Shetland II - seabird cliffs etc

RobSutton · #1 (**permalink**) 12-06-2009, 06:28 AM

The other main attraction on Shetland were the sea bird colonies. I managed to get to Sumburgh Head:

and to Hermaness:

... with its lovely views out to the wonderfully named Muckle Flugga - the most northerly point in the British Isles (well there is actually another rock just beyond Muckle Flugga lighthouse called Out Stack but nobody mentions that):

Mixed news on the seabird front. The numbers of Gannet and Great Skua seem to get ever higher. Every time I visit there seem to be new rocks at Hermaness with nesting Gannets on and the Great Skuas go from strength to strength at some cost to the Arctic Skuas which seem badly down in numbers this year.

Fulmar seem to be doing pretty well:

... but the numbers of Kittiwake seem hugely down on previous visits. Cliffs that used to teem with nesting Kittiwakes were strangely silent, by the end of the week just a handful of nests had been seen on cliffs that used to have hundreds if not thousands of nests. A similar story seems to hold true for Guillemot and Razorbill and whilst there were plenty of Puffins posing very photogenically on the tops of the cliffs there seemed to be little real nesting activity and I didn't see any sand eels at all being brought in.

There was also the worrying sight of Arctic Terns hawking for moths over coastal farmland in late evening - a sure sign that their normal food supply is in short supply. Most of the species of seabirds that seem to be struggling are those that depend on sand-eels.

On a more positive note Wrens were everywhere, a couple of rare warblers were spotted (Marsh Warbler and Sub-alpine Warbler) and I managed to see Otters on four occassions. The Painted Lady invasion had even reached Unst, the most northerly of the islands, and most dramatically from the ferry to Aberdeen I saw a pod of about eight Orca - just south of Sumburgh Head - a real fitting way to end a superb week on Shetland.

riggy · #2 (**permalink**) 12-06-2009, 08:05 AM

Great pics in both this thread and the first one.

Brings back good memories for me. I worked on Unst for 18 months in the mid 90's and even though I was not into nature watching like I am today you couldn't help but notice the Great Skaus (called Bonxies on Unst) the Puffins and the seabirds that used to mob you when you went out for a run.

I also remember seeing a shetty ponie giving birth whilst out for a run. I remember that when we went body boarding the seals would at times ride the waves next to you perform a twist or turn and look at you as if to see match that!

Had to stop body boarding for a while due to a pod of Orca circling the island.

A great place to live even in the winter (the locals used to say if you don't like the weather wait 5 minutes). I would love to go back again with my interest in wildlife (not drinking and sport!)

Thanks for bringing back the memories.

Paul

diggleken · #3 (**permalink**) 12-06-2009, 09:31 AM

Wonderful stuff Rob, thanks for sharing.
Looks like you had good weather too! (intermittently no doubt?)

Cheers
Ken

RobSutton · #4 (**permalink**) 12-06-2009, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by riggy

Great pics in both this thread and the first one.

..... I remember that when we went body boarding the seals would at times ride the waves next to you perform a twist or turn and look at you as if to see match that!

Had to stop body boarding for a while due to a pod of Orca circling the island.

....

Thanks for bringing back the memories.

Paul

My pleasure Paul - and could you match the seals? Body boarding with Orca sounds a bit too extreme.

Quote:

Originally Posted by diggleken

Wonderful stuff Rob, thanks for sharing.
Looks like you had good weather too! (intermittently no doubt?)

Cheers
Ken

Intermittently good sounds about right - dull and dreary on a couple of days, wind was constant but it only rained for one morning which was pretty good.

riggy · #5 (**permalink**) 12-06-2009, 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RobSutton

My pleasure Paul - and could you match the seals? Body boarding with Orca sounds a bit too extreme.
.

Could never match the seals if you did a twist etc they would go one better. Stayed well out of the water when the Orca's where around!

Hope you enjoyed the 14 hour ferry ride from Aberdeen (longer if you travelled on a Wednesday went it went via the Orkneys).

Will have to go back sometime.
Paul

RobSutton · #6 (**permalink**) 12-06-2009, 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by riggy

...
Hope you enjoyed the 14 hour ferry ride from Aberdeen (longer if you travelled on a Wednesday went it went via the Orkneys).

Will have to go back sometime.
Paul

They've got it down to 12 hours now. A new company Northlink Ferries runs them - new boats are much more comfortable than the old P&O ones but it's still a awful long time.

RobSutton · #7 (**permalink**) 12-06-2009, 07:33 PM

Just came across this link:

UK Seabirds in 2008

to a leaflet published by the JNCC - UK Seabirds in 2008
Results from the UK Seabird Monitoring Programme which details some of the recent, and worrying declines, in the numbers of certain of our seabirds.

Jenny W · #8 (**permalink**) 12-06-2009, 08:44 PM

Again, wonderful places - nice to see photos - must go back!

.

I was on Shetland in 2004 and that year was particularly bad for seabirds up there. Was working on Fetlar - massive reductions in breeding populations of many species. They were saying that the only species that did well that year were Gannets, possibly due to them flying longer distances to find food.

I remember my boss saying to me that we 'should be rushed off our feet at this time of year' monitoring nests, but the nests just weren't there sadly.