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

25th October 2025 Unst N7 Rain

Another very wet and windy day when we didn't venture out. A Jackdaw arrived in our garden and around 30 minutes later had been joined by another two.

Jackdaw in our garden

24th October 2025 Unst NNE7 Showers

What a difference a day can make - wet and windy today. I walked to Valyie and back and then called it a day.

Norwick: Shoveler, Song Thrush, 5 Redwing, 2 Blackcap, Siberian Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Northern Long-tailed Tit, 2 Chaffinch, Brambling & 2 Northern Bullfinch.

Northern Bullfinch at Valyie