21st October 2024 Unst SW7 Heavy showers

The strong wind and frequent heavy showers hampered birding today! The highlight of the day was hearing back from Stavanger to say Friday's Yellow-browed Warbler had been ringed on Utsira, Norway.

Norwick: Long-tailed Duck, alba Wagtail, Robin, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, 2 Siberian Chiffchaff, 11 Redwing, Tree Sparrow, Chaffinch & 5 Brambling.

Map showing all recoveries to/from Norway of Yellow-browed Warblers

20th October 2024 Unst SE5 broken high cloud

Skaw: Wheatear, 2 Blackcap, Song Thrush, 15 Redwing & Brambling.

Norwick: Sanderling, Wood Pigeon, 5 Robin, 3 Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Siberian Chiffchaff, 2 Goldcrest, Song Thrush, 7 Redwing, Greenland Redpoll, 30 Twite & 4 Brambling

NorthDale: 2 Blackcap & Redwing.

Siberian Chiffchaff at Norwick

19th October 2024 Unst S3 Overcast

Norwick: 25 Snipe, Wood Pigeon, 7 Robin, 7 Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Willow Warbler, 2 Chiffchaff, 4 Siberian Chiffchaff, Greenish Warbler, Yellow-browed Warbler (unringed), 6 Goldcrest, 11 Redwing, 4 Song Thrush, Hawfinch, 8 Northwestern Redpoll & 9 Brambling.

Haroldswick: 2 Blackcap.

Greenish Warbler at Norwick

Originally found on the 9th, Mike kindly let me know that it's the latest Greenish Warbler to have been found on Shetland by four days. Its now also the latest ever, as a previous individual with the record stay lingered 18 days until the 13th October.

Garden Warbler at Norwick

Hawfinch at Norwick

18th October 2024 Unst S4 Overcast

Norwick: Whinchat, 4 Robin, 8 Blackcap, Chiffchaff, 2 Siberian Chiffchaff, Greenish Warbler, Yellow-browed Warbler, Goldcrest, 4 Redwing, Tree Sparrow, 25 Brambling & 4 Redpoll.

Skaw: Merlin, 2 Blackcap & 8 Redwing.

Greenish Warbler at Norwick

A sound recording of it calling here.

Yellow-browed Warbler bearing a Norwegian ring

From the back of the camera I could read NOR. Glen Tyler very kindly messaged me to say he'd recently caught a Goldcrest with a Stavanger, Norway ring. That enabled me to also read VANG.

The BTO website suggests only seven foreign ringed Yellow-browed Warblers have been subsequently recorded in the UK, four of them from Norway.

17th October 2024 Unst S4 Heavy rain clearing at midday

Norwick: Woodcock, 3 Robin, Paddyfield Warbler, 6 Blackcap, Chiffchaff, 3 Siberian Chiffchaff, Greenish Warbler, 2 Goldcrest, 70 Redwing, 2 Song Thrush, Little Bunting & 25 Brambling.

Skaw: 4 Blackcap, Chiffchaff, 4 Redwing & Brambling.

Woodcock sheltering from the rain in our garden

Greenish Warbler at Norwick

Siberian Chiffchaff at Norwick

Little Bunting at Norwick

16th October 2024 Unst S6 Overcast

Norwick: Blackcap, 2 Goldcrest, 2 Fieldfare, 6 Redwing, Song Thrush & 16 Brambling.

Skaw: Brambling.

Song Thrush in our garden

15th October 2024 Unst S5 Scattered cloud

The Bluethroat and Greenish Warbler remained but the highlight of the day was finding a Little Bunting.

Norwick: Stonechat, 3 Robin, Bluethroat, 3 Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Siberian Chiffchaff, Greenish Warbler, 2 Goldcrest, Ring Ouzel, 20 Blackbird, 35 Redwing, Little Bunting & 2 Brambling.

Skaw: Wheatear, 3 Redwing & Tree Sparrow.

Siberian Chiffchaff at Norwick

Bluethroat at Norwick

Little Bunting at Norwick

14th October 2024 Unst SSE4 Overcast

The day started well with a Bluethroat but the rain soon started and it became increasingly windy too.

Norwick: Bluethroat, Robin, 3 Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Greenish Warbler, Song Thrush, Redwing & Brambling.

Burrafirth: 3 Redwing & Chiffchaff.

Greenish Warbler at Norwick

13th October 2024 Unst NNW4 Overcast

The highlight of the day was the apparent Central Asian Lesser Whitethroat finding its way into a mist-net.

Norwick: Red-throated Diver, Robin, 2 Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Siberian Chiffchaff, Greenish Warbler, 3 Redwing & Brambling

Baltasound: apparent Central Asian Lesser Whitethroat.

Skaw: Robin & 2 Redwing.

Haroldswick: Goldcrest.

Burrafirth: Grey Heron, 2 Whinchat & Redwing.

apparent Central Asian Lesser Whitethroat at Baltasound

11th October 2024 Unst NW3 Overcast

After our morning circuit around Norwick Brydon kindly sent me a recording of a Lesser Whitethroat that sounded a close match to DNA-proven Central Asian. We soon joined him and David T in Hunter's Wood. The Yellow Wagtail was still present in Baltasound too.

Norwick: Sparrowhawk, 2 Robin, 8 Blackcap, 3 Chiffchaff, Siberian Chiffchaff, Greenish Warbler, Yellow-browed Warbler, Goldcrest, Chaffinch & Brambling 

Baltasound: Yellow Wagtail, Blackcap & Eastern Lesser Whitethroat.

Greenish Warbler at Norwick

Eastern Lesser Whitethroat at Baltasound

Yellow Wagtail at Baltasound

10th October 2024 Unst NNW5 Broken cloud

Norwick: 3 Robin, 5 Blackcap, Greenish Warbler, Yellow-browed Warbler, 3 Goldcrest, 6 Redwing, Song Thrush & 8 Brambling.

Skaw: Glaucous Gull, Whinchat, Redwing & Snow Bunting.

Haroldswick: Pink-footed Goose, Redwing, Song Thrush & Chaffinch.

Greenish Warbler at Norwick

Siberian Chiffchaff at Norwick

9th October 2024 Unst NNE6 Wintry showers

A very windy, cold morning that felt unpromising, so finding a Greenish Warbler easily exceeded our expectations. 

Norwick: Water Rail, 2 Robin, Bluethroat, 5 Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Greenish Warbler, Yellow-browed Warbler, Goldcrest, 10 Redwing, Tree Sparrow, 5 Brambling & Common Rosefinch.

Skaw: Redwing.

Haroldswick: Goldcrest & 4 Redwing.

Burrafirth: Slavonian Grebe, Blackcap, Chiffchaff & Yellow-browed Warbler.

Greenish Warbler at Norwick

A recording of it calling here

Bluethroat at Norwick

Tree Sparrow at Norwick

8th October 2024 Unst NE6 Overcast

A very windy day hampering birding.

Norwick: 4 Robin, Garden Warbler, 6 Blackcap, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Yellow-browed Warbler, Goldcrest, Ring Ouzel, 15 Redwing, 4 Brambling & Common Rosefinch.

7th October 2024 Unst ESE4 Overcast with showers

The first notable arrival of Redwings proved a nice early morning spectacle.

Norwick: alba Wagtail, 2 Robin, 8 Blackcap, Willow Warbler, 3 Chiffchaff, 2 Yellow-browed Warbler, Goldcrest, 2 Ring Ouzel, 170 Redwing, 2 Song Thrush, Tree Sparrow, Chaffinch, 3 Brambling & Common Rosefinch.

Skaw: 2 Robin, Goldcrest & 2 Redwing. 

Haroldswick: 2 Whooper Swans, Chiffchaff, 10 Blackbird & 15 Redwing.

Ring Ouzel at Norwick

Whooper Swans arriving just before dusk at Haroldswick

6th October 2024 Unst S2 Overcast

A very quiet walk to Skaw and back so this afternoon we put some time into obtaining more views of the Paddyfield & Lanceolated Warbler.

Norwick: Sparrowhawk, Merlin, Lanceolated Warbler, Paddyfield Warbler, 4 Blackcap, Willow Warbler, 3 Yellow-browed Warblers, Goldcrest, 13 Redwing, Fieldfare, Tree Sparrow, Brambling & Common Rosefinch.

Skaw: Wheatear.

Paddyfield Warbler at Norwick

Lanceolated Warbler at Norwick

5th October 2024 Unst SSW1 Light rain

The highlight of our day was finding a Paddyfield Warbler being the second that I've found in the UK.

Norwick: Robin, Paddyfield Warbler, 8 Blackcap, 3 Yellow-browed Warbler, 2 Goldcrest & Common Rosefinch.

Skaw: Whinchat, Chiffchaff & Chaffinch.

Burrafirth: 3 Redwing, Lesser Whitethroat & Yellow-browed Warbler.

Haroldswick: 2 Wigeon, Sand Martin, Robin, 3 Blackcap & 3 Yellow-browed Warbler.

Paddyfield Warbler at Norwick

Sand Martin at Haroldswick