5th October 2017 Unst NW8 Overcast

A howling gale made life incredibly difficult with just 3 Chiffchaffs and a Blackcap seen at Skaw. After seeing just a Whinchat and Chiffchaff at Lund we concentrated on checking flocks of Golden Plover seeing a few Ruff. A look at Easter Loch proved more worthwhile as we saw 6 Whooper Swans, a Pinkfoot over and 3 Goldeneye and among a flock of Tufted Duck we found a juvenile / female Ring-necked Duck in very difficult conditions - a gale and no scope! We had to head north to find a signal to let everyone know and returned with our scopes although it then proved difficult to stop the tripod from blowing over! We then had a quick look at Norwick seeing a Little Bunting.

Female / juvenile Ring-necked Duck at Easter Loch

4th October 2017 Unst NW5 Overcast

A wet start today and a stiff northwesterly sent us to Norwick for shelter seeing my first Dunnock of the Autumn there and also a Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Blackcaps, 2 Chiffchaffs and a Little Bunting near the cemetery. Skaw added another Lesser Whitethroat, a Blackcap and 3 Chiffchaffs. A single Brambling was seen at the Health Centre. Robbie & Dick had seen the adult White-tailed Eagle at Loch of Watlee and then Baltasound so we took a look from overlooking Watlee and saw it flying in and land in a landslip. Al had found some Parrot Crossbills feeding in the Ungirsta pines so we walked out and saw two there plus 2 House Martins, a Common Redstart and a Chaffinch.

Little Bunting at Norwick (JFC)

Adult White-tailed Eagle arriving at Loch of Watlee

House Martin at Feall

Parrot Crossbills at Ungirsta

3rd October 2017 Unst W6 Overcast

A wet and windy morning with a visit to Skaw cut short by the onset of heavy rain that produced poor views of the lingering Red-throated Pipit. Our garden was providing shelter for a Yellow-browed Warbler feeding alongside Starlings. As we arrived at Setters Hill 3 Parrot Crossbills flew off north calling away as they flew leaving 2 present feeding in the pines. The road to Ordaal added 5 Ruff, a Spotted Flycatcher and 3 Brambling. Clingera added a sodden Common Redstart and a Chiffchaff. The School held a couple each of Brambling and Chaffinch. 

Yellow-browed Warbler at Millfield

Female Parrot Crossbill at Setters Hill

2nd October 2017 Unst SW3 Overcast

Our dawn start at Skaw produced a Whinchat, a Reed Warbler, a Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Blackcaps, a Willow Warbler, a Chiffchaff, a Little Bunting and a Brambling. Braeview added a Short-eared Owl, 2 Redwings, a Goldcrest and a Lapland Bunting. Burrafirth produced a Robin, a Common Redstart and 3 Chiffchaffs. Clingera held 3 Common Redstarts and 3 Chiffchaffs. Brian M then very kindly called to say that Paul & Nick had found a flock of four Crossbills at Setters Hill and that they all appeared to be Parrots! We called round to let Brydon know seeing a Quail walking along his road - superb! We were soon at Setters Hill joining the assembled crowd watching the Parrot Crossbills when a fifth bird arrived with all the birds flying around and calling excitedly when it did so.

Reed Warbler at Skaw

Lapland Bunting at Braeview

Female Parrot Crossbill at Setters Hill

Male Parrot Crossbill at Setters Hill

Click to enlarge

Xeno canto 130410 Parrot Crossbill, Sweden (left) and Setters Hill (right)

Virtually identical frequency range of notes 2.8-4.2kHz and inverted V shape

Glip Common Crossbill Unst 30/7/17 (left) / Xc130410 Sweden (mid) / Setters Hill (right)

Different frequency and shape of notes of a 'Glip' Common Crossbill

1st October 2017 Unst S3 Overcast

We arrived at Skaw where it appeared that most migrants had remained overnight seeing a Water Rail flushed from a ditch, a Kestrel, a Common Redstart, a Robin, a Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Blackcap, 4 Chiffchaffs, the Reed Warbler and the Red-throated Pipit. Braeview produced a Whinchat, 2 Song Thrushes, a Grasshopper Warbler, a Willow Warbler, 2 Chiffchaffs, 2 Goldcrests and 3 Reed Buntings. A quick look at Norwick produced a Ruff, a Robin and 5 Willow Warblers. We walked the Haroldswick loop adding a Ruff, a Common Redstart, a Whinchat, a Blackcap, a Chiffchaff and 2 Song Thrushes. Setters Hill held a Robin, a Tree Pipit and a Little Bunting and a look around the School added 3 Redwings and 2 Mealy Redpolls.

Red-throated Pipit at Skaw

'psiiiiiiiiiiii'!!

Grasshopper Warbler at Braeview

Reed Bunting at Braeview

Willow Warbler at Norwick

Tree Pipit at Setters Hill

Little Bunting at Setters Hill

30th September 2017 Unst SE2 Overcast

A good selection of migrants seen at Skaw including a Kestrel, a Whinchat, a Robin, 5 Song Thrush, a Reed Warbler, a Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Blackcaps, 4 Chiffchaffs and Reed Bunting with Paul E and Nick C finding an obliging Red-throated Pipit. Norwick added 2 Robins, a Redstart, 2 Song Thrush, 2 Tree Pipits, a Lesser Whitethroat, 4 Blackcaps, 2 Willow Warblers, 2 Chiffchaffs, a Yellow-browed Warbler, 2 Mealy Redpolls and a Brambling. the Heritage Centre played host to a Robin and a Whinchat and Burrafirth held a Redstart, a Whinchat, 3 Chiffchaffs and a Spotted Flycatcher. Setters Hill delivered a nice surprise in the form of a Wryneck as well as a Spotted Flycatcher, 4 Robins, 2 Blackcaps, 1 Chiffchaff, 12 Brambling and 2 Mealy Redpolls. Hillsgarth was also active with a Kestrel, a Redwing, a Song Thrush, 6 Chiffchaffs, 2 Willow Warblers, a Pied Flycatcher, a Reed Bunting, a Chaffinch and a Brambling but the School proved quiet with just a Robin, 3 Redwing and a Fieldfare. We made a late afternoon visit to Clibberswick, Haroldswick and Feall seeing 2 Merlin, a Redstart, a Whinchat and a Chiffchaff.

Reed Bunting at Skaw

my first of the Autumn and it's bill appeared to show some pink!

 Red-throated Pipit at Skaw (all JFC)

Lesser Whitethroat at Skaw

Lesser Whitethroat at Norwick

Mealy Redpoll at Norwick

Common Redstart at Norwick

Juvenile Spotted Flycatcher at Burrafirth

 Wryneck at Setters Hill

Kestrel at Baltasound

Pied Flycatcatcher at Baltasound

28th September 2017 Unst SE7 Overcast

The wind had strengthened overnight making birding even more difficult. Skaw held a Robin, the Reed Warbler, a Blackcap, a Chiffchaff, a Siskin and Frank & Dave found a Red-breasted Flycatcher. At Setters Hill we just saw a single Siskin. 

Streams flowing uphill in the wind today at Lamba Ness

Reed Warbler and Red-breasted Flycatcher at Skaw

Reed Warbler at Skaw

   

Siskin at Setters Hill