A switch to a light southerly wind and light rain on and off until c.10am dropped a thin scatter of migrants across northeast Unst as I saw a female Common Scoter, a Sparrowhawk, a Long-eared Owl, 3 Swallows, a Song Thrush, 2 Tree Pipits, 3 Blackcaps, a Lesser Whitethroat, 5 Chiffchaffs, 4 Bramblings and 2 Mealy Redpolls today. However, the most interesting bird of the day was a colour-ringed Golden Plover from a scheme ringing birds predominantly in Wales in winter. The drake Green-winged Teal was again present on the mires south of NorthDale this evening.
Long-eared Owl
Mealy Redpoll at Haroldswick
yellow polls are most likely to occur on females
yellow polls are most likely to occur on females
Golden Plover 'N55'
Birds of Shetland only lists a single ringing recovery for Shetland.
Drake Green-winged Teal at NorthDale
Female Eurasian Teal at NorthDale
With reference to Roger Riddington's article in BB January 2019 the prominent white edge of its outermost tertial and the blackish submarginal stripe narrowing gradually and continuing closer towards the tip are consistent with the accompanying female Teal being a Eurasian Teal.
