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 birding...

         Scotland Shetland

 







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.

  top sites

 

Hermaness, Unst

2004 - If short of time take the path to the west coast to Toolie. From here you can see the gannet covered stacks to the north and the Lighthouse on Muckle Flugga, but when you finally get to the coast, it is uphill all the way, turn south to the start of the gannetries, a distance of about a kilometre. Here you can get very close to the gannets a few meters below the cliff edge, the air is filled with the birds and it is truly breathtaking.

Loch Funzie, Fetlar

2004 - I had heard that you could watch phalaropes from your car but I didn`t really believe it - alighting at the lochside small waders flew about us, yards away, then settled on the water at our feet. Don`t take a long lens they`re too close to focus!

Loch of Tingwall, Mainland

2004 - A pair of swans with 6 cygnets. This summer a pair of Whooper Swans bred in Shetland, this doesn`t get much mention which I find strange as the Snowy Owls which bred more than 30 years ago is always in print. We saw on one occasion an adult swan fly directly to their historic nesting site to confront sheep that had ill-advisedly, approached swan territory. The sheep were evicted forthwith. Meadows with orchids, cinquefoils, marigolds, buttercups and flag abound. Wheatears, Arctic terns, Ringed Plovers & Oystercatcher are everywhere; Whimbrel are frequent too. Skylarks heard all day long.

  contributor

 

Peter Turner
Top Sites 2004
peterct1945@yahoo.co.uk

Hugh Harrop & Michelle Spraggs
Shetland Wildlife Holidays
hugh@shetlandwildlife.co.uk
http://www.shetlandwildlife.co.uk.

  county recorder

 

Micky Maher (Shetland Mainland)
Hamarsgarth, Haroldswick, Unst, Shetland. ZE2 9ED
01957 711677
recorder@birdclub.shetland.co.uk

The Warden, Deryk Shaw (Fair Isle)
Bird Observatory, Fair Isle, Shetland, ZE2 9JU
01595 760258
fairisle.birdobs@zetnet.co.uk

  useful reading

 

The Birds of Shetland

by Mike Pennington, Kevin Osborn, Paul Harvey, Roger Riddington, Dave Okill, Pete Ellis & Martin Heubeck - A&C Black May 2004
See Fatbirder Review
ISBN: 0713660384
Buy this book from NHBS.com

Where to Watch Birds in Scotland

Mike Madders, Julia Welstead Paperback - 332 pages (May 1997) Christopher Helm
ISBN: 0713644877
Buy this book from NHBS.com

Where to Watch Birds in Shetland

Hugh Harrop, Harrop 2000
ISBN: 0952405024
Buy this book from NHBS.com

  clubs

 

Shetland Bird Club

http://www.nature-shetland.co.uk/
Shetland Bird Club was founded in 1973 to promote, study, conserve and record the bird life of Shetland. Since then the club has published an annual report every year (the Shetland Bird Report) and participated in numerous ornithological enquiries. Membership is open to anyone with an interest in the bird life of Shetland. Both beginners and experts are equally welcomed, and everyone has an opportunity to contribute to our knowledge of Shetland birds...

  observatories

 

Fair Isle Bird Observatory

http://www.fairislebirdobs.co.uk
The isle is a world renowned site for the observation of migrant birds. The Fair Isle bird Observatory, established in 1948, forms part of a chain of observatories around the coast of Britain and throughout Europe. The lodge and bird observatory are open to visitors from late April to the end of October.
Warden: Deryk Shaw, Fair Isle Obs, Fair Isle, Shetland ZE2 9JU. 01595 760258 fairisle.birdobs@zetnet.co.uk

  reserves

 

RSPB Reserve - Fetlar

http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/f/fetlar/index.asp
During the summer, a wealth of birds breed on the reserve, including 90% of the British population of red-necked phalaropes. These fascinating wading birds can be seen from the RSPB hide or at the Loch of Funzie. Red-throated divers, whimbrels and arctic and great skuas also breed on the island...

RSPB Reserve - Loch of Spiggie

http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/l/lochofspiggie/facilities.asp
In the summer, arctic terns, arctic and great skuas and kittiwakes can be seen bathing in the loch...

RSPB Reserve - Mousa

http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/m/Mousa/index.asp
...where many of the island`s 6,000 pairs of storm petrels nest...

RSPB Reserve - Sumburgh Head

http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/s/sumburghhead/index.asp
The cliffs around Sumburgh Head attract thousands of breeding seabirds, including puffins, guillemots, shags and fulmars. Gannets are regularly seen off-shore and sometimes whales and dolphins...

  trip reports

 

Travelling Birder
http://www.travellingbirder.com
The Travellingbirder.com birding trip report search engine guides you to 7,000+ birding trip reports on the Internet. You can search for trip reports from a specific country and time of year. Not all these reports are in English. So, if you can’t find the trip report you want on this Fatbirder page… give them a try!

  tour operators

 

Shetland Wildlife Holidays 2001

http://www.shetlandwildlife.co.uk/
What originally started as a series of daily wildlife adventures in the summer of 1992 has since become one of the most respected eco-tourism businesses in Scotland!

Travelling Naturalist

http://www.naturalist.co.uk/tours2006/shetland.php
The most northerly place in Britain, and some would say the most beautiful of all, Shetland forms a rugged archipelago of over a hundred islands and skerries, with a landscape of peat-covered rolling hills, a bewildering mosaic of sea lochs and rocky peninsulas, scattered crofts and innumerable freshwater lochs...

  places to stay

 

Herrislea House Hotel

http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/herrislea/links.htm
Herrislea House Hotel is a modern four-star hotel a mere seven minutes drive from both Shetland`s capital town, Lerwick and its ancient capital, Scalloway. Situated in the middle of Shetland at the north-easterly end of the Tingwall Valley, the recently refurbished hotel offers a relaxing and friendly atmosphere in a pleasant, mainly agricultural area.

Westayre B&B

http://www.westayre.shetland.co.uk/
A warm welcome awaits you at Westayre Bed and Breakfast in the Shetland Isles. Westayre is a modern family home built in 1988 on a working croft. It is situated at the South end of the picturesque island of Muckle Roe which is joined to the Mainland by a small bridge. It is just four and a half miles from the village of Brae which has a shop, two hotels and a swimming pool.This is a very central area for touring the North Mainland and North Isles of Shetland. Spectacular cliff scenery and clean, safe, sandy beaches can cater for a wide variety of interests. Bird-watching, walking, painting or just enjoying the peace and tranquility.

  other links

 

Aurora borealis

http://www.surfbirds.com/blogs/Stercorarius/
A birding blog from the Shetlands…

Birdwatching

http://www.visitshetland.com/attractions-and-activities/natural/bird-watching/
A birdwatcher`s paradise... whether you choose to search out Shetland seabirds, Arctic species or migrants on your own, or join an organised tour, the possibilities are endless...

BLOG - Rob Fray - Shetland Wildlife

http://www.robfray.co.uk/
I am a birder. My first recollection of a bird was as a child when my dad showed me a Great Tit in a local park in Leicester. I was amazed that birds could be so brightly coloured and from then on birds and birding have been my passion in life...

Found on Foula

http://www.foundonfoula.co.uk/
This web site is dedicated to the birds and birders that find themselves on the island of Foula...

Latest Bird Sightings and Photos

http://www.nature-shetland.co.uk/naturelatest/latestbirds.htm
Send in your news. Full details of Fair Isle sightings are on the FIBO website. Photographs are copyright of the named photographer and may not be used for any other purpose without their permission. For details on how to submit records by e-mail check the Bird Club's Recording page. NOTE that ALL records go into the database used in the compilation of the Shetland Bird Report EVEN IF they do not appear on this page. Species in red are BBRC rarities. Species in orange are local rarities...

Shetland Wildlife Tours

http://www.shetlandwildlife.co.uk/
What originally started as a series of daily wildlife adventures in the summer of 1992 has since become one of the most respected eco-tourism businesses in Scotland!

The Birds of Foula

http://www.gla.ac.uk/~gbza22/foula4.html
The Island of Foula is the furthest west of the Shetland Islands. Definitely not a complete list and many of the birds listed here are very rare visitors.

Yell`s Birds

http://www.visitshetland.com/area_guides/yell/yell/
In summer, Yells moorlands are alive with breeding birds. Whimbrel, redthroated divers, dunlin and golden plover can all be seen from the roadside. The sharp eyed observer may catch a glimpse of Britain`s smallest bird of prey the merlin, as it dashes after small birds. Great skuas or (bonxies) as they are locally known, Arctic skuas, and eider duck, also nest on the moorland...

  artists

 

Photographers - Micky Maher & Mike Pennington

http://www.aardfoto.co.uk/
Nature Photography by Micky Maher and Mike Pennington, based on Unst, the most northerly island in Britain...

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