30th November 2025 Unst N3 Overcast

Norwick: Peregrine.

29th November 2025 Unst SW4 Rain

Norwick: Jackdaw.

28th November 2025 Unst SW8 Overcast

Norwick: 1cy Glaucous Gull.

25th November 2025 Unst N2 Clear

We completed the monthly SOTEAG beached bird survey. Brenda found a freshly dead Little Auk that must have been deposited on the beach by the recent high tide.

Skaw: 5 Common Snipe & Robin.

Norwick: 8 Common Snipe, 2 Water Rail, Robin, Song Thrush, 6 Redwing, Goldcrest & Chaffinch. 

Haroldswick: 2 Fieldfare.

Burrafirth: dead Little Auk.

dead Little Auk at Burrafirth

Having a wing length of just 112mm it placed it well within the measurements of the anticipated form A.a. alle.

23rd November 2025 Unst WSW2 Clear

Bluemull Sound: 2 Northern Eider & c.300 Long-tailed Duck.

Baltasound: Chiffchaff.

Long-tailed Ducks on Bluemull Sound

Drake Northern Eider on Bluemull Sound

21st November 2025 Unst SW3 Overcast

Haroldswick: ringtail Hen Harrier. 

20th November 2025 Unst N5 Wintry showers

The light dusting of snow had partially melted overnight. There was no sign of the King Eider of Norwick and we checked Skaw, Burrafirth, Haroldswick and Baltasound but to no avail.

Norwick: Long-tailed Duck & 3 Redwing.

Haroldswick: Woodpigeon.

Baltasound: 2 Northern Bullfinch.

19th November 2025 Unst N4 Wintry showers

We awoke to a light dusting of snow. After a week of bitter northerlies originating from the high arctic they deliver a nice rarity in the form of a 1cy King Eider off Norwick. 

Norwick: 1cy drake King Eider, 5 Purple Sandpipers, Water Rail, Robin & Fieldfare.

1cy drake King Eider off Norwick

As I battled into a blizzard, determined to find that one last rarity for the year... Oh, hang on😂 from the comfort of the armchair...

Purple Sandpiper at Norwick

15th November 2025 Unst NW2 Overcast

Another visit to Westing didn't improve on yesterday's views of the Red-necked Grebe. Brydon then phoned to say that he was watching 2 Red Grouse near Uyeasound! We were soon there to obtain flight views as they flew off north - the first that I've seen on Unst.

Westing: Red-necked Grebe.

Uyeasound: 2 Red Grouse.

Red Grouse near Uyeasound

14th November 2025 Unst N4 Showers and sunny intervals

After a couple of days of strong northerly winds and cooler temperatures it was no real surprise that there were fewer lingering migrants remaining around Norwick. The highlight of the day was a Red-necked Grebe retaining much juvenile plumage off Westing originally seen by Brydon on the 9th.

Norwick: 3 Purple Sandpiper, Meadow Pipit, 2 Robin, Blackcap, Goldcrest, Fieldfare, 2 Song Thrush, 7 Redwing, Tree Sparrow & Chaffinch.

Westing: Red-necked Grebe.

Red-necked Grebe at Westing

Still retaining much juvenile plumage including its head pattern & dusky flanks.

11th November 2025 Unst S2 Light rain

Continuous rain hampered birding during the morning and I then took a look out on Bluemull Sound with Brydon. 

Norwick: Water Rail, Robin, 3 Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Goldcrest, 2 Song Thrush & Fieldfare.

Bluemull Sound: c.600 Eider including a drake and eclipse drake presumed Northern Eider.

Uyeasound: Shelduck.

Common Guillemots at Uyeasound

presumed Northern Eiders off Uyeasound

Eider on Bluemull Sound

'Davina'

Having found her as a lamb alongside her dead ewe at Skaw the day of the Savannah Sparrow, she was successfully adopted by another ewe that had lost her own lamb. She is now fully grown and residing in Norwick.

10th November 2025 Unst S2 Overcast

Unfortunately there was no sign of the Siberian Rubythroat despite a prolonged search. A walk around Norwick suggested fewer lingering migrants remain present. A late 1cy Lesser Black-backed Gull was present at Haroldswick.

Norwick: 2 Woodcock, Long-eared Owl, 2 Robin, 5 Blackcap, 4 Chiffchaff, 3 Goldcrest, Fieldfare, 7 Redwing & Northwestern Redpoll.

Haroldswick: 1cy Lesser Black-backed Gull.

Long-eared Owl at Norwick

1cy Lesser Black-backed Gull at Haroldswick

still retaining most of its juvenile scapulars

9th November 2025 Unst S2 Overcast

I spent a very enjoyable morning with Brydon birding around Baltasound with the highlight being finding 2 Dusky Warblers. I then spent the afternoon walking around Norwick which took a dramatic turn on briefly relocating the female Siberian Rubythroat now at Kirkaton, only for it to promptly vanish again before anyone else arrived. Despite searching, we failed to see it again before dark but at least I managed to obtain some record shots this time - grainy as they might be!

Haroldswick: Pink-footed Goose.

Baltasound: Woodcock, Water Rail, 2 Blackcap, 2 Dusky Warbler, 4 Siberian Chiffchaff, 5 Chiffchaff, 6 Redwing, 4 Chaffinch, Northwestern Redpoll & Snow Buntings (heard only).

Skaw: Siberian Chiffchaff, Robin & 5 Blackbird

Norwick: Woodcock, 3 Water Rail, Long-eared Owl, 7 Blackcap, Siberian Chiffchaff, 2 Chiffchaff, 3 Goldcrest, female Siberian Rubythroat, 2 Robin, 3 Redwing, Chaffinch & 35 Snow Bunting.

Dusky Warbler at Hunter's Wood, Baltasound

A link to a sound recording of it calling

Dusky Warbler at Baltasound Post Office

Female Siberian Rubythroat at Kirkaton

8th November 2025 Unst S3 Overcast

I spent the morning with Anne and Andy searching for the Rubythroat but to no avail, although finding a vocal Dusky Warbler along the burn between Holsens bridge and North Dale was a nice reward. 

Norwick: Merlin, 2 Woodcock, Water Rail, Skylark, Robin, Chiffchaff & Goldcrest.

NorthDale: 4 Water Rail, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Siberian Chiffchaff & Dusky Warbler.

Burrafirth: 2 Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff & Siberian Chiffchaff.

7th November 2025 Unst

A very mild, calm but foggy day. After seeing most of the usual suspects around Norwick and at Skaw, we were returning from the latter when I stopped at the road-bridge along Holsens road. Whilst following-up a couple of Chiffchaff... a large, brown chat was flying towards me... low parallel to a fence before landing, facing me, in the base of a nearby willow only c.6-8m away - a Siberian Rubythroat!!! It turned around, facing away, but just sat there tail cocked! It then dropped onto the ground where I was looking at it through grass, before it flew again, this time in a big loop, only a foot or so off the ground, before landing in another willow but out of sight - but only very briefly - before flying up and over the bridge and diving into the clump of willows. I waited for others to arrive, failing to see it leave, but very frustratingly, despite our best efforts, we failed to see it again by dusk.

Norwick: Barnacle Goose, adult Glaucous Gull, c.100 Common Snipe, Woodcock, Water Rail, Long-eared Owl, 2 Skylark, 3 Robin, 3 Redwing, 9 Blackcap, Lesser Whitethroat, 4 Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Northwestern Redpoll,  Chaffinch

Skaw: Fieldfare & Siberian Chiffchaff.

Holsens road: Siberian Rubythroat, 2 Blackcap & 2 Chiffchaff.

Lesser Whitethroat at Norwick

Barnacle Goose at Norwick

Siberian Rubythroat at Holsens bridge

For good reason I rarely attempt to sketch, but in the absence of any meaningful images... on a grey foggy November Shetland afternoon, its head pattern looked something like the above. Although its white supercilia and submoustachials were boldly marked and it had very black lores and well-marked dark malars, all of which I tend to associate with males, I failed to see any colour on its throat, so presumably it's a female...

5th November 2025 Unst SW1 Clear

I spent most of the day working again seeing the lingering Northern Wheatear on the beach at Haroldswick.

4th November 2025 Unst SW7 Overcast

We spent most of the day gardening with 2 female Northern Bullfinches paying us a visit.

3rd November 2025 Unst S4 Showers

I took a walk around Norwick in the inclement weather again seeing lingering 1cy Arctic Tern.

Norwick: 3 Teal, Merlin, 15 Lapwing, 3 Woodcock, Arctic Tern, Water Rail, 7 Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Goldcrest, 4 Robin, Song Thrush, 12 Redwing, Tree Sparrow, 6 Northwestern Redpoll, 3 Chaffinch & female Bullfinch.

1cy Arctic Tern at Norwick

2nd November 2025 Yell & Unst SW4 Overcast

I spent most of the day working before a quick stop at Easter Loch on my way home where there were a few migrants in our garden.

Burravoe: 25 Fieldfare flew south.

Uyeasound: c.30 Whooper Swan, c.300 Long-tailed Duck, Scaup, c.30 Tufted Duck & Coot.

Baltasound: Great White Egret.

Norwick: Water Rail, 3 Blackcap, 3 Jackdaw, Chiffchaff & female Bullfinch.

1st November 2025 Unst SE5 Rain clearing

Norwick: Blackcap, Goldcrest, 15 Redwing & 2 Chaffinch.

Haroldswick: Wheatear & Robin.

Burrafirth: Peregrine, Blackcap & Chiffchaff.

Wheatear at Haroldswick

Peregrine at Burrafirth

31st October 2025 Unst SE6 Showers

Two Water Rails were feeding in our garden and an Arctic Tern was present off Norwick.

30th October 2025 Unst & Yell NE3 Clear

After a quick look at Skaw and Norwick, I headed to Yell surveying. On my return home, as I was passing Mid Yell pier at sunset, I thought I'd check to see if any Gulls were roosting on the voe... but there was just a single Herring Gull present! However, an unexpected reward came in the form of a Little Auk swimming just off the pier. It soon got short shrift from a Guillemot, so started swimming surprisingly quickly, off towards the fish factory.

Skaw: Siberian Chiffchaff, Blackbird & Redwing.

Norwick: Water Rail, 8 Common Snipe, Robin, 5 Blackbird, 12 Redwing, Song Thrush, Hawfinch, female Northern Bullfinch, Brambling & Greenland Redpoll.

Yell: Merlin & Little Auk.

Little Auk off Mid Yell pier

29th October 2025 Unst NE3 Clear

We awoke to a thick frost. With heavy snowfall in Iceland, snow in Finland and on the hills in Faeroe we hoped there might be some hard weather movement in our direction. We took a walk around Norwick before completing the monthly SOTEAG beached bird surveys. 

Norwick: Grey Heron, Merlin, 6 Golden Plover, 26 Lapwing, Woodcock, 18 Common Snipe, 2 Jack Snipe, adult Glaucous Gull, Goldcrest, 2 Robin, 2 Fieldfare, 10 Redwing, 6 Blackcap, Tree Sparrow & Brambling.

Burrafirth: Grey Heron & 2 Blackcap.

Adult Glaucous Gull at Norwick

26th October 2025 Unst NW4 Showers

With the weather brightening earlier than forecast we took a look around Norwick where a Great White Egret present on the mires was a nice surprise, the Northern Long-tailed Tit was present around the beach and a/the Little Bunting was at Kirkaton.

Norwick: Pink-footed Goose, Great White Egret, 3 Chiffchaff, Siberian Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Northern Long-tailed Tit, Fieldfare, 5 Redwing, 11 Jackdaw, Northern Bullfinch, 3 Brambling, 2 Chaffinch, Goldfinch & Little Bunting.

Great White Egret at Norwick

Northern Bullfinch at Norwick

Little Bunting at Norwick

Siberian Chiffchaff at Norwick