31st August 2016 Unst SW5 Clear

An early morning trip to Skaw produced a single Willow Warbler but again a good showing of Meadow Pipits, White Wagtails and Wheatears with some of the latter being Greenland Wheatears. An evening seawatch produced a single Sooty Shearwater flying south, 2 Puffins and a few juvenile Kittiwakes amongst the stream of Gannets and Fulmars.

Sooty Shearwater 1 S
Puffin 2 S
Meadow Pipit c.75
White Wagtail c.10
Wheatear c.30
Willow Warbler 1

Male Greenland Wheatear and Meadow Pipit at Skaw

30th August 2016 Unst SW5 Overcast

A couple of sea-watches from Lamba Ness proved quite entertaining with 5 Sooty Shearwaters and a Storm-Petrel the best but also interesting to note that not a single Puffin was seen today. Whilst seawatching this morning there was a steady trickle of Meadow Pipits arriving along with a few White Wagtails. There were also quite a few Wheatears and Twite at the point some of which I would think were most-likely newly arrived. Ringed Plovers and Dunlin were also seen arriving. A visit to Halligarth produced a Pied Flycatcher and 4 Willow Warblers and a Kestrel was seen hovering over the Houb.

Sooty Shearwater 5 (4S & 1N)
Storm Petrel 1 N
Kestrel 1
Arctic Tern 2N (most have departed now)
Guillemot 2N
Black Guillemot 2S
Willow Warbler 4
Pied Flycatcher 1
White Wagtail c.10
Meadow Pipit c.100
Twite c.10

29th August 2016 Unst SW2 Overcast

A similar mix of species seen today as yesterday and in similar numbers. The highlight was finding our seventh Wood Warbler of the Autumn and two Common Rosefinches together at Norwick and the first Lesser Whitethroat of the Autumn. 

Skaw

Sanderling 3

Garden Warbler 1

Haroldswick

Willow Warbler 1

Norwick

Wood Warbler 1

Willow Warbler 4

Pied Flycatcher 1

Common Rosefinch 2

Setters Hill

Lesser Whitethroat 1

Pied Flycatcher 3

Halligarth

Willow Warbler 1

Pied Flycatcher 1

Baliasta

Garden Warbler 1

Chiffchaff 1

Clingera

Willow Warbler 2

Chiffchaff 1

Burrafirth

Willow Warbler 1

Common Rosefinches at Norwick

Pied Flycatcher at Setters Hill

28th August 2016 Unst E1 Clear

MSC had predicted today would be a good day on Shetland and it wasn't long before news of two Booted Warblers and an Arctic Warbler was received to prove him correct. Against that backdrop it was a pity that Skaw had proved very quiet and there was nothing obviously new at Norwick. Haroldswick, or more correctly, Al's garden at Bordanoost was more productive as we found our sixth Wood Warbler of the Autumn there sharing a sycamore with a Common Rosefinch. A tour of the Baltasound sites produced our first Grey Wagtail of the Autumn. Being a nice evening we tried an hour seawatching from Lamba Ness with 2 Sooty Shearwaters seen flying north being the highlight.

Skaw
Sanderling 4
Garden Warbler 1

Norwick
Chiffchaff 1
Willow Warbler 8
Pied Flycatcher 2

Haroldswick
Willow Warbler 4
Wood Warbler 1
Common Rosefinch 1

Burrafirth
Whinchat 1
Willow Warbler 3

Halligarth
Pied Flycatcher 2
Willow Warbler 4

Houb
Greenshank 1

Clingera
Willow Warbler 2

St. John's Church
Grey Wagtail 1

Lamba Ness
Sooty Shearwater 2N (8.07pm & 8.10pm)
Sanderling 4N

Common Rosefinch at Haroldswick

 Wood Warbler at Haroldswick

27th August 2016 Unst Calm and clear

Awoke to calm and clear conditions so wasn't overly surprised that Skaw proved much quieter than in recent days although the Marsh Warbler remained. In contrast Norwick was then surprisingly busy with 4 Pied Flycatchers seen although no sign of the Icterine Warbler. Burrafirth produced a new Wryneck but the Wood Warbler had departed but I then found my fifth of the Autumn so far at Clingera. A visit to the School produced a couple of surprises in the form of my first Spotted Flycatcher and Siskins of the Autumn.

Skaw
Sanderling 1
Marsh Warbler 1
Garden Warbler 1

North Dale
Willow Warbler 2

Norwick
Pied Flycatcher 4
Willow Warbler 5
Chiffchaff 2

Burrafirth
Wryneck 1
Whinchat 1
Pied Flycatcher 1
Willow Warbler 3

Setters Hill
Willow Warbler 2

School
Spotted Flycatcher 1
Willow Warbler 3
Siskin 2

Clingera
Wood Warbler 1

Halligarth
Wood Pigeon 1 juvenile
Willow Warbler 1

Red Snipe at Burrafirth

Two of these monsters seen today (Skaw & Burrafirth). More here

Wryneck at Burrafirth

Spotted Flycatcher at the School

 Siskins at the School

Wood Warbler at Clingera

Juvenile Wood Pigeon at Halligarth

26th August 2016 Unst NE1 Overcast

An early morning visit to Skaw revealed pretty much the same birds that were present as yesterday and with the favourable wind it was a little disappointing that nothing new had arrived. Norwick was proving likewise until drizzly rain arrived and within a couple of minutes there were suddenly birds buzzing everywhere with the majority being Willow Warblers but also including a couple of Pied Flycatchers and a Tree Pipit. They soon formed a fast moving flock and whilst looking through them there on the fence was an Icterine Warbler! Unfortunately the flock was rapidly moving up the vegetated ravine and were difficult to keep up with and all too soon I saw the Icterine Warbler flying out of the top end of the ravine and towards the endless moorland. I never saw it again, so after yesterday's similar encounter with the Wood Warbler at Skaw, it's amazing how quickly some newly arriving migrants leave their place of landfall. This evening a quick check of the Burrafirth garden proved worthwhile as a confiding Wood Warbler put on a great show.

Skaw
Sanderling 7
Knot 2
Marsh Warbler 1
Common Whitethroat 1
Garden Warbler 1
Willow Warbler 3

Norwick
Long-eared Owl 1
Tree Pipit 1
Willow Warbler 10+
Chiffchaff 2
Icterine Warbler 1
Pied Flycatcher 4

North Dale
Whinchat 1
Willow Warbler 2

Clingera
Willow Warbler 2

Halligarth
Willow Warbler 5

Burrafirth
Willow Warbler 1
Wood Warbler 1

Icterine Warbler at Norwick

Seal at Haroldswick

Otter

 Wood Warbler at Burrafirth

25th August 2016 Unst E1 Overcast

An early morning check of Skaw revealed the Marsh Warbler was still present along with a number of the common migrants lingering from previous days. Just as I was leaving I noticed a Phyllosc fly-catching from the washing line and casually looked at it anticipating it being one of the Willow Warblers so got a shock on seeing it was a Wood Warbler. It rather quickly moved to the roof of the croft and then the telegraph wire before heading inland along the fence before I last saw it fly c.300m until lost from view still heading inland. On the drive back to Millfield a Wryneck was flushed from Holsens road where I saw one in the Spring in the same circumstances. A quick look at Norwick produced another daytime encounter with a moulting adult Long-eared Owl that was initially sat on a fencepost before flying around the nearby fields. The gardens held 3 Pied Flycatchers. A quick stop at Uyeasound returning home from work produced another 2 Pied Flycatchers and a juvenile Peregrine was seen in flight over Baltasound.

Skaw
Merlin 1
Sanderling 15
Marsh Warbler 1
Common Whitethroat 1
Garden Warbler 2
Willow Warbler 2
Wood Warbler 1

Holsens road
Wryneck 1
Whinchat 1

Millfield
Willow Warbler 1

Norwick
Long-eared Owl 1
Willow Warbler 2
Pied Flycatcher 3

Uyeasound
Ruff 12
Willow Warbler 1
Pied Flycatcher 2

Baltasound
Peregrine 1 juv. female

Marsh Warbler at Skaw

 Wood Warbler at Skaw

Common Snipe at Lamba Ness

Wryneck along Holsens road

photographed through the windscreen!

Long-eared Owl at Norwick

24th August 2016 Unst Calm with rain clearing

After the rain cleared common migrants were still well-represented at Skaw and among them I found a Marsh Warbler. It later transpired that Robbie had photographed it there yesterday in addition to the one seen by Brydon at Halligarth. A Common Rosefinch was present at Norwick but who knows if it is the same individual seen there on the 20th.

Skaw
Sanderling 14
Knot 2
Greenshank 1
Tree Pipit 1
Marsh Warbler 1
Garden Warbler 2
Common Whitethroat 1
Willow Warbler 4

Norwick
Whinchat 1
Willow Warbler 3

Common Rosefinch 1

Burrafirth
Whinchat 2
Willow Warbler 3

 Marsh Warbler at Skaw

Common Whitethroat and Willow Warbler at Skaw

Greenshank arriving in off the sea at Skaw

Whinchat at Norwick

Juvenile Common Tern at Burrafirth

Otter

seen attacking a stranded Fulmar it appears the Fulmar may have inflicted some damage to the Otter's nose

Fulmar
the Otters intended victim