Alright then…
by Rob on Jan.06, 2010, under DIARY
Enough messing around: here’s the Top 5:
5th: Lesser White-fronted Goose (131 records)
4th: Squacco Heron (140 records)
3rd: Whiskered Tern (168 records)
2nd: Penduline Tit (217 records)
1st: Black-winged Stilt (388 records)
And for anybody who can’t be bothered to look back at what the other 20 birds in the Top 25 were, here they are again:
23rd (joint): Greater Sand Plover, Northern Parula and Trumpeter Finch (14)
22nd: Iberian Chiffchaff (15)
21st: American Herring Gull (18)
20. Chimney Swift (19)
19th: Forster’s Tern (20)
18th: Common Nighthawk (21)
17th: Bridled Tern (22)
16th: Rose-breasted Grosbeak (23)
15th: Short-toed Treecreeper (25)
14th: Sooty Tern (26)
12th (joint): Pied-billed Grebe and American Bittern (42)
11th: Sociable Plover (42)
10th: Great Spotted Cuckoo (43)
9th: Cream-coloured Courser (44)
8th: Little Shearwater (62)
7th: Red-breasted Goose (74)
6th: Red-eyed Vireo (112)
So, the next game is: what will be the next first for Shetland? Shetland has had a new bird every year for something like the last 50 years (somebody will correct me on that point – Penno?) so presumably there will be another one in 2010. From memory, last year was Brown-headed Cowbird, 2008 was Citril Finch (insert your own comment about escapes here) and 2007 was Siberian Thrush and Greater Yellowlegs. I would like to wager that it won’t be anything in the Top 5 above. In fact, apart from American Herring Gull, I don’t think any of the Top 25 above are particularly likely candidates. But that’s just my opinion, which is usually ill-informed and totally wrong. My prediction for the next first for Shetland is Siberian Blue Robin.
Other guesses please: there will be a prize for the winner, which I haven’t yet decided on what it will be. Currently it’s a choice between a dead Meadow Pipit, a piece of snow, an egg (unboiled), or a bucket of sand from the internationally famous Pool of Virkie.
Finally, bear in mind that there are plenty of non-BB rarities not on the Shetland List – such as Cetti’s Warbler, Marsh Tit, Willow Tit, Green and Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Nuthatch, Little Owl and Tawny Owl… and Water Pipit, which would be my second choice guess. A full list of everything ever seen in Shetland ever ever ever is here.
January 6th, 2010 on 8:56 pm
Cheers Rob. It had occurred to me I could prolly work it out for myself, but if Mike P couldn’t do that I didn’t stand much of a chance!
Stephen.
January 7th, 2010 on 2:20 am
I can’t even remember what the question was now. But if the answer was Black-winged Stilt, it can’t have been too important.
Happy New Year, by the way…
January 7th, 2010 on 2:23 am
The next first for Shetland will be…
Pacific Loon.
You heard it here first.
January 7th, 2010 on 3:02 am
We call them Pacific Divers in the real world.
Happy New Year to you too.
January 7th, 2010 on 7:58 am
Happy New Year guys.
Much as I would like to find the first Siberian Blue Robin in the garden at Levenwick, I reckon that on balance of probabilities Red-eyed Vireo will make it from the west.
January 7th, 2010 on 8:00 am
PS at the rate Cetti’s are moving north I’d keep your ears upen around the willows.
January 7th, 2010 on 8:24 am
Iberian Chiffchaff for the BB rarity and Nuthatch for non-BB (Dunge had it’s first one a couple of years ago and there have been a few other coastal birds in Kent recently.
January 7th, 2010 on 1:39 pm
Grey Catbird for me.
Rob have you not broken the bad news to John about the owner of the Doctors house ripping out the vegetaion and putting in a nice new lawn??
January 7th, 2010 on 8:04 pm
I’ve not told John that yet, I was leaving it as a surprise for him. I also won’t mention the plans for the Levenwick Theme Park and zoo, which will remove any remaining vegetation in Levenwick and replace it with concrete and a ferris wheel.
January 9th, 2010 on 9:11 am
Any destruction of habitat will result in a SWAT team descending on Virkie armed with machettes and flame throwers… you have been warned!