Wednesday 16 September 2020

16th September 2020 Unst N3 Overcast

An early start at Skaw was disappointing producing just a lingering Blackcap. Lamba Ness added a flock of 17 Lapland Buntings and Holsen's road a Common Rosefinch that flew off south. A circuit around Norwick proved quiet seeing a single Swallow, the juvenile Stonechat, 5 Tree Sparrows, a Blackcap, 2 Willow Warblers and a Common Rosefinch. RJF let me know of Britain's first Yellow-bellied Flycatcher on Tiree that was truly firing but seeing just a Blackcap and a Chiffchaff at Burrafirth quickly brought me back to reality! Jamie's Spotted Sandpiper proved an all-too-brief affair and unfortunately we failed to refind it, but whilst looking around Haroldswick we did see 2 Lesser Whitethroats. Whilst a walk up Clibberswick hill failed to add to the island's Nearctic wader tally there were 28 Lapland Buntings near the summit of which 19 flew off south towards the Heogs.

Common Rosefinch at Norwick


Lesser Whitethroat at Haroldswick