20th January 2023 Unst Calm & clear

A day of lovely weather saw us tour the southern end of Unst enjoying the spectacle of large numbers of Long-tailed Ducks and Eider but failing to find anything more scarce than a fist-cycle Iceland Gull.

18th January 2023 Unst N5 Overcast

After some wintry weather a quick look around Norwick revealed the Stock Dove was still present and we saw our first Chaffinches of the year.

Norwick: Merlin, Stock Dove & 5 Chaffinch.

Haroldswick: 7 European White-fronted Geese. 

Dawn at Norwick a couple of mornings ago

11th January 2023 Unst WSW9 Showers

A gale blowing but from soon after dawn it became apparent that a steady stream of Gulls were arriving in off the sea at Norwick. Among them, in the hour from 8.50am, I counted 21 Glaucous Gulls and 2 Iceland Gulls. A look around Norwick produced the wintering Stock Dove. In the afternoon we headed for Westing where there was a Glaucous and an Iceland Gull and on leaving we saw a nice pink-suffused drake Goosander on Small Waters. Whilst watching it, we had the good fortune that the wintering juvenile Rough-legged Buzzard chose that moment to fly north.

Norwick: Stock Dove, 435 Herring Gulls, 2 Iceland Gulls (ad & juv), 21 Glaucous Gulls (12 ad, 2 2w, 7 juv), 85 Great Black-backed Gulls & Stock Dove.

Westing: drake Goosander, 7 Purple Sandpipers, juvenile Rough-legged Buzzard, juv Iceland Gull & juv Glaucous Gull.

First-cycle Glaucous Gull at Westing

Drake Goosander at Small Waters, Westing

Juvenile Rough-legged Buzzard at Small Waters, Westing

8th January 2023 Unst S4 Clear

A sunny morning with the wind soon picking-up to a strong southerly. It was a nice surprise to see the Stock Dove still present at Norwick. A drive around the island produced a selection of winter fare including a few white-winged Gulls.

Norwick: Whooper Swan & Stock Dove.

Haroldswick: Glaucous Gull & Iceland Gull.

Burrafirth: 7 European White-fronted Geese & Glaucous Gull. 

Uyeasound: 3 Whooper Swans, 2 Mute Swans, Pink-footed Goose, 100 Long-tailed Duck, Iceland Gull and the Kumlien's/Thayer's Gull.

Stock Dove and Rock Dove at Norwick

First-cycle Iceland Gull at Haroldswick

First-cycle Glaucous Gull at Haroldswick

First-cycle Iceland Gull at Uyeasound

First-cycle Kumlien's/Thayer's Gull at Uyeasound

Flight views were the order of the day again. Drawing a dividing line in the continuim that is presented by Kumlien's and Thayer's Gulls seems an impossible task at times. Here's a few first-cycle individuals labelled as Kumlien's or Thayer's Gulls that all (!) appear a close match to the Uyeasound bird:

Kumlien's Gull, Iowa, 12th December 2018 (Jay Gilliam)

Thayer's Gulls, California, 12th December 2011 (Oscar Johnson)

6th January 2023 Unst W5 Light rain

Unpleasant drizzly windy weather but a large swell on the sea in the wick attracted a gathering of Gulls that included 3 Iceland Gulls. The distance most of the Gulls kept, the poor light and the drizzle didn't help with photography.

Norwick: Great Northern Diver, 2 Moorhens, Oystercatcher, Purple Sandpiper & 3 Iceland Gulls.

The three Iceland Gulls off Norwick

First-cycle (2cy) Iceland Gull off Norwick

Second-cycle (3cy) Iceland Gull off Norwick

Second-cycle (3cy) Iceland Gull off Norwick

The most interesting of the three as the outer primaries look marginally darker than the inners. Looking at the outer primaries themselves the outer webs, certainly basally, look darker than the inner webs. 

Oystercatcher at Millfield

It must be Spring! Whilst a few have wintered in the south of Unst in recent years I tend to think of them as usually the earliest-arriving Spring migrant up here!

3rd January 2023 Unst S3 Clear

After a very enjoyable Christmas in Sussex, a rather low-key start to the new year. This morning we completed the SOTEAG beached bird survey for both Norwick and Burrafirth. With some snow still laying on the hillsides and plenty of ice still on Loch of Cliff, generally there seemed very few birds around.  

Burrafirth: Goldeneye & adult Glaucous Gull.

Haroldswick: 2cy Glaucous Gull & Redwing.

Norwick: Great Northern Diver, Red-throated Diver, Meadow Pipit & 2 Twite.

2cy Great Northern Diver off Norwick