"Where are all the puffins?" is a common question on certain days, and where are all the puffins on these days? A spell of calm seas and sunny weather in the last week brought lots of visitors eager to see the Tammy Nories (puffins), but very few were around. When the weather changed two days ago, the Nories began to appear in droves! Last season I began to notice a weather cycle where following a few bright sunny…

Today, as well as seeing the hundreds of people off of a MASSIVE cruise ship, you may have spotted a small group of eager schoolbairns.  The older children from Hamnavoe Primary School were visiting the reserve as a part of the "Bird Friendly School" project.  Our Field Teacher, Rebeca, led the children around the reserve, helping them learn about seabirds and the marine environment. 

The fundamental objective of field…

It seems that in most years, I start off feeling hopeful for our seabirds having a good breeding season but end up feeling a bit blue.  Unfortunately, it's looking like a poor year for our seabirds in 2011.

On Mousa, the low numbers of Arctic terns that have arrived aren't doing much, Arctic skuas aren't particularly holding territory and it just feels quieter.  Tom Jamieson, who runs Mousa Boat Trips, and I were…

As with much of Scotland, we've been bashed by strong winds.  What does that mean for our seabirds?

Fortunately, seabirds are generally tough individuals.  Many of our Shetland seabirds spend the winter at sea, so must have faced worse than what we've experienced the last few days.  Perhaps the biggest threat from these storms is for birds that nest closer to the base of the cliffs and stacks - guillemots and shags…

Shetland has been bashed by storms and there is more strong wind on the way.  I have been worried for the guillemots and shags, which nest lower down the cliffs at Sumburgh Head and at a bigger risk from high seas.  Also, I have been concerned for ground nesting birds who may have suffered from the amount of rain that has fallen in the last couple of days.  However, it is early enough in the season that birds can relay. 

On Saturday afternoon, our mother puffin laid her egg!

I first saw the egg on Saturday evening, and watched  a tender scene between the two parent birds, Tammy and Norie.  One was incubating (I assumed the female), when the other arrived in the burrow.  She revealed the egg to her mate, who got some nest material and they shared a "kiss."  After half an hour or so, the male edged his way in so to take his turn…

Whilst the nation was glued to the telly for the royal wedding, we were on Mousa.  Newton and Dave were busy doing practical work, and one of my tasks was to go hunting for chocolate.  As a lifetime chocoholic, this was no problem for me. 

So why would I be hunting for chocolate on an RSPB reserve?  Well, it's all to do with prevention rather than cure.

Mousa is an uninhabited island which we believe is free from ground…

Today was a tystie monitoring day on Mousa.  We assisted Aberdeen University/SOTEAG on their second visit of the year.

04:30 - alarm clock goes off, moon low over Sumburgh Head.  Beautiful day!

04:50 - start car - feeling buzzy (maybe the strong leaf tea?)

05:20 - board Mousa Ferry with Newton, and Martin & Mick (from Aberdeen University/SOTEAG)

05:30 - see a spectacular sunrise behind Helliness

05:50 - set off counting…

At this time of year, we are often looking to the skies to catch sight of old feathered friends returning to breed, like Arctic terns and Arctic skuas; and also for migrants like willow warblers, lesser whitethroats, blackcaps and the odd rarity.  I was just leaving work a couple of nights ago when I spotted something rather unusual.

Imagine my surprise on seeing this bird at Sumburgh Head.

This is surely the first record…

Hiyi

This morning, I ended up squealing excitedly down the phone to Andy Steven, from our Puffincam partners Promote Shetland.  He'd just told me that the puffins had been back in the burrow.  Andy's edited the footage and popped it here on YouTube, so you too can see the first sighting of our unsuspecting pair of puffins.  I assume it is the same pair as last year, but we've no way of telling for sure.  I am proper…

Well, it's taken a couple of days, but puffincam is now LIVE! 

Puffins aren't always at Sumburgh Head.  There were hundreds on Sunday (and a phone call from a lady this morning revealed they were on shore on the 6th), however yesterday and today few (if any) could be seen.  This may be disappointing to visitors, but it was good for us as we could crack on with the installation of Puffincam.

Sunday evening's…

Yesterday, Shetland was bathed in sunshine.    I (like many Shetland folk) spent the morning gardening... and the afternoon... and the evening.  It's amazing what you can do when the weather is right (and it makes a difference having the sound of meadow pipits and skylarks in the background). Newton popped up to Sumburgh Head in the afternoon and as well as enjoying the thousands of guillemots and dozens of razorbills, he was…

Hello from a rather breezy Sumburgh Head

It is cold, grey and windy, but spring is here! My brother John texted me yesterday saying so as he'd seen two wheatears.  Imagine the journey those birds have had before reaching Shetland soil, having flown all the way from Africa!   I discovered other signs of spring over the weekend.  My garden revealed primroses in flower, dastardly rosebay willow herb poking up in the veggy patch…

Hello

I have just returned from a trip Doon Sooth ("Doon Sooth" to many Shetlanders is anything south of Fair Isle).  I was away at the new RSPB Scottish Headquarters in Edinburgh.  The office is less characterful as the old place but it is still full of characters. 

I feel a mix of excitement and fear going to the city.   Fear of fumes, getting murdered (too much Inspector Rebus novels!), getting run over and such…

Hiyi Shetland Group. As I type this blog, the wind is absolutely howling outside.  It took a bit of strength just to open the car door.  I'm glad that yesterday was a lot calmer as we had our monthly Shetland RSPB Wildlife Explorer Group meeting.

With fellow volunteers Sharon and Sarah, we headed west (stopping for good nosh and an art fix at the Bonhoga) to the lovely community of Aith, situated at the head of the sheltered…

Hello

On Friday night, our local Up Helly A was on.  A fiery procession of hundreds of guizers marched down the Sumburgh Head road (from the quarries famous for the odd rarity), towing a beautiful replica viking galley.  Standing in horizontal sleet, we watched the procession, enjoying the brass band and the colourful costumed squads - including vikings, alpacas, snowmen, chessmen and the Queen. The skies cleared as the procession…

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…

I hope you had a peaceful and wild Christmas and New Year.  

My festive break was typical of many folk, with food, drink, walks and friendship being main features.  Shetland has been pretty cold since November, but it is indeed winter.   It has been warming to hear of  the kindness that folk have been showing to our wild birds, putting out food and water.  I've been hearing of blackbirds taking food from people's hands, such…

Shetland has been experiencing all sorts of weather.  Thick cloud, gales, rain, hail, sleet, wind, wind, wind, occassional sun, wind... As a local SNH officer pointed out - The rain is horizontal and the sea vertical - it's winter. 

So, we've been bashed and thrashed by wind and rain, but our skies have been giving us some visual treats in recent days.  Heading home from Sumburgh Head a couple of evenings ago, the new…

Well, autumn is certainly here.  There are dozens of visiting birdwatchers in the area, all hoping to catch sight of a rare vagrant.  I think some have had great fortune in seeing birds like the Swainson's thrush or Radde's warblers.  It's good that people who spend their money to visit Shetland get the reward of seeing what they are looking for.

I didn't go and see my top favourite rarity (White's thrush), but…

It's been blowing a gale here for a few days now - which brings both good and bad things.  As it's been southeasterlies, it was good for bringing in some migrants.   Newton, Rob, Gary and I spent an hour or so looking in the quarry near Sumburgh Head for a mystery warbler.  Whilst trying to get a decent view of the peerie (small) blighter we managed to enjoy seeing blackcaps, garden warblers, a barred warbler, a willow…

Hello

I can hardly believe this is the first day of September!  It felt like summer (I use the term loosely) ended quite a while ago, with the land and the skies being all autumnal (winter waders returning, a scattering of warblers turning up, farmers cutting the silage, shooting stars and so on).  Outwith nature's signs of seasons changing, we're starting to take down signs and such like on the reserve (they can't cope with…

Well, the day (finally!) came.  Whilst manning an RSPB stand at the Cunningsburgh Show yesterday, in amongst the prize vegetables and pets, I received a call from Andy at Promote Shetland.   "There's a few folk been in touch who have been watching the webcam," he said, "Something's happened in the burrow." The chick had gone.

Dark skies have returned to Shetland and the chick will have used the…

Well, that's our last large event of the summer by with.  Our first Puffin Party took place in 2009 (the year when we wondered whether it may be a Nuffin Party, as they'd all disappeared for a few days), and this year we brought it forwards by a week or so.  The main ideas of the event at Sumburgh Head is to celebrate puffins and other seabirds and to encourage folk to come and see them before they depart for a winter…

Our puffin chick is still here!  The earliest expected fledging date was the 20th, but the little fellow is still here.  It is still rather small, but occassionally you can catch a glimpse of its adult feathers.  Both parents are still attentive, sometimes sitting with the chick.  One seems to like to lie its "chin" on the ground, with the chick almost on top of it.  On Saturday around 10am, I saw them return together…