Hello
When I woke this morning I remembered to say "White Rabbit White Rabbit." Goodness knows why we're supposed to say that on the first of the month - answers on a postcard please!
Apologies for the lack of news lately. I think the horrid grey weather has not been inspiring. However, after what seems like a lifetime of thick grey cloud, wind and rain, the sun put in an appearance on Friday and has stayed! More signs of spring are appearing - crocuses (or is that crocice?), shags with their crests, trees starting to show a bit of green, and I even heard the song of a laverock on Friday down at Grutness beach, just beside Sumburgh Airport. Birdsong and sunshine are good for the soul!
The shalders are returning, with squadrons flying around announcing themselves. A pair is back on territory at the Mid-Head Daek (the long drystone wall which runs east to west, just before you reach Sumburgh Head). I've often wondered why they are so noticable (the Shetland name Shalder comes from black & white) whilst other waders are so camouflaged. Perhaps it is because their kleeping and bold protective attitude.
Just to the south of Loch of Spiggie, a couple of rare visitors to Shetland have joined the whooper swans. Bewick's swans are noticably smaller than whoopers and when Jenny and I went to look at them, we found them to be whiter than whoopers. I think we'd need to find a paint colour name for the swans "whiter than white" or "whooper white." As much as I love seeing our regular Shetland birds, it is always refreshing to see something a bit different.
At the weekend I took a walk up to Sumburgh Head and spent some time watching the guillemots and enjoying the fulmars tossing and turning on the wind. I have been listening to a lot of opera lately, and can imagine adapting various arias and choruses to match in with life and dramas of a seabird colony. Verdi for the guillemots, Puccini for the razorbills, Bizet for the fulmars and Mozart for the kittiwakes perhaps? it would be great to produce an "Ornithopera" with local schools, fitting in with the Curriculum for Excellence. The new curriculum allows freedom to include creative arts with maths, English and science. Our Field Teacher Rebeca ensures that the activities she undertakes with schools not only allows bairns to learn about and feel inspired by nature, but helps tick various boxes for the Curriculum for Excellence. A valuable service indeed.
Anyhow, as I was watching the seabirds, suddenly a movement caught my eye... a golden rabbit ! "Sandy lives!" I smiled to myself and texted Newton and Jenny. We haven't noticed Sandy since summer, so it was good to see him/her (OK, so it might be a different rabbit altogether, but I like to think it was the same one). Different coloured rabbits are not uncommon in Shetland, but more often you'll see a rabbit-coloured one with white paws or collar. A couple of weeks ago when driving up to the Head, my eye was caught by what looked like a small collie dog. Concerned for the sheep, I pulled over to look closer to see if I recognised it. However, it wasn't a dog, but a rabbit with perfect markings of a sheepdog (and a pair of big ears). I felt like Dougal from Father Ted for a moment.
Well, that's my ramblings over. I hope to update you a little more regularly from goings on at 60North, now that spring is creeping back to our shores.
Thanks for reading! Do post any pictures or comments about Shetland that you have here in the community. It's always lovely to see people's RSPB moments.
Helen