Remembrance

On Monday night I discovered a moving collection of almost lifesize wooden silhouettes installed for Armistice Sunday near the Heritage centre in Purfleet and just across the Mar Dyke Bridge from the reserve where I spend many of my waking hours. 

I returned yesterday morning to take some images...

The resonance is powerful and reminds us of the previous darker life of the piece of land we now care for and love...

The 12th November 2018: The Day The Sky Never Stood Still

Today was a classic November day at RSPB Rainham Marshes with huge fast moving squalls across skies that flashed between cobalt blue, septic yellow, lilac-grey and bruised black. 

Rainbows came and went with the alacrity of those encountered in Shetland with no chance whatsoever of acquiring any mythical fortune at either end while Sun Dogs were encouraged to come out and play when Sol made a brief appearance.

The reserve looks rejuvenated after three days with periods of persistent precipitation and duck and wader numbers are certainly already up on last week with swirling flocks of Teal and Wigeon and at least 500 Black-tailed Godwits and 800 Lapwing over high tide being harassed by marsh Harriers and Sparrowhawks.  There was even a bonus fly by Cattle Egret that headed straight across the river – the first one here for eight days so almost certainly a new bird in this record breaking national season.

A skyscape time line...

10.47am 

12.16pm

1.32pm

2.01pm

2.11pm

2.30pm

2.54pm

3.11pm

3.36pm

3.37pm
 

3.40pm
 

3.53pm
 

Shetland Day 8 & 9: 6th & 7th October 2018

Our final day dawned bright but cool and the threat of squally showers was never far away and with them the now expected rainbows.

Muckle Roe

A final birdless look at Busta House and then into Brae for a look around the community woodland which on previous days had been blown out by the wind. It was, like so many places we had looked at deathly quiet and in fact the family party of four Mealy Redpolls in the Alders were practically the only signs of life.  They were very tame and allowed some great views. 

Busta House

Mealy Redpoll

Mealy Redpoll

Mealy Redpoll

The gardens at Sandgarth were next and we had them to ourselves.  It always feels so rare there but it was hard going with just single Siskins and Bramblings, seven Mealy Redpolls and a Blackcap for our time.

Sandgarth

Sandgarth looking to Dales Voe

News on the rediscovery of the Pechora up on Unst at Haroldwick left us torn as to what to do.  Getting there and back would be tight for us to make our evening ferry connection and we would have only had about 90 minutes to play with and so with little news we chose to keep birding mainland and headed back up to Lunna passing a couple of dark Icelandic Redwings on the way.

Icelandic Redwing

The Melodious Warbler that caused us so much trouble on our first day was still present but covering a huge circuit taking in all the available vegetated gardens but it showed incredibly well wherever it managed to feed out of the breeze and in the sunshine.  It had a penchant for the numerous sluggish Bluebottles equally trying to find a warm spot.

Melodious Warbler

and one from Pete Moore

It was quite pleasing to discover that it still showed a secondary wing panel and bluish legs so at least we were not imagining that on our first visit.

The view acros East Lunna Voe to Vidlin Voe

...and just a few minutes later

 

Rock Dove

A summer plumaged Great Northern Diver was found on the way out of Lunna in Grunna Voe – our first of the trip and always a welcome bird in such magnificent spangled plumage.

 

Great Northern Diver

Laxfirth down to the left and South Nesting Bay ahead where Porpoises played

A look around Garth provided us with more views and some funky graveyard lichens but almost nothing avian bar some obliging Lapwings.

Looking north east across the Vadill of Garth

Hooded Crow

Lapwing

Eswick looking north west to Whalsay to the mid-distance left and the Out Skerries in the far distance about 17 miles away

From here we headed west and out across the island of Tronda and on to West Burra before stopping at the very end at Papil.

A delightfully relaxing hour was spent walking down towards the crescent of sandy beach at Banna Minn with Wester Quarff opposite to the east and then the entire western coast of Mainland heading south towards Dunrossness and the imposing (and still doubled Yankee Sparrowed) Foula 25 miles off to the west.

West Burra looking across East Burra towards Dunrossness in the far distance

Banna Minn across the Kame of Riven Noup with Foula 25 miles away in the distance

The sky was blue, the clouds white and fluffy, the waves lapped upon a beach strewn with nothing but silver sand and the odd pebble and I had a beautiful tortoiseshell cat keeping me company as I sat and watched Mergansers diving in unison offshore.

Banna Minn Beach

She was very cute...

...and loved Bob too

I was content.

It was time to start heading towards Lerwick and the 12 hours of bobbing on the ferry back to Aberdeen. Thankfully it was once again uneventful and we arrived on time and disembarked equally smartly.

The journey homewards was as long but good humoured as usual but the North Sea sunrise was simply spectacular and the sight of literally tens of thousands of Pink-feet streaming out of Loch Leven across a rolling Perthshire landscape peppered with swashes of gold, red, orange and brown painted pictures in the mind that simply do not fade...