Discovering Alpine Birds: Do I even know where the Shetland Islands are?

Thank goodness some bright soul decided to invent google maps. How did I ever find the way to the local supermarket without it?

Anyhow, that is how I managed to find out where Whalsay, Shetland Islands is.

This is how I would get there:

View Larger Map

29 glorious hours in a car/ferry and I can twitch a Wood Duck (if I had left 2 weeks ago). This is a wood duck in my local pond:

Swim USA, swim, China is right behind you!

So why on earth am I blabbing about a little island when I do not know where it is and I know nothing about it. Well, I am going birding in Kazakhstan and my sum knowledge of it is [rather embarrassingly] limited to Borat sketches. Back to Shetland and birds. So, Alpine Birds blog got its very first proper review by another blogger. And Jon lives in the Shetland Islands.

Bitter Bonxie blog is about Jon's wild and bizarre adventures with (and without) birds. And he has a lovely way with words. Rarities, mundanities, Citrine Wagtails and more, all shared with a matter-of-fact frankness and a wonderfully dry sense of humour. This is certainly a blog to have on your blogroll!

If anybody else wants to blog about this blog, or take up any of the themes or ideas I mention, please feel free. And if you do, please let me know, so that I can reciprocate ;-)

Happy birding
Dale Forbes

9 comments:

Matt Latham said...: Congratulations - don't let the fame get to you!!;); 28 April 2009 at 18:42
Anonymous said...: Yeah for you and for Bitter Bonxie blog. Thanks for posting the information.; 28 April 2009 at 20:35
Dale Forbes said...: hahaha. don't think that is gonna happen any time soon. although, if my plan to take over the world works out...; 28 April 2009 at 20:37
Ginnymo said...: What a beautiful duck that is!!! The colors are awesome!!!; 28 April 2009 at 20:39
Sharon said...: I am not surprised...congratulations!; 28 April 2009 at 20:41
Dawn Fine said...: Thanks for coming over to visit my blog...Now that I see yours I will add it to my blogroll...very nice..
I was wondering if you could recommend a small point and shoot that would be good for digsicoping..I just purchased the canon sx200 it has a 12x optical zoom..haven't made an attachment for the scope yet..and even wondering if it will work with the 12x zoom..
Do you have any point and shoot..pocket able camera that you would recommend?; 29 April 2009 at 19:08
Lana Gramlich said...: I love wood ducks. They're such bright, beautiful birds!
Congrats on the review.; 29 April 2009 at 20:03
Wai Yien said...: Nice wood duck, where are they from? Are they a migratory bird? China?; 30 April 2009 at 05:14
Pam said...: Congrats on the review! It's good to know that your blog is being enjoyed far and wide; 30 April 2009 at 11:19