11th October 2014 Out Skerries & Scalloway



Heron 5
Jack Snipe 1
Swallow 1
Skylark 18
Wheatear 2
Whinchat 2
Robin 2
Wren 1
Song Thrush 1
Redwing 1
Blackcap 1
Chiffchaff 2
Yellow-browed Warbler 1
Goldcrest 4
Great Grey Shrike 1
Little Bunting 2
Reed Bunting 3

Scalloway
EASTERN BONELLI'S WARBLER 1 BOURC/IRBC 524
Chiffchaff 2

 



 

 

Eastern Bonelli's Warbler at Scalloway

Despite spending four hours in close proximity to this bird sadly I never heard it call



10th October 2014 Out Skerries NW2 Overcast

Early morning drizzle soon subsided leaving a grey and overcast day. A tour of the East Isle failed to produce anything new although a fair few Thrushes remained. Onto West Isle the iris beds still played host to the Reed Warbler and there were two Little Buntings also present there. We walked the long wall and onto Mioness but apart from Song Thrushes and Redwings migrants were in short supply although a subtly Blue Fulmar was seen sat on the sea. A final tour of East Isle produced a few migrants feeding along the seaweed line at dusk as insects hatched in the now calm conditions.

Pink-footed Goose 30

Tufted Duck 1

Grey Heron 6

Ringed Plover 6

Golden Plover 50

Lapwing 1

Dunlin 5

Snipe 3

Woodcock 1

Turnstone 12

Goldcrest 8

Skylark 12

Swallow 2

Reed Warbler 1

Chiffchaff 4

Blackcap 5

Blyth's Lesser Whitethroat 1

Wren 3

Blackbird 8

Song Thrush 50

Redwing 30

Robin 8

Whinchat 1

Stonechat 1

Wheatear 10

Dunnock 2

Meadow Pipit 30

Chaffinch 2

Brambling 45

Siskin 2

Little Bunting 2

 

Reed Warbler in the iris beds

Blue Fulmar off Mioness

Blyth's Lesser Whitethroat on Out Skerries

one of the best airstrips in the British Isles

Mioness

9th October 2014 Out Skerries NE4 Overcast

After a largely clear night a gloomy dawn with a northeasterly wind that freshened during the day. Heavy cloud cover by late afternoon so it got dark early this evening so it felt a short day. A few early Chiffchaffs and Goldcrests were promising but an initially skulking Acrocephalus in the iris beds proving to be a Reed Warbler was disappointing. The Great Grey Shrike was still present with another larder at the house beyond the church and a Little Bunting showed briefly at the top of the iris beds. Despite more birds having remained on the island than we had expected it soon became hard work as the weather and light all too quickly deteriorated.

 

Pink-footed Goose 20

Grey Heron 5

Ringed Plover 5

Golden Plover 25

Lapwing 2

Dunlin 1

Jack Snipe 1

Snipe 6

Woodcock 1

Turnstone 10

Wood Pigeon 6

Great Grey Shrike 1

Goldcrest 12

Skylark 12

Swallow 1

Chiffchaff 5

Blackcap 5

Reed Warbler 1

Blackbird 10

Song Thrush 25

Redwing 25

Robin 10

Redstart 1

Whinchat 2

Wheatear 10

Dunnock 2

Grey Wagtail 1

Meadow Pipit 25

Brambling 30

Siskin 2

Little Bunting 1

Reed Bunting 6

 

A gloomy morning on Out Skerries

 

Woodcock, Chris and Mike on Out Skerries

 Woodcock on Out Skerries

 

Reed Warbler in the iris beds

First-winter female Common Redstart on Out Skerries

A rather dark sooty Common Redstart with a greyish cast that almost resembled Black Redstart at times. Although its buff fringes to its tertials and secondaries form a distinct pale wing panel there is no sign of any expansion of white at their bases as described for Ehrenberg's Redstart here:

http://www.surfbirds.com/Features/small0809redstart/eredstart0809.html



Great Grey Shrike on Out Skerries

8th October 2014 Out Skerries NE 2 Clear

A nice dawn with a light northeasterly breeze that dropped to calm by the evening. Most birds had remained on the island although with a noticeable drop in numbers of Thrushes present. The light overhead passage of Skylarks had resumed and there were some small grounded parties present. Likewise the numbers of Woodcock, Wood Pigeons, Goldcrests and Robins had increased. A male Greenfinch seen bathing at Rocklea was the first we've seen, another Grey-headed Wagtail was seen in the sheep fields near the marsh, a drake Scoter was sat on the sea off the beach at the end of the marsh but the best was saved for the last 20 minutes of evening light when Chris and Mike located a Great Grey Shrike and its larder in a tiny enclosed back garden of one of the top houses on West Isle. Towards dusk it was calm and eerily quiet with most passerines seen feeding frenetically so we anticipate an overnight clear out of migrants. Spent an enjoyable evening with Davey & Kathleen.

 

Pink-footed Goose 17

Greylag Goose 1

Teal 1

Tufted Duck 1

Scaup 1

Scoter 1 drake

Grey Heron 6

Kestrel 1+

Ringed Plover 6

Golden Plover 40

Lapwing 2

Purple Sandpiper 3

Dunlin 7

Jack Snipe 4

Snipe 9

Woodcock 3

Turnstone 12

Wood Pigeon 8
Great Grey Shrike 1

Goldcrest 9

Skylark 40

Swallow 3+

Chiffchaff 1

Willow Warbler 1

Blackcap 6

Blyth's Lesser Whitethroat 1

Wren 3

Ring Ouzel 1 male

Blackbird 11

Fieldfare 1

Song Thrush 85+

Redwing 50+

Robin 12

Whinchat 1

Stonechat 1

Wheatear 18

Dunnock 2

Grey-headed Wagtail 1

Meadow Pipit 50

Chaffinch 5

Brambling 35

Greenfinch 1

Siskin 2

Yellowhammer 3

Reed Bunting 10

Wren on Out Skerries

Brambling on Out Skerries

Greenfinch on Out Skerries

Male Ring Ouzel on Out Skerries

Robin on Out Skerries

Grey-headed Wagtail on Out Skerries

Jack Snipe on Out Skerries

Woodcock on Out Skerries

Scaup on Out Skerries

Blyth's Lesser Whitethroat on Out Skerries

Great Grey Shrike on Out Skerries

Dusk on Out Skerries