As I left our house just before 6am a Hawfinch was arriving accompanying a flock of c.8 Bramblings that proved all Brenda saw attending our feeders all day. As I drove past Haroldswick pool there was a Shelduck present being the first of the year. The mainland provided my first Blackcap of the year alongside a Brambling in a garden at Firth albeit a flock of 3 Rook flying across open moorland was probably almost as noteworthy. On my return to Unst I noticed a commotion as I drove through Baltasound and saw a raptor flying north being the second Common Buzzard for Unst this year. A Siskin was present on roadside feeders at Brakefield and the Norwegian-ringed Brambling and female Hawfinch were still both feeding in our garden.
Female Shelduck at Haroldswick
Common Buzzard over Baltasound
Brambling at Millfield
Impressive turnaround from Stavanger Museum regarding the ringing details of the male Brambling currently visiting our feeders revealing it was ringed as a 1cy male 968km away on the island of Rost, Rogaland on the 26th September 2021.
