News broke on tuesday morning that a Tengmalm's Owl had been found in a garden on Shetland,between Bixter and Tumblin.The bird was photographed by the homeowners roosting in a spruce tree just metres from their kitchen window.A few local birders went to visit the site and confirm the identification before the news was released.This was the first twitchable Tengmalm's owl since the bird at Spurn which was suppressed in 1983.See below:
TENGMALM'S OWL THAT WAS SUPPRESSED AT SPURN OBSERVATORY IN 1983
Arrangements were made for the next day with Sean cole,Chris bromley and Neil hunt to travel up to Aberdeen and get the overnight ferry.There was no news on the bird all the way to Scotland,birders had turned around in their droves heading back south but I continued to drive.NO NEWS IS GOOD NEWS!
We arrived on the ferry and I tried to get my head down but I couldn't I just wanted to be on site.Morning broke and we got news through the bird was still present.We picked up the hire car and made our way to the site.On arrival birders were taking turns to see this little beauty has it roosted in the plantation.
WHAT A BIRD
What a gamble and it had paid off I was so happy!The owl continued to show well why we were there.
PREVIOUS RECORDS:
1983-East Yorkshire-Spurn, 6th to 27th March,trapped 7th and 16th March,possibly present since 28th January, photo
1981-Durham-Fishburn,dead (leg only),10th January,ringed as nestling,Greften,near Vang,Hedmark, Norway, 10th June 1980
1980-Orkney-Finstown, Mainland, adult, 13th to at least 20th October, trapped 14th October.
1980-Orkney-Finstown, Mainland, adult, trapped, 18th November, later found dead.
1961-Orkney-Stromness, Mainland, 1st May.
1959-Orkney-Cruan, Firth, Mainland, 26th and 27th December and 1st January 1960.
After good views of the bird we headed south to the Loch of Spiggie where we connected with the Pied billed grebe which has been around a few months.
ALWAYS DISTANT BUT MY SECOND PIED BILLED GREBE FOR BRITAIN AND A SHETLAND TICK
Moving on from here we headed back to the ferry and called in at Lerwick fish quay where we connected with a 1st winter Iceland gull,Kittiwake,Fulmar,8 Long tailed ducks and good numbers of Eider.
A great days birding that ended with a few beers on the ferry to celebrate on the way home!
WHAT A TWITCH!
