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...