Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus

Breeding summer visitor and passage migrant

· 1963 42, on the 21^st of August increasing to 60, on the 29^th August (Furness, 1983).

· 1976 A pair reported to have summered but did not breed.

· 1996 Last bird of the year for Shetland recorded on the 29^th September

· 1997 The first bird for Shetland was seen on the 19^th April with One – Two present on 5 dates until the month end. One – 4 were seen throughout May with peaks of 30 on the 3^rd; 7, on the 19^th; 5, on the 21^st and 31^st. The first returning bird for Shetland was also on Foula on the 14^th July, then One – 3 birds on 26 dates until 14^th September, the last being on the 30^th September.

· 2003 One, on the 30^th April, was the first for the year. There were 3, on the 1^st May, increasing to 5, on the 6^th, thereafter at least 3 birds remained until the 12^th June, and the last bird was seen on the 9^th July. The first returning birds were two, seen on the 11^th August. Then singles were seen on the 23^rd and 29^th. In September, 2 were seen on the 1^st and the last bird of the year, on the 11^th.

· 2005 15 on 16^th May. The last of the Spring was seen on the 5^th June. Another bird was noted on the 3^rd July.

· 2006 One, 22^nd April, with small numbers of migrants (notably, 9 on the 11^th May) noted regularly until 21^st June.