8th September 2025 Unst SSE3 Mist clearing

We arrived home from work to a few migrants in our garden that included a Common Rosefinch. We therefore made an evening visit to Valyie where we were pleased to find more migrants that included a Wood Warbler.

Norwick: Dunnock, 2 Whinchat, 4 Garden Warbler, 2 Blackcap, 2 Common Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Wood Warbler, Chiffchaff, 6 Willow Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, 3Chaffinch, 2 Common Rosefinch & 3 Redpolls.

Skaw: Merlin, Kestrel, 2 Whinchat, Garden Warbler & Willow Warbler.

Wood Warbler at Valyie

7th September 2025 Unst SE5 Fog

I spent the afternoon birding with James.

Skaw: Kestrel, Whinchat, Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Willow Warbler & Redpoll.

Norwick: Chiffchaff, 2 Willow Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Common Rosefinch, Siskin & 2 Redpoll.

Haroldswick: Garden Warbler.

Burrafirth: 3 Willow Warbler.

Whinchat at Skaw

Spotted Flycatcher at Norwick

Common Rosefinch at Norwick

4th September 2025 Yell SW4 Overcast

The 2cy Little Gull was still at Ulsta but watching a couple of dogfighting Merlin proved the highlight of a day spent working on Yell.

2cy Little Gull at Ulsta

Merlins on Yell

3rd September 2025 Unst S3 Fog

Norwick: Merlin, Sand Martin, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Barred Warbler, Pied Flycatcher & Dunnock (in subsong).

30th August 2025 Pelagic NW of Fethaland, Shetland

Very many thanks to Will Miles and Phil Harris & Rebecca Nason (Shetland Seabird Tours) for organising and supplying equipment including Kite Optics image-stabilised binoculars for another very enjoyable pelagic trip off northwest Shetland.

Wilson's Petrel, c.30 Storm Petrels, Great Shearwater, c.6 Sooty Shearwaters, Puffin, c.15 Great Skuas, 5 Arctic Skuas & 2cy Little Gull.

Great Shearwater off Fethaland

Wilson's Petrel off Fethaland

Sooty Shearwater off Fethaland

29th August 2025 Unst SE3 Fog clearing

Skaw: Merlin, Marsh Warbler & Willow Warbler.

Norwick: Goldeneye, Swallow & Willow Warbler.

Marsh Warbler at Skaw

a recording of a series of calls here

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.