Monkey Business (mostly about birding): Shetland 2014 round up

Friday, 24 October 2014

Shetland 2014 round up

Shetland 2014 certainly was a trip to remember. Many of the cracking birds we saw and found have been detailed in previous posts, but there were plenty more birds and episodes that took place that'll be remembered:

The evening Lanceolated Warbler twitch at Quendale
Finding a Long Eared Owl at Sumburgh Farm
Finding an Olive Backed Pipit at Wester Quarff
Little Bunting-gate in the lighthouse garden - was it or wasn't it, the jury is still out
RB Fly at Toab
The cracking Pallid Harrier
Black Redstart, Brambling, Ring Ouzel, Twite, Yellow Browed Warbler, Jack Snipe all in and around the lighthouse garden (where we stayed)
Tony leaving his rucksack containing his camera, passport, drivers license and wallet on a bench at Sumburgh hotel and realising over 2 hours later it was gone! It was still there when we got back - it is Shetland not London!
Tony then hilariously falling over in pure comedy style, then again realising an hour later he'd lost his phone and walkie-talkie in the process and having to go back again to find then sitting in the long grass where they had fallen out
Great Grey Shrike at Virkie
Northern Bullfinch at Geosetter (that I missed - grrr)
Horny Redpoll for the 3rd Shetland trip running
Thrashing our birding buddies Andy Lawson, Gary Bagnell, James Hanlon and George Kinnard on the listing challenge - they cried foul play, we cried "Losers!" - lol - it was just a bit of fun
All in all it was probably my favourite Shetland trip to date, and don't get me wrong the previous ones were great, but we had such a laugh, saw some great birds and of course who can forget the Siberian Rubythroat! I am already looking forward to next year's trip.