birding...

Wilson's Phalarope Phalaropus tricolor ©Mike Pennington http://www.aardfoto.co.uk

Shetland boasts spectacular seabird colonies that few places could even begin to rival. Nurturing an array of exciting arctic species breeding on the southern limit of their range and sojourned by scores of common and rare migrants annually, it is hardly surprising that the archipelago of Shetland is internationally esteemed for its bird life.

Several factors contribute to Shetland`s ornithological richness being one of both quality and quantity. Being situated as near to Bergen in Norway as to Aberdeen in Scotland, and positioned on the same latitude as the southern tip of Greenland has meant that the islands have been included in the breeding range of many Scandinavian and Arctic birds. The seas that surround the islands are extremely rich fishing grounds and thus attract thousands of seabirds to breed during the summer months. Furthermore, Shetland`s isolated position acts as an important crossroads for migratory species which visit the islands in order to fuel up before continuing their fascinating seasonal sallies.

Perhaps the most important group of birds breeding in Shetland are the seabirds. As their name suggests, these birds spend most of their lives at sea and come ashore for just one reason - to breed. It would be hard to find a cliff without a seabird colony in Shetland, but there are several outstanding locations. These include the two national nature reserves at Noss and Hermaness, Sumburgh Head, the west cliffs of Foula and Shetland`s most southerly island, Fair Isle. A visit to one of these seabird cities between May and August is guaranteed to leave you in awe - it is an experience not be missed.

More species of seabird breed in Shetland than anywhere else in Britain. No less than twenty-one of the twenty four true British seabirds regularly breed here, each and every one of them occupying a special niche in their coastal domain. Puffins nest in deep burrows beneath the soft grassy slopes, while Shetland`s commonest seabird, the Fulmar, prefers to frequent the precariously balanced grassy overhangs. The inaccessible rock ledges support multitudes of nesting Guillemots, Razorbills, Gannets, Shags and Kittiwakes and the seemingly uninhabitable boulder beaches are home to Black Guillemots. The cliffs also provide territory for a few land birds: Ravens nest on the large ledges, Rock Pipits amongst the boulders alongside the dark plumaged Shetland Wren while Twite find sanctuary just under the cliff-brows.

The short grassy peninsulas and scores of offshore pink carpeted sea-thrift holms are the summer abodes to the world`s most famous long distance migrant, the Arctic Tern, as well as a number of waders including Oystercatchers and Ringed Plovers. Herring, Great Black-backed and Lesser Black backed Gulls also find safe haven in this type of habitat, as do Eiders. A few holms support Manx Shearwaters as well as substantial numbers of Britain`s smallest seabird, the Storm Petrel, which to avoid predation, comes ashore only at night. A nighttime visit to the island of Mousa is the best place to see this minuscule bird - they are so common here that hundreds of birds even nest in the Broch and in the stone dykes! Leach`s Petrel also breed at two localities in Shetland.

The vast, expansive rolling moor lands are also full of ornithological richness. Indeed, in this type of habitat, the birdwatcher could be easily be forgiven for thinking that the bird life here is more akin to that of the Arctic! Arctic Skua and the Great Skua (Bonxies) can be found in these environs - in fact, Shetland has 61% and 76% respectively of the British population of these species. Rare breeding waders such as Whimbrel, Golden Plover, Dunlin and Greenshank also breed here, as does Europe`s smallest falcon, the Merlin. The damper margins and peat bogs are home to Common Gulls, Snipe, Redshank and Lapwings, while the many freshwater lochs are dwellings to many ducks like Wigeon, Teal, Mallard, Shoveler, Red-breasted Merganser and a few pairs of Common Scoter. The smaller lochshost the alluring Red-throated Diver, and their tributary streams attract small numbers of breeding Common Sandpipers.

One of Britain`s rarest breeding waders, the Red-necked Phalarope breeds along the fringes of small, well vegetated lochans on the island of Fetlar, which, in 1967, hit the world`s ornithological headlines in hosting Britain`s first ever breeding Snowy Owls. Although breeding would now seem to be a thing of the past, odd birds are sometimes recorded on Fetlar, south Unst or Ronas Hill. Wheatears, Meadow Pipits and Skylarks nest amongst the heather, as does the introduced Red Grouse and the grey-and black northern equivalent of the mainland crow, the Hooded Crow.

Out with the summer breeding season, Shetland`s avifauna changes dramatically. During the spring and autumn, thousands of migrants pass through the isles in an immense variety of different guises. Spring migration gets underway during the latter part of March and spans until the middle of June. The last two weeks of May and the first week of June is the optimum period to visit Shetland for migrants, but like anywhere else, weather conditions dictate their arrival. High pressure over the near continent combined with easterly airflow often produces large falls of common migrants and amongst them may find Bluethroat, Wryneck, Golden Oriole, Icterine and Marsh Warbler, Red-backed Shrike, Common Rosefinch and Ortolan Bunting. Rarities occurring in spring with a degree of regularity include Short-toed Lark, Thrush Nightingale, Subalpine Warbler and both Rustic and Little Buntings while extreme rarities like Pallas`s Sandgrouse, Needle-tailed Swift and Pine Grosbeak have been recorded recently.

Autumn migration starts in the middle of July and spans until early November. Like spring, arrivals of migrants are dictated by the weather and given suitable conditions, huge falls can occur. Wader migration spans from early July until early October, after which large numbers of Whooper Swans, Ducks and Geese pass through the isles and sea watching can be productive given strong winds. Small numbers of raptors and both Long-eared and Short-eared Owls also pass through, usually ahead of a fall. Autumn is perhaps the best time for rarity enthusiasts and amongst the masses of common migrants, regular drifters include Richard`s, Olive-backed and Red-throated Pipit, Arctic, Greenish, Barred and Yellow-browed Warblers and Little and Rustic Buntings while Shetland specialities like Lanceolated Warbler, Pechora Pipit, Great Snipe, Citrine Wagtail and Yellow-breasted Bunting are just about annual, especially on Fair Isle. Extreme rarities are also annual and have included Pallid Harrier, Great Knot, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, White`s Thrush and both Yellow and Ruppells Warbler in recent years.

The short winter days are not without compensation. Arctic breeding species like Long-tailed Ducks, Purple Sandpipers, Whooper Swans, Great Northern Diver, Little Auks and Snow Buntings are all numerous. Good numbers of Slavonian Grebes winter in the west and central mainland voes and both Glaucous and Iceland Gull appear in respectable numbers. The winter months are not without their rarity value either. White-billed Divers and King Eiders are recorded almost annually while other rarities like Gyrfalcon and Ivory and Ross`s Gulls have put in appearances on a number of occasions.