Heavily overcast but virtually calm conditions at dawn produced a few migrants at Skaw including a Cuckoo, a Song Thrush, a Redwing, my first Garden Warbler of the year and 2 Willow Warblers. NorthDale proved quieter with just a single female Common Redstart seen. It was good to see Dave Pullan back on Unst and whilst chatting rain commenced. I returned home for a while but then set out around Norwick. Whilst getting slowly drenched I saw a Sparrowhawk, a Collared Dove, a Common Whitethroat, 2 Willow Warblers and the male Pied Flycatcher. After a change of clothes we headed for a change of scenery by heading to the south end of the island where the best we could muster was seeing a Pink-footed Goose, our first Greenshank of the year and another Garden Warbler. I then covered Haroldswick seeing a Common Swift, a House Martin, a Swallow, a White Wagtail, a female Common Redstart, 2 Common Whitethroats, 4 Lesser Whitethroats, 2 Willow Warblers and 2 Chiffchaffs. Dave Pullan then kindly let me know that he had found a female Red-backed Shrike at NorthDale (at exactly the place we'd been chatting in the morning!) that was convenient for us to see on our way home. On getting home there were 2 Lesser Whitethroats in our garden.
Female Red-backed Shrike at NorthDale
