Winters here!

 We actually didnt have a lot of snow this morning but it has snowed on and off most of the day. Pretty windy too. Our guest, Alberto, went for a walk ( very brave) but it was ptetty cold in the house as the heating switched off again and we couldn't switch it back on. Bit embarrasing!

We spent the morning dealing with the grant company as Jill sent a fairly harsh email! We also phoned Vaillant who made the system and they talked us through fixing it- through my newly created hole in the cupboard! After an hour of press this and press that we got it going again. Guess what- it had all been set up incorrectly and we also think they havent put the necessary anti freeze back in after the leak.

So we left to drop Alberto at the bus giving plenty of time . It was very slushy but we got there safely and said our goodbyes.

Jill was supposed to be doing PA day but was a bit worried about getting stuck on the way home, so its been postponed. We had a quick stop on the way home.

It wad pretty and the light intense. You could see the snow coming in.

We did stop at the beach for 5 minutes before it started snowing heavily.

Shetland is beautiful even when the weather is bad

Another patch bird

 Its pretty chilly with the odd snowy haily shower.

Rob has been working on the accounts and got the heating going again, its been set up incorrectly and switches off when its cold !Jill did some tidying in the extension.  And some file deleting, our guest was brave and went for a walk.

After lunch Jillmpopped out to see what was about. In places the snow was trying to settle but in other places it was sunny.

There were aroind 100 golden plover with 20 lapwing at Dale.

On the road to Sandness was a large flock of bouncy fieldfare.

And 2 meadow pipit.

It was getting dark by the time Jill got to Norby. The moorhen is still about.

And hundreds of starlings.

Melby beach was loaded with waders. Ringed plover, purple sandpipers, turnstone, oystercatchers, redshank and a bar tailed godwit.

Just about to leave and movement in the dark by the rocks. There were 2 water rails on the rocks and seaweed!

Shame the light had gone but it was a new patch bird!

Bit of listing

 Rob wanted a listing day as we havent had the opportunity for a full day for a while. We left early even tbough it was pretty cold and showery.

We started at Sandness to pick up waders. The first birds were slmost in the dark.

Golden Plover and Turnstone

Lapwing

Curlew

Starling

Common gull

Greylag

At Melby we had a lot of Purple Sandpipers

Oystercatcher

Ringed Plover

Redshank

Bar tailed Godwit

Great Northern Diver

Long tailed duck

Twite

House Sparrow

Redwing

Rock Dove

Whooper Swan

Mallard

Moorhen ( not that common here)

Pochard ( the first for our patch)

Wigeon

Then we headed to Lerwick to try and find the Kingfisher that has been around for a while.

We got Grey Heron on the way.

Snipe

Red breasted Merganser

Guillimot

Goldeneye

Jill didnt find the Kingfisher but did find

2 male water rails

2 chiff chaffs

Goldcrests

Blackbird

Collared Dove

Robin

Redpoll

Wren

We went to Pullars Loch 

and added  greater Black backed gull.

Red throated diver

At the harbour we had shag

Tystie

Rock pipit

Raven

Eider

Cormorant 

Herring gull

Black headed gull

Getting a free lunch

On the way home we found Tufted duck

Teal

Mute swan

49.