Shetland - whimbrel

Scalloway Castle

I have been pretty busy over the past several weeks, what with studying greenshanks in Sutherland then whimbrel in Shetland. And as the weather has been cold wet and windy the whimbrel were slow to go down on eggs. Many pairs were simply standing around as if waiting for warmer weather before they laid. So not many photographs of whimbrel, and in place I have posted a few shots of a variety of buildings on Shetland.  

 Norse click mills along a streamline

A floating hut out from Voe harbour

Greenshank

Since arriving in Scotland I have been busy studying greenshank, and continuing work began last year on a colour-ringing project, to investigate where the birds breeding in northern Scotland go to overwinter. 

A sample of birds have been colour-ringed with individual colour combinations, which allows any marked birds to be identified if seen by birdwatchers elsewhere. They are intriguing birds to work with, but very difficult to find and then catch.

Autumn into Spring

Last week I left the garden in Canberra while in full autumn colour. Then the next day I was in Scotland in full Spring sunshine and bloom. Both good, neither better.

Autumn leaves poking through the garden fence.

 Wood sorrel in a Scots pine wood

Wood anemone opening below an emerging  bracken frond

Dotterel

I have a three page article on dotterel in the current, April, issue of the Leopard magazine - click on the link on the side panel. This is a general account of the birds, describing how they are adapted to breed on the high Scottish hilltops; and how the population there is linked by migration with Norway and Morocco.

I have studied these birds for over thirty years, they are wonderful to work with and the hills they live in are wonderful to visit.

Lady Elliot Island - 4

Waders

Several species of waders forage on the coral platform, arctic-breeding waders, some of which I am familiar with in their nesting grounds on the tundra. Some like the Ruddy Turnstones and Pacific Golden Plover also feed on the paths and lawns of the resort complex and on the runway.

Other species I saw were Bar-tailed Godwit, Whimbrel, Lesser Sand Plover, and two species of Tattler, Wandering and Grey-tailed.

 

 Wandering Tattler

                                                                                       Grey-tailed Tattler, note white belly and under tail.

When seen separately, the Tattlers are difficult to identify, but when seen together, as I saw these two feeding in the same pool it was more simple. Both birds were coming into their summer breeding plumage with flecked flanks, the Wandering Tattler having flecks right down its belly, while the Grey-tailed had a pale unmarked belly. It also had a brighter white stripe above the eye. However, the main difference was in their behaviour. Both foraged in the water's edge, but the Grey-tailed was far more jerky and jumpy as it fed and although it allowed close approach it was more nervous looking. The Wandering tattler was a slow methodical feeder, casually probing along the shore in a smooth action, it merely looked up quietly when approached.

Wandering tattler, note black and white markings all along the belly and under the tail.