Awoke to heavy rain but headed to Skaw where after sitting in the car for a while the rain eased, I set off and promptly saw a Golden Oriole fly past me heading inland. Mike has the knack of finding Blue-headed Wagtails and his latest had over-nighted albeit was looking rather sodden in the rain! Steve & Marion's Sedge Warbler was also still present alongside 2 Swallows, 2 Willow Warblers and the Chiffchaff. It was good to see Roger Wyatt and his wife again at Norwick that added a Cuckoo, a House Martin, a Willow Warbler, 12 Tree Sparrows and a Siskin. On driving to Burrafirth I saw my first Black-tailed Godwit of the year as well as the Slavonian Grebe, a House Martin, 8 Swallows, a Whitethroat, my first Garden Warbler of the year and a Redwing. NorthDale had held onto the Lesser Whitethroat and I saw a Redwing and a Spotted Flycatcher there. A return to Skaw saw me bump into Roger Riddington leading a group for Shetland Nature. So after enjoying a chat, knowing that he wouldn't have missed anything, rather than follow in his footsteps up the valley, I set off for a long walk to check the geos. It had proved largely unproductive until I was nearly back at my car, when my bird of the day flicked out of a cave and into view directly beneath me - a male Red-breasted Flycatcher!
Golden Oriole at Skaw
Sedge Warbler at Skaw
Blue-headed Wagtail at Skaw
Cuckoo at Norwick
Red Admiral at Millfield
Black-tailed Godwit
Swallows at Burrafirth
Slavonian Grebe at Burrafirth
Male Red-breasted Flycatcher at Skaw
