Norwick: Wheatear, 2 Common Redstart, 4 Robin, 2 Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, 2 Common Rosefinch, Chaffinch, Mealy Redpoll & 3 Little Bunting.
Norwick: Merlin, 9 Knot, 3 Sanderling, Collared Dove, 2 Pied Wagtail, 2 Tree Pipit, 2 Wheatear, 2 Robin, Common Redstart, 6 Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Pied Flycatcher, Common Rosefinch, Chaffinch, Brambling, Siskin, Little Bunting & c.25 Snow Bunting.
Burrafirth: Robin, Blackcap & 'Northwestern' Common Redpoll.
A day spent successfully Otter guiding for Shetland Nature with the only birds of note seen being the Little Egret at Loch of Snarravoe and the Long-tailed Duck on Easter Loch.
A selection of lingering migrants remain. A Barred Warbler was hopping around on our lawn. We last saw one here on the 17th September so presumably today's was a different individual but who knows?
Norwick: Collared Dove, 6 Knot, 2 Sanderling, 3 Pied Wagtail, Wheatear, Barred Warbler, 2 Blackcap, Pied Flycatcher, Red-breasted Flycatcher, Little Bunting & Common Rosefinch.
Haroldswick: Grey Heron & Common Redstart.
A wet and windy start to the day was enlivened by seeing my first Little Bunting of the Autumn. The heaviest of the rain eventually cleared through mid-afternoon but a subsequent walk around Skaw proved quiet.
Norwick: Swallow, Pied Wagtail, Tree Pipit, Robin, 2 Whinchat, 2 Blackcap, Willow Warbler, Goldcrest, 2 Pied Flycatcher & Little Bunting
A switch to a cooler northwesterly airflow.
Norwick: Knot, 2 Sanderling, Kestrel, Collared Dove, 2 Robin, Whinchat, Wheatear, 3 Tree Pipit, 2 Blackcap, Chiffchaff, 3 Willow Warbler, Goldcrest, Song Thrush, 2 Common Rosefinch & Brambling.
Mainly lingerers but also my first Brambling and 3 Snow Buntings of the autumn.
Norwick: Grey Heron, Merlin, Kestrel, Collared Dove, Pied Wagtail, 2 Tree Pipit, 2 Robin, 2 Common Redstart, 2 Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Yellow-browed Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, Pied Flycatcher, Red-breasted Flycatcher, Brambling, Siskin, 2 Common Rosefinch & Hawfinch.
Skaw: Knot, 5 Wheatear, Whinchat, Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Willow Warbler, 2 Goldcrest, Siskin & 3 Snow Bunting.
Having teamed-up with Chris & Geoff, I spent most of the day in complete awe of the events unfolding elsewhere in the British Isles as the unprecedented arrival of North American landbirds continued! In comparison, it's fair to say that our results were a little more modest!!
Norwick: Sparrowhawk, 11 Knot, 9 Sanderling, Water Rail, Swallow, 3 Pied Wagtail, 3 Robin, 6 Blackcap, 2 Willow Warbler, Yellow-browed Warbler, 3 Goldcrest, Spotted Flycatcher & Chaffinch.
Holsens road: Whinchat, Sedge Warbler & 2 Willow Warbler.
Having covered Norwick I teamed-up with Chris to cover Skaw and Holsens road before the rain became heavy around 1pm. The rain cleared late afternoon so I took a look at NorthDale and Haroldswick.
Norwick: 1 Swallow, Tree Pipit, 5 Robin, 5 Blackcap, Willow Warbler, Yellow-browed Warbler, 4 Goldcrest, Spotted Flycatcher, Pied Flycatcher, Red-breasted Flycatcher, Song Thrush & 3 Common Rosefinch
Skaw: Robin, Lesser Whitethroat & Siskin
Holsens road: Sedge Warbler & Willow Warbler.
Having covered some of both Skaw and Norwick it was evident that most of yesterday's migrants had remained in situ and a few more common migrants were showing in the better weather. I therefore soon elected to revert to Locustella-hunting in the hope of a 'British find tick'... today we ventured to south Unst... thistles, irises, nettles, dry stone dykes but sadly all to no avail... that's now 43k steps... they're rare!
Skaw: 4 Wheatear, 2 Blackcap, 2 Lesser Whitethroat & Willow Warbler.
Norwick: juv. Peregrine, Tree Pipit, 5 Robin, Barred Warbler, 2 Garden Warbler, 7 Blackcap, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Willow Warbler, 2 Yellow-browed Warbler, 2 Goldcrest, 2 Spotted Flycatcher, Red-breasted Flycatcher, 4 Common Rosefinch, 2 Common Crossbill & Hawfinch.
In what felt like promising conditions all day, let alone rare Locustellas elsewhere, after a hard day's slog in sometimes not-so-light rain it proved a disappointing result compared to the 'premier league' islands!
Skaw: 40 Skylark, Robin, Lesser Whitethroat & Willow Warbler.
Norwick: 2 Wheatear, 2 Whinchat, Common Redstart, Robin, 2 Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Yellow-browed Warbler, Willow Warbler, 2 Goldcrest, Red-breasted Flycatcher, Common Crossbill, Common Rosefinch & Hawfinch.
Given the wind direction it proved quieter than hoped albeit I saw a couple each of new Barred Warbler and Yellow-browed Warbler.
Skaw: Common Snipe, Wheatear, Lesser Whitethroat & Willow Warbler.
Norwick: Knot, 2 Sanderling, Pied Wagtail, Wheatear, 3 Barred Warbler, 4 Blackcap, 3 Yellow-browed Warbler & Hawfinch
Haroldswick: Redstart, Lesser Whitethroat, Willow Warbler & Yellow-browed Warbler.
Being a northwesterly airflow it was a surprise that it produced my first two Yellow-browed Warblers of the year.
Skaw: blue Fulmar, 7 Snipe, 1cy Common Tern, 2 Wheatear, Robin, Garden Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Yellow-browed Warbler,
Norwick: Knot, 2 Sanderling, Collared Dove, 3 Pied Wagtail, Tree Pipit, 2 Wheatear, Barred Warbler, 2 Blackcap, Willow Warbler, Yellow-browed Warbler, Common Crossbill, 4+Common Rosefinch & Hawfinch
NorthDale: 2 Blackcap.
Burrafirth: Snipe & Common Rosefinch.
Another wet and windy start to the day with the worst of the weather clearing late morning. A walk around Norwick produced a surprise Hawfinch.
Norwick: Pink-footed Goose, 2 Knot, 4 Sanderling, 6 Snipe, Common Tern, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 5 Pied Wagtail, 2 Tree Pipit, 3 Wheatear, Barred Warbler, Blackcap, 3 Common Rosefinch & Hawfinch.
