29th September 2018 Unst WSW8 Rain clearing

A wet and windy morning with the rain finally clearing at lunchtime. A look around the northern sites wasn't easy in the storm-blown conditions and all I saw was a Blackcap at Skaw and a Pink-footed Goose, a Barred Warbler, a Blackcap, a Chiffchaff and a Lesser Redpoll at Norwick.

Lesser Redpoll at Norwick

23rd September 2018 Unst NW2 Overcast

An early morning surprise came in the form of a Dark-bellied Brent Goose that flew past me at Skaw and then again at Norwick. Otherwise, in just an early morning circuit of the two sites, all I saw was the Whinchat and 2 Blackcaps at Skaw and a Redwing and 4 Blackcaps at Valyie.

I saw more birders than birds on my early morning circuit!

Dark-bellied Brent Goose at Skaw

22nd September 2018 Unst NW5 Overcast with showers

Another blustery day with showers that produced a Whinchat and a Blackcap at Skaw, the Pied Flycatcher and a Common Rosefinch at NorthDale, the Black Redstart, a Chiffchaff, a Chaffinch and a Common Rosefinch at Norwick, 4 Whooper Swans, a Whinchat and 6 Chaffinches at Uyeasound and a Blyth's Lesser Whitethroat at Clingera.

Whinchat at Skaw

Common Rosefinch at Norwick

Whinchat at Uyeasound

21st September 2018 Unst N4-5 Showers

A dawn start at Skaw produced nothing more than a Siskin and a Willow Warbler nearby at Lamba Ness. NorthDale was playing host to the Pied Flycatcher, a Willow Warbler and 2 Common Rosefinches. A quick look at Haroldswick added a Barred Warbler.  I then spent a couple of hours seawatching from Lamba Ness seeing very little when Mike arrived and said he'd obtained some nice views of the Citrine Wagtail that had been found at Norwick. We joined Al there enjoying some nice views and hearing it calling whilst in flight. A look at Valyie then produced just 2 Blackcaps and a Willow Warbler.

Siskin at Skaw

First-winter Citrine Wagtail at Norwick

19th September 2018 Unst SSW5-6 Overcast

My early morning circuit had produced just a Chiffchaff and 4 Blackcaps some of which seemed to be struggling in the windy weather so receiving news of a Subalpine Warbler present at the Shore Station at Burrafirth came as a considerable surprise! Whilst I was present it was showing well on and off but remained silent and was becoming increasingly elusive as the wind increased. A Blackcap and 2 Siskin were also present. Robbie checked his phone to then see news of a Buff-breasted Sandpiper at Uyeasound, so I quickly popped home where my parents very kindly phoned with the news, before heading south where it was seen feeding alongside a Ruff in a field full of Golden Plover. We then visited Lund seeing a Little Bunting and a juvenile Shelduck on Small Waters. During an early evening respite from the storm a Sand Martin flew past our house.

Blackcaps at Valyie

Subalpine Warbler at Burrafirth

With reference to Shirihai & Svensson (2018) its greyish iris, orange-brown orbital ring and buff-fringed primary coverts presumably render it a first-winter female. It is difficult to be sure of its exact tail pattern (especially of T5) and anyway Svensson (BB Vol.106 p.651-668) details some of the extreme variation and problem birds in terms of tail-pattern character, so it would be nice if it starts to call! 

 Buff-breasted Sandpiper at Uyeasound

Little Bunting at Lund

Juvenile Shelduck at Small Waters

18th September 2018 Unst S1 Light rain

An early morning visit to Skaw produced a Yellow-browed Warbler and Lamba Ness added a Willow Warbler. Patrick & Hannah Lanaway then arrived and almost immediately Patrick picked out a Barred Warbler in our rosa - a proper welcome to Millfield! Undeterred by the light rain, fortunately it was virtually calm, we headed for Norwick beach where an Otter was watched feeding in the surf. It was soon apparent that birds were arriving with a smart acredula-type Willow Warbler and a Common Rosefinch both seen at Leawart and a Black Redstart, a Willow Warbler, 3 Chiffchaffs, a Garden Warbler and 3 Blackcaps at Valyie. We moved on to NorthDale where we saw a Pied Flycatcher, a Blackcap, a Willow Warbler, a Yellow-browed Warbler, a Tree Sparrow and 3 Common Rosefinches together. A stop at Haroldswick pools produced our first Blyth's Lesser Whitethroat of the autumn and our last port of call was Burrafirth where a Chiffchaff and Common Rosefinch were present along the burn. So, despite the weather, a very enjoyable day's birding.

Patrick & Hannah at Millfield

Pied Flycatcher at NorthDale

Common Rosefinch at NorthDale

Blyth's Lesser Whitethroat at Haroldswick

17th September 2018 Unst SW3

A Common Rosefinch was present briefly literally at dawn in our garden. As I drove through Norwick a flock of 17 Pinkfeet were present. A Blackcap was the only migrant I saw at Skaw and there was a Kestrel, 5 Blackcaps and 3 Willow Warblers seen on a quick look at Valyie. Late this afternoon a Yellow-browed Warbler and 2 Willow Warblers were seen at Uyeasound. 

Common Rosefinch at Millfield

Despite an ISO2000 setting the light was insufficient to obtain a sharp image

Part of the flock of Pink-footed Geese at Norwick

A few minutes later and a setting of ISO4000 wasn't much better!