1st October – Shetland Day 4

After breakfast there was nothing rare on the Islands that we hadn’t connected with so we went first to Loch of Brow and Loch of Spiggie where we saw Pochard, Goldeneye, Wigeon and Scaup and a single Slavonian Grebe.

Our next stop was the small hamlet of Duncansclett on West Burra were there was an American Golden Plover, on arrival it started raining. We had no information as to where the bird was and if it wasn’t for the fact that we saw a couple of birders about a mile west of us who were obviously watching something we may have given up. Anyway, after the rain stopped we trudged our way towards them. The hill side was alive with waders with Golden Plover, Ringed Plover, Curlew and an American Golden Plover! The scenery was excellent as it is throughout Shetland and we enjoyed 30 minutes enjoying the bird.

American Golden Plover, West Burra

As we sat in the car, a long staying Snowy Owl was relocated on Ronas Hill so we headed that way, we found the track up Collafirth Hill and parked by the masts. There were a steady stream of people heading back over the tundra. We started walking in the general direction and I met a birder I knew who gave me directions, 30 minutes later we reached the edge of a ridge but there were no birders. The scattered boulders and peat hag made for awkward walking, I was used to it but the others weren’t. We had a discussion about what to do and were undecided. A couple of birders on the next ridge appeared and I suggested we get directions from them and make a decision. We spoke to them and they said the bird had located even further away, I was happy to crack on – the others not so keen, but we decided to go for it. Although the terrain was confusing the mast was clearly visible so getting back wasn’t an issue. We headed off to the distant ridge and at the bottom of a drop I turned around to find the others had stopped. I tried to phone but there was either no answer or I couldn’t hear due to the wind. I decided to head for the next ridge and see how the land lay, on arrival it was still a good half a mile away.

With the others having stopped I though I had better head back abandoning the Snowy Owl. I could see the mast in the distance but I had no idea where I had come from, the terrain was that confusing. I walked back quickly, gaining height over the secondOK ridge, but could see no sign of the others. I tried phoning again this time getting an answer, they had gone upwards to get a better view but Bob had started to make his way back on his own, a bad move. I gained height quickly and saw Bob in the distance. I phoned him and told him I would catch him up, I then phoned to other to make sure they were OK with getting back and they said they were on there way. I then saw them pop up over the ridge, so I headed off in pursuit of Bob who was nearing the masts. As I rushed to catch him up I saw him fall. It seemed an age before he got up and waved at me, as I got closer I could see he was bleeding from a cut to his eye. Apparently he had fallen on three occasions bruising his knee and thigh. The atmosphere in the car seemed a little strained and I felt a little guilty at leaving them and relieved that Bob had made it back on his own. If he had fallen and been badly hurt it would have difficult to find him.

We decided to have another look at the Bee-eater but it didn’t play ball so we headed south, on route our luck changed with news of a Red-backed Shrike near Gott, we were the first to arrive with several cars arriving soon after, we managed to get a parking spot and had good views of the bird.

Red-backed Shrike, South Califf, near Gott