Hello there.
Yesterday I received an email and had to share the attachment with you.
It is Sumburgh Head in the background, with the star of our RSPB logo flying by! The avocet was discovered by Roger Riddington at Scatness last night and my thanks go to George Petrie for allowing me to share his photograph here. If you wish to see other photographs of this bird, or keep updated with what birds are in Shetland, do visit www.nature-shetland.co.uk .
There is lots going on on our reserves at the moment. Loch of Spiggie has breeding lapwings, curlews and redshanks, easily viewed from the roadside so not to disturb them. Sumburgh Head has had a slow start to the seabird breeding season with guillemots late in laying and shags hardly nesting at all. We keep hopeful that our seabirds will find enough fish to sustain themselves and rear their chicks once they hatch. Our Puffincam family can still be viewed online on www.rspb.org.uk/shetlandsummer or www.shetland.org/puffincam - but be warned - watching a puffin sitting on an egg hardly moving is surprisingly addictive!! The egg is due to hatch around 14 June. At Mousa, the air is filled with an avian orchestra - drumming snipe, trilling twite, screeching terns and churring storm petrels. It is such a marvellous time of year.
As well as the wildlife having an active time, us staff and volunteers are busy too. Karen, our new Lifelong Learning Officer, is taking out school groups - inspiring bairns about the wonders of the natural world. Blair and Stephanie are here at Sumburgh Head keeping the Date With Nature running smooth, sharing the stories of seabirds and encouraging folk to support the RSPB. Newton is busy monitoring breeding birds, doing guided walks, mending footpaths and lots more. We've got volunteers helping us on Mousa this weekend (email shetland@rspb.org.uk if you are interested in volunteering here on the islands - volunteers are absolutely essential for the work of RSPB) and lots more.
It's a great time to visit our reserves, particularly now the weather is so much better. Visit the Shetland Collection page to find out more.
Cheers eenoo
Helen