28th August 2025 Unst SE4 Fog clearing

Skaw: Marsh Warbler & Willow Warbler.

Norwick: 7 Knot, 5 Swallows & Willow Warbler.

Marsh Warbler at Skaw

Calling frequently, it enabled me to obtain a recording of what's oft-described as the species 'alarm call'. To my mind, it's very similar to that of a Blyth's Reed Warbler. Here's a sonogram of the above recording with some comparison sonograms from xeno-canto:

Sonogram of calls of Marsh Warbler at Skaw

Sonogram of calls of a Marsh Warbler recorded in Ukraine

Sonogram of a call of a Blyth's Reed Warbler recorded in Finland

The very different, so-called 'tscheck' alarm call of a Reed Warbler recorded in Sweden.

12th May 2025 Unst N2 Overcast

After a run of clear skies with a south/south-easterly airflow, I was hopeful that awakening to overcast skies and a switch to a light northerly breeze might drop some migrants. A quick look around Norwick soon dashed those hopes, so nothing prepared me for then finding the UK's fourth Savannah Sparrow at Skaw!

Savannah Sparrow at Skaw

10th May 2025 Unst S2 Clear

Norwick: Sanderling, Tree Sparrow & Serin.

9th May 2025 Unst S3 Clear

Norwick: Common Whitethroat, male Common Crossbill & Serin.

Haroldswick: pale-bellied Brent Goose

Common Crossbill at Norwick

pale-bellied Brent Goose off Haroldswick

Male Serin at Millfield

8th May 2025 Unst W3 Overcast

I was fortunate to find a White-billed Diver that was close enough inshore off the Viking ship at Haroldswick to be seen whilst driving past.

Haroldswick: White-billed Diver.

White-billed Diver off Haroldswick

6th May 2025 Unst NW3 Overcast

Norwick: Common Sandpiper, 2 Swallows, 2 House Martins, Dunnock, 3 Chiffchaff, female Ring Ouzel, 4 Siskin, male Common Crossbill & singing Serin.

Dunnock at Norwick

Female Ring Ouzel at Norwick

Common Sandpiper at Norwick

5th May 2025 Unst

Uyeasound: drake Goosander & 2 Arctic Terns.

4th May 2025 Unst N5 Overcast

Norwick: Blackcap & Serin.

Baltasound: Knot.

Serin at Millfield

2nd May 2025 Yell W5 Overcast

Camb: Sparrowhawk.

Aywick: singing Willow Warbler.

1st May 2025 Unst SW5 Mid Yell & Unst

Robbie found a couple of drake Mandarins at Haroldswick pools and they remained it situ for me to see them on my return from Yell.

Mid Yell: 2 Whimbrel.

Haroldswick: 2 Mandarin Duck drakes.

Mandarin Ducks and Mallard at Haroldswick

30th April 2025 Unst S3 Overcast

Norwick: Willow Warbler singing, 2 Chiffchaff, Brambling, Siskin & Serin.

Puffins at Hermaness

29th April 2025 Unst

Skaw: Sand Martin, White Wagtail & Snow Bunting.

Norwick: 3 Brambling, Siskin & Serin.

Snow Bunting at Skaw

28th April 2024 W4 Overcast

Norwick: 6 Brambling, Siskin & Serin. 

Haroldswick: 2 Swallows.

Male Serin at Millfield

Siskin & Serin at Millfield

Siskin, Serin & 2 Brambling at Millfield

We invested in a nyger feeder in the hope of attracting Finches... it worked!

27th April 2025 Unst S5 Overcast

Baltasound: 2 Pintail, 2 Long-eared Owl & Song Thrush, 

Norwick: Siskin, Serin & 6 Brambling.

26th April 2025 Unst S5 Overcast

Skaw: Swallow & Willow Warbler.

Norwick: Sparrowhawk, Grasshopper Warbler, 2 Ring Ouzel, Redwing, Chiffchaff, 5 Siskin & Serin.

Grasshopper Warbler at Norwick

25th April 2025 Yell & Unst ESE4 Partly cloudy

Aywick: Blackcap, Redwing & Redpoll.

Norwick: Bar-tailed Godwit, Robin, Serin & Brambling.

Serin at Millfield

24th April 2025 Yell & Unst ENE3 Overcast clearing

After a very long day working on home I returned home to be greeted by a Serin in our garden! 

Burravoe: Kestrel.

Haroldswick: Swallow.

Norwick: Serin & Brambling.

Serin at Millfield

Mike tells me that it's just the 10th record for Shetland and 19th for Scotland.

22nd April 2025 Unst SE4 Overcast

Norwick: Sparrowhawk, 7 Woodpigeon, Blackcap, Fieldfare, 2 Redwing, Chaffinch & Siskin.

21st April 2025 Unst SSW3 Overcast

Skaw: Willow Warbler, 2 Redwing & Chaffinch.

Norwick: 3 Blackcap, 2 Willow Warbler, 3 Chiffchaff, Song Thrush, 5 Siskin & 2 Brambling.

20th April 2025 Whalsay & mainland Shetland NE4 Overcast

Yesterday, John Lowrie Irvine found a very vocal Eastern Bonelli's Warbler in the plantation at Skaw on Whalsay that proved too tempting to resist! We obtained some very nice views of it, frequently calling, in the company of both a Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler. On our return home we saw a Hawfinch at Firth.

Eastern Bonelli's Warbler at Skaw, Whalsay

A couple of recordings of it calling here and here

19th April 2025 Unst N3 Overcast

A Song Thrush and a female Blackcap were present in our garden.

18th April 2025 Yell W2 Overcast

A single Redwing was my only reward at West Yell today but a stop in Baltasound on my way home produced a Chiffchaff, a Willow Warbler and a Brambling.

17th April 2024 Yell & Unst S3 Overcast

Aywick: Sparrowhawk, Swallow & Chiffchaff.

Haroldswick: 3 White Wagtails.

Sparrowhawk at Aywick

16th April 2025 Unst N4 Overcast

Skaw: Redwing, Blackcap, Chiffchaff & Willow Warbler.

Norwick: Barnacle Goose, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, 3 Woodpigeon, 2 Collared Dove, 2 Pied Wagtail, Robin, 4 Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler & Brambling.

15th April 2025 Yell & Unst S4 Overcast

I saw a Kestrel at Basta Voe. On returning home there were 3 Collared Doves at Kirkaton and a Chiffchaff and 10 Siskin in our garden.

14th April 2025 Yell S5 Overcast

I saw my first 2 Arctic Skuas of the year back on territory together on Yell and also 2 Collared Doves flying north together across open fields near Ulsta. On returning to Unst there was a White Wagtail and a Snow Bunting on Haroldswick beach and 2 Hawfinches and 7 Siskin on our feeders.

13th April 2025 Unst W4 Overcast & light rain

Whilst driving to work I noticed 3 Greenland White-fronted Geese in the fields surrounding Haroldswick Heritage Centre that easily proved the highlight of the day.

Greenland White-fronted Geese at Haroldswick

12th April 2025 Yell S3 Overcast

I saw my first c.6 Bonxies of the year at various sites throughout Yell. I also saw a Sparrowhawk near Burravoe and a Swallow, a Chiffchaff and a Brambling at Gutcher.

Brambling at Gutcher

9th April 2025 Unst N3 Overcast

Skaw: Pink-footed Goose, 3 Redwing & Chiffchaff.

Norwick: Barnacle Goose, Woodpigeon, 2 Collared Dove, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, 5 Brambling & 2 Chaffinch.

Pink-footed Goose at Skaw

Redwing at Skaw

Greylag Goose & Barnacle Goose at Norwick