What rain there was passed through overnight leaving another dry and nearly calm dawn and a nice morning to be birding the island. During the day the southwesterly wind freshened with heavy cloud arriving late afternoon. On opening the door a Wheatear and Chiffchaff in 'our' garden gave cause for optimism. It became apparent that there had been a small increase in the number of Wheatears, a female-type Merlin was seen hunting Twite and a juvenile Peregrine was seen that was later seen in pursuit of a Snipe. A party of four Golden Plover found the top of the east hill to their liking and eight Herons had overnighted. A tour of the island yielded Chiffchaffs but no Willow Warblers today, a Water Rail was heard calling from the iris beds where a Reed Bunting was also present, a different Great Spotted Woodpecker was seen and we finally (twice) bumped into the Barred Warbler that has been present there since we arrived at the iris beds but not previously seen by ourselves. Otherwise a number of the usual suspects were seen including the Little Bunting, Grasshopper Warbler, Common Rosefinch and Red-breasted Flycatcher. As we arrived back for the evening a Yellow-browed Warbler had joined the Chiffchaff in 'our garden'.
Teal 2
Heron 8
Kestrel 1
Merlin 1
Peregrine 1 juvenile
Water Rail h
Ringed Plover 6
Golden Plover 4
Dunlin 1
Snipe 3
Turnstone 5
Black-headed Gull 1
Kittiwake c.50
Black Guillemot 13
Rock Dove c.30
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1
Goldcrest 1
Skylark 6 E
Yellow-browed Warbler 2
Chiffchaff 4
Blackcap 13
Barred Warbler 1
Lesser Whitethroat 1
Grasshopper Warbler 1
Shetland Wren 2
Blackbird 4
Song Thrush 2
Red-breasted Flycatcher 1
Redstart 2
Whinchat 2
Wheatear 6
Dunnock 4
Tree Pipit 2
Meadow Pipit 20
Chaffinch 9
Redpoll h
Twite c.10
Common Rosefinch 1
Little Bunting 1
Reed Bunting 1
Hedgehog 1
Glorious weather for an early morning walk
Aircraft runway on Out Skerries
The only shop on Out Skerries
Little Bunting at Rocklea
Common Rosefinch at Rocklea
Black Guillemots off Magnus's beach
Barred Warbler enjoying the rosehips on Out Skerries
Great Spotted Woodpecker on Out Skerries
Whilst we had assumed all our sightings of GSW had related to one individual today's bird shows far less red on the crown and lacks the white forehead of the one photographed yesterday
