22nd October 2017 Yell SE3 Overcast

Working on Yell on a Sunday was rewarded with finding a Hawfinch at Mid Yell and a Great Grey Shrike at Gutcher on my commute home.

Hawfinch at Mid Yell

20th October 2017 Unst SE4 Overcast

A gloomy drizzly and windy start to the day but good numbers of Robins, Blackbirds, Song Thrushes, Redwings, Fieldfares and Brambling were immediately evident. A Hawfinch was found feeding on rose-hips at Norwick and whilst watching it a Little Bunting flew down to and briefly landed on the road! I then met Al and saw a male Ring Ouzel he'd just seen and then another along Holsen's road. A quick look at Halligarth produced a couple of Chiffchaffs and Goldcrests and the same was true of Hillsgarth and Setters Hill. Clingera produced a Yellow-browed Warbler and a drive along the foreshore at Buness resulted in distant views of Brydon's first-winter Surf Scoter alongside 2 Common Scoter and several Long-tailed Ducks.

Hawfinch at Norwick

First-winter Surf Scoter off Buness

19th October 2017 Unst SE3 Overcast

After a late evening dash to Belmont loch yesterday courtesy of Brydon very kindly phoning to say that he was watching the White-winged Scoter photographed at Sand Water on Yell by Dougie Preston earlier in the day I was pleased to be enjoying far better views of it in much better light this morning. Thereafter, 2 Goldcrests and a Robin in our garden were a sign of things to come as good numbers of Robins, Redwings, Fieldfares, Chiffchaffs (including one Siberian at Hagdale), Goldcrests, Chaffinches and Bramblings were seen at virtually every site visited.

First-winter White-winged Scoter at Belmont loch

11th October 2017 Unst SW3 Rain clearing

A wet dawn at Skaw produced the lingering Whinchat and Lesser Whitethroat. Swiftly moving onto Norwick produced a Blackcap, a Willow Warbler, a Chiffchaff, 6 Brambling and more prolonged views of the Coue's Arctic Redpoll among a flock of 10 Mealy Redpolls. The evening produced a nice showing of both an aurora and the milky way.

Coue's Arctic Redpoll at Norwick (lowest image JFC)

10th October 2017 Unst SW4 Rain clearing

It was raining on our way to Skaw but 4 Redwings seen along the Holsen's road and another 2 as we arrived at Skaw gave us some encouragement. The Lesser Whitethroat was still present at Skaw and a flock of 6 Brambling overflew. A Snow Bunting was seen along Holson's road on our return and there was a Siberian Chiffchaff in our garden. Walking around Haroldswick added another 12 Brambling flying over and a Chiffchaff. A few more Brambling were seen around Baltasound before the rain set in. After the rain cleared we tried Norwick seeing 70 Redwing, a Yellow-browed Warbler, 30 Brambling, 5 Mealy Redpolls and a Common Rosefinch.

Snow Bunting along the road to Skaw

Siberian Chiffchaff at Millfield

Common Rosefinch at Norwick

9th October 2017 Unst S2 Rain clearing

It was raining whilst we were at Skaw with a selection of sodden migrants seen including the Whinchat, theTree Pipit, the Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Blackcaps, a Chiffchaff and a Mealy Redpoll. Norwick added an overflying Grey Wagtail, 4 Blackcaps, a Chiffchaff, a Yellow-browed Warbler and the Coue's Arctic Redpoll and Mealy Redpoll. The School produced a surprise in the form of a Blue Tit and as we were driving through Haroldswick Al flagged us down to see a Bluethroat performing along the tide line. A Bat sp. flying around Millfield at dusk was the first we've seen since living on Shetland.

Mealy Redpoll at Skaw

Lesser Whitethroat at Skaw

Mealy (left) and Coue's Arctic Redpoll at Norwick

 Bluethroat at Haroldswick (JFC)

8th October 2017 Unst Calm Overcast

A nice calm overcast dawn so we headed to Norwick where it proved incredibly quiet with us seeing just 2 Blackcaps and a Reed Bunting until an Arctic Redpoll briefly popped-up into view alongside a Mealy Redpoll. We then tried Skaw where the Red-throated Pipit, Tree Pipit, Blackcap and Chiffchaff were all still present. Burrafirth failed to produce any migrants but at Houlland we found our first Siberian Chiffchaff of the Autumn and a Brambling. Lund added a single drake Long-tailed Duck, a Chiffchaff and 4 or 5 Harbour Porpoises in the bay. North Dale added a Blackcap, a Chiffchaff and a Willow Warbler.

Arctic Redpoll at Norwick

The pager reported a Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll present at Norwick yesterday but based on brief views of the above bird seen alongside a Mealy Redpoll and then Twite it appeared to lack the size, bulk, shape and jizz of that form. Based on our brief views and the number of Hornemann's being seen after the northwesterly winds we were reticent to consider it a Coue's. However, Brydon, Micky and Mike found a Coue's in Baltasound and Brydon kindly took a look at the above images and pointing to its size and clean face considered it a Coue's. A quick internet search reveals a rather similar-looking Coue's here:

Coue's Arctic Redpoll at Kelling, Norfolk February 2012 (Kevin Elsby)

Siberian Chiffchaff at Houlland