Rock Dove, 2 Oystercatcher, Rock Pipit, House Martin and Herring and Lesser Black-backed Gulls but unfortunately no dolphins or whales (I saw a Minke Whale here on my last visit in 2003)

Twite ....



Oystercatcher ....



Fulmars ....







Guillemots ....



Puffins ....

























Loch of Tingwall: 6 over-summering Whooper Swan, 2 pairs of Red-breasted Merganser, c.10 Tufted Duck, 2 Mallard, large numbers of Black-headed Gull plus a few Herring and Lesser Black-backed Gulls, a few Redshank and Oystercatcher and a “drumming” Snipe.

A stop near Cunninsburgh to prepare my evening meal was accompanied by glorious sunshine and the following on the beach or just offshore: 2 summer plumaged Dunlin, 1 Ringed Plover, c.10 Oystercatcher, a one-legged Turnstone, 1 Eider, 1 Common Tern, a mixed group of Herring, Lesser Black-backed and Herring Gulls, 1 Great Skua, several Gannet, a pair of Wheatear and 2 Common Seal.

Great Skua ....



Richard