Nature in Shetland
31st July 2020
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Yell: Juvenile Cuckoo at Midbrake, Cullivoe, and another at Heatherdale.
South Mainland: Grasshopper Warbler singing at Bakkasetter. Long-tailed Skua and Ruff at Dalsetter.
Cetacean Sightings:
Harbour porpoise at Bridge End, Burra, 2 male Orca, known as Hulk and Nott, at Sumburgh light house.
30th July 2020
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Whalsay: Common Redpoll and Common Crossbill at Skaw, and Goldeneye still at Houb.
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South Mainland: Long-tailed Skua still Dalsetter.
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Cetacean News:
Minke Whale off The Bard, Bressay. 2 Minke Whales off Compass Head, Sumburgh. 2 Minke Whales off No Ness, Sandwick.
2 male Orcas, identified as Hulk and Nott, in Bullmull Sound, working their way around Unst before heading south.
Pod of approx 20 Atlantic White-sided dolphins near Levenwick heading south.
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29th July 2020
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Cetacean Sightings:
Unst: 6 Risso's Dolphin off Lambaness
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28th July 2020
South Mainland: Long-tailed Skua and Common Swift at Dalsetter.
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Central Mainland: Honey Buzzard at Brae, later seen at Spiggie (South Mainland). Greenshank at Dales Voe, Lerwick.
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Yell: Cuckoo at Mid Brake, Cullivoe.
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Unst: 2 Manx Shearwater north past Lambaness. Common Swift at Skaw.
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Whalsay: Common Sandpiper at West Loch, Common Redpoll and Black-throated Diver at Skaw. Grey Plover at Houb.
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27th July 2020
South Mainland: Long-tailed Skua at Dalsetter.
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Central Mainland: Siskin at Law Lane, Lerwick. 3 Goldeneye at Loch of Benston.
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West Mainland: Rose-coloured Starling at Walls.
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Yell: Red-necked Phalarope at Papil Beach. Cuckoo at Mid Brake, Cullivoe.
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Unst: Moorhen at Norwick.
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Cetacean Sightings:
Out Skerries: 5 Risso's Dolphin just north of Skerries seen from ferry.
South Mainland: Minke Whale off Levenwick.
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26th July 2020
South Mainland: Long-tailed Skua, 7 Common Scoter and Common Swift at Dalsetter.
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Central Mainland: 10 Siskin at Law Lane, Lerwick.
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Yell: 4 Sanderling at Cullivoe. Red-necked Phalarope at Papil Beach.
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Unst: 4 Sanderling at Easting.
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​Insect Sightings:
Central mainland: Snout trapped at Law Lane, Lerwick.
West Mainland: Exile trapped overnight at West Burrafirth.
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Cetacean Sightings:
Whalsay: Large pod (uncounted) of Atlantic White-sided Dolphin in Lunning Sound
South Mainland: 150 Atlantic White-sided Dolphin off Sumburgh Head. 4-5 unidentified Dolphin off Mousa.
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25th July 2020
Central Mainland: juvenile Cuckoo at Westerloch, Lerwick.
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North Mainland: White-tailed Eagle at north Ronas Hill.
​Insect Sightings:
Central mainland: Exile trapped overnight at North Hammarsland.
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24th July 2020
Yell: Sanderling at Cullivoe.
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Unst: 7 Common Redpoll and Siskin at Norwick.
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North Mainland: Immature White-tailed Eagle seen at Lang Clodie Wick, Ronas Hill.
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West Mainland: Adult Rose-coloured Starling at Walls.
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South Mainland: Adult Long-tailed Skua still at Dalsetter.
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Cetacean Sightings:
Out Skerries: Minke Whale seen from Skerries Ferry route between Little Skerry and Muckle Skerry.
Whalsay: Minke Whales off Ness of Setter near Fish Holm.
South Mainland: Minke Whale off Levenwick.
North Mainland: 10 Risso's Dolphin off Eshaness.
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​Insect Sightings:
Foula: 4 Pammene gallicana and Phaulernis fulviguttella (micro moths) found today
Central mainland: Exile trapped overnight at North Hammarsland.
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23rd July 2020
Whalsay: Goldcrest and Chiffchaff at Skaw.
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Unst: 7 Common Redpoll at Norwick.
Cetacean Sightings:
Central Mainland : Minke Whale off Toft Ferry terminal.
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Insect Sightings:
Central Mainland: Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing at Law Lane Lerwick (first of year).
West Mainland: Burnished Brass caught overnight in Culswick.
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Flora Sightings:
South Mainland: Field Pansy in the Ness (first Shetland record this century).
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22nd July 2020
Unst : 2 Common Crane at Stourhoul Loch.
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Cetacean Sightings:
North Mainland: 8 Killer Whale (27's pod) travelling North along west coast of North Mainland to Ronas Voe. Minke Whale at Eshaness.
Central Mainland: Pod of Atlantic White-sided Dolphin at Aith Voe.
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21st July 2020
South Mainland: Long-tailed Skua at Dalsetter. 3 Leach's Petrel at Sumburgh Head.
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West Mainland: 9 Whimbrel at Bixter.
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Whalsay: Grey Plover at Skaw.
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Unst: 3 Eurasian Teal and Sedge Warbler at Haroldswick.
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Cetacean Sightings:
West Mainland: 8 Killer Whale (27's pod) travelling North up West Mainland south coast from Burra to Dlae of Walls via Silwick during the day. 10 Risso's Dolphin at Melby.
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20th July 2020
South Mainland: Long-tailed Skua, Leach's Petrel and 16 Whimbrel at Dalsetter.
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19th July 2020
South Mainland: Long-tailed Skua and Common Swift at Dalsetter.
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Central Mainland: 9 Common Crossbill at Tumblin, Bixter.
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Insect Sightings:
Yell: Wood Tiger at South Voxter Voe.
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18th July 2020
Unst: 2 Knot at Ordaal.
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South Mainland: Long-tailed Skua at Dalsetter. Lesser Grey Shrike at Bigton. Quail and Common Crossbill at Bakkasetter. 16 Black-tailed Godwit just north of Virkie.
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Central Mainland: 4 female Common Crossbill near Voe . 7 Common Swift and Fieldfare at Stendaal, South Nesting.
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North Mainland: Sooty Shearwater and 2 Manx Shearwater at Eshaness.
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Insect Sightings:
North Mainland: Micro-moth Mompha locupletella at Heylor (5th record for Shetland).
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17th July 2020
Bressay: Male Brambling at Voehead.
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South Mainland: 2 Long-tailed Skua (adult and 2nd calendar year) at Dalsetter.
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Central Mainland: Common Crossbill at Stendaal, South Nesting. Common Swift at Clickimin.
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Insect Sightings:
North Mainland: Wood Tiger at Muckle Roe.
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16th July 2020
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South Mainland: Lesser Grey Shrike still at Bigton. 2 Long-tailed Skua at Dalsetter.
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Cetacean Sightings:
Yell: pod of 15 Atlantic White-sided Dolphin in Basta Voe and later seen off Linga.
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15th July 2020
Foula: Rose-coloured Starling and Grey Heron at Ham.
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South Mainland: Lesser Grey Shrike still at Bigton. Adult Long-tailed Skua at Dalsetter.
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Cetacean Sightings:
Yell: Minke Whale at Heoganess, Burravoe.
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14th July 2020
Unst: 2 House Martin at Clibberswick. 2 Tree Sparrow (including 1 recently fledged juvenile) at Norwick.
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West Mainland: 2 Whimbrel at East Burrafirth.
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Central Mainland: Blackcap, Goldcrest and Wood Pigeon at Catfirth.
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South Mainland: Lesser Grey Shrike still at Bigton. 3 Common Crossbill at Hoswick. Quail at Bakkasetter.
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13th July 2020
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Out Skerries : Green Sandpiper.
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Unst: Black-tailed Godwit at Ordaal.
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South Mainland: 2 Knot at Virkie. Lesser Grey Shrike at Bigton.
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West Mainland: Redwing at Walls.
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Cetacean Sightings:
Central Mainland: 8 Killer Whale (27s pod) tracked from Lunna to Bressay in afternoon/evening.
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Insect Sightings:
Yell: Common Plume Moth (Emmelina monodactyla) at West Sandwick
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12th July 2020
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South Mainland: 4 Grey Wagtail at Ireland. Black-tailed Godwit at Pool of Virkie.
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Central Mainland: Whimbrel at the Knab, Lerwick.
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Cetacean Sightings:
Yell: Killer whale (unidentified pod) reported in Yell Sound
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11th July 2020
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Yell: Sandwich Tern at Mid Yell.
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South Mainland: Great Reed Warbler trapped at Scousburgh. Grey Wagtail at Ireland.
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Central Mainland: 20 Goosander at Weisdale Voe.
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Cetacean Sightings:
South Mainland: Minke Whale at Clevigarth.
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10th July 2020
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Unst: Juvenile Common Crossbill at Haroldswick.
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West Mainland: Siskin and Willow Warbler at Da Gairdins, Sand.
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Central Mainland: Chiffchaff at Twageos Road, Lerwick.
Insect Sightings:
West Mainland. Magpie Moth at Culswick.
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9th July 2020
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Whalsay: Juvenile Common Crossbill at Skaw.
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South Mainland: Quail in Bakkasetter/Brow Marsh area.
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Cetacean Sightings:
North Mainland. 8 Killer Whale (27s Pod) in Yell Sound and North Roe area.
Unst: 3 Killer Whale (unidentifed pod) 3nm off Hermaness.
8th July 2020
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Whalsay: 2 Red-necked Phalarope at Skaw.
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Trondra: Blackcap and Lesser Whitethroat at Glendale.
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South Mainland: 2 Sand Martin at Spiggie
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Central Mainland: Redpoll sp. at Lerwick. 3 Common Crossbill at Brae.
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7th July 2020
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South Mainland: Grey Wagtail at Hoswick.
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Central Mainland: Drake Surf Scoter at Laxfirth Voe, Gott. 4 Common Crosbill at Veensgarth. Common Crossbill at North Hamarsland.
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Cetacean Sightings
South Mainland: Minke Whale off Sumburgh Head
North Mainland: Killer Whale (27s pod) off North Roe.
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6th July 2020
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South Mainland: Female Red-backed Shrike at Sumburgh. 6 Common Crossbill at Hoswick.
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Central Mainland: 4 Swift at Gillaburn, Stromfirth. 2 Siskin at Law Lane, Lerwick. Common Redpoll at Brae.
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Insect Sightings:
South Mainland: Bright line brown Eye trapped at Bakkasetter overnight.
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Plant Sightings:
Unst: Hoary Whitlow Grass in flower at Keen of Hamar, first record for several years.. Narrow-leaved (aka Pugsley's) Orchid Dactylorhiza traunsteineroides sspp. francis-drucei in flower. 2nd known Shetland site.
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5th July 2020
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South Mainland: Black Redstart at Sumburgh Quail at Bakkasetter.
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Central Mainland: 5 Two-barred Crossbill (adult male, adult female and 3 immature) and 6 Common Crossbill at Kergord
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Yell: Siskin at Gutcher
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Whalsay: Cuckoo at Whitefield.
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Trondra: 6 Common Crossbill.
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Cetacean Sightings:
North Mainland: Minke Whale at North Roe.
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Insect Sightings:
Bressay: Heart and Dart moth trapped at Voehead overnight.
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4th July 2020
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South Mainland: Long-tailed Skua, female Red-backed Shrike and 2 Common Crossbill at Sumburgh
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Central Mainland: 5 Two-barred Crossbill (ad male and 4 immature/female type) and 10 Common Crossbill at Kergord.
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Unst: Common Crossbill at Setter Hill Estate.
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Cetacean Sightings:
Central Mainland: 8 Killer Whale (27's Pod) went from Eswick to Fetlar via Yell during the day.
South Mainland: Minke Whale at Leebitton, Sandwick.
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Insect Sightings:
West Mainland: The Exile moth trapped overnight at West Burrafirth.
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3rd July 2020
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South Mainland: Slavonian Grebe at Boddam. Sandwich Tern at Hoswick.
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Central Mainland: Female Goldeneye on Strand Loch, Tingwall.
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Unst: Blackcap and Willow Warbler at Halligarth. Redpoll sp. at Skaw.
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Cetacean Sightings:
South Mainland: 7 Killer Whale (27's Pod) went from Toab to Bressay via Sumburgh Head during the day. 2 Minke Whale at Leebitton, Sandwick.
Unst: 11 Risso's Dolphin at Haroldswick
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Insect Sightings:
Yell: Hummingbird Hawkmoth at Cullivoe.
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2nd July 2020
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South Mainland: Marsh Warbler and Cuckoo at Ellister, Bigton. Adult Long-tailed Skua at Clumlie. Cuckoo at Loch of Spiggie. 2 Common Crossbill at Levenwick.
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Central Mainland: 2 Wood Pigeon at Mulla, Voe. Common Crossbill at Frakkafield.
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1st July 2020
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South Mainland: Marsh Warbler at Ellister, Bigton. Male Red-backed Shrike at Levenwick Turtle Dove at Boddam. Cuckoo at Geosetter. Adult Long-tailed Skua at Clumlie. Marsh Warbler at Bakkasetter.
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Central Mainland: 10 Common Crossbill and Cuckoo at Law Lane, Lerwick.
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North Mainland: Rose-coloured Starling at South Collafirth, Northmavine.
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Fetlar: Adult Long-tailed Skua at Aithness.
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Unst: 3 Common Crossbill and 3 Siskin at Trolla Water
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Yell: Second calendar year Glaucous Gull at Cullivoe.
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