18th April 2018 Unst SSE1 Clear

A Goldfinch present in our garden from dawn was a new addition for the year and was later briefly joined by a male Yellowhammer but both were eclipsed by finding a Long-eared Owl at Burrafirth.

Goldfinch at Millfield

Long-eared Owl at Burrafirth

17th April 2018 Unst SE5 Rain

Robbie found a Woodchat Shrike at Ordaal and he then checked an Egret at Burrafirth seen yesterday by Jane Gray that proved a Great White. I was literally just leaving for Sumburgh but very fortunately saw both in quick succession and still made the airport pick-up with 5 minutes to spare! We then saw the Pied-billed Grebe at Loch of Spiggie.

Adult Great White Egret at Burrafirth

Male Woodchat Shrike at Ordaal

With its extensive primary patch and white flanks, as it has unfortunately been found dead this evening, it will be interesting to take a look at the bases to its central tail feathers tomorrow to see if it's a niloticus or senator ...

Pied-billed Grebe at Spiggie

16th April 2018 Unst E3 Overcast

The Finch flock in our garden now numbers 30 Bramblings and 6 Siskins. Otherwise 2 juvenile Iceland Gulls were seen at Skaw shortly after dawn and a juvenile Glaucous Gull was on the beach at Haroldswick shortly before dusk!

 Bramblings and Siskins at Millfield

Male Brambling at Millfield

15th April 2018 Unst SE2 Misty

Awoke to thick fog but I could see 5 Siskins in our garden. I headed to Skaw where a Brambling was present. Lamba Ness added 3 Great Northern Divers close offshore and a few Fieldfares. Norwick played host to a Green Sandpiper, a Ring Ouzel, the 2 female Hawfinches and 27 Brambling. Haroldswick provided my with my first Reed Bunting and Tree Pipit of the year but perhaps the biggest surprise of the day was a European White-fronted Goose accompanying the Greylags at Clibberswick. On seeing Mike he told me there were 6 Hawfinches at Setters Hill that proved too much to resist.

Great Northern Diver 5
Heron 4
European White-fronted Goose 1
Water Rail 2
Green Sandpiper 1
Swallow 2
Tree Pipit 1
White Wagtail 2
Pied Wagtail 6
Wheatear 8
Robin 24
Dunnock 5
Song Thrush 6
Mistle Thrush 1
Fieldfare 15
Ring Ouzel 1 male
Blackcap 1 male
Chiffchaff 10
Goldcrest 1
Siskin 5
Chaffinch 7
Brambling 61
Hawfinch 8
Reed Bunting 1

Siskin at Millfield

Great Northern Divers off Lamba Ness

Grey Heron roosting on the cliffs at Lamba Ness

White Wagtail at Lamba Ness

Mistle Thrush at Norwick

Ring Ouzel & Blackbird at Norwick

Brambling at Haroldswick

Swallows at Haroldswick

Tree Pipit at Haroldswick

Eurasian White-fronted Goose at Clibberswick

14th April 2018 Unst SE2

A quick check of Norwick revealed the continued presence of 3 Ring Ouzels seen by Mike yesterday and the 2 female Hawfinches. This evening I saw the 2 Siskins that had arrived in our garden during the day.

Male Ring Ouzel at Norwick

Pair of Siskins at Millfield

13th April 2018 Unst ENE2

A quick look at Skaw early this morning produced a Black Redstart, 4 Wheatears and a few Chiffchaffs. With the onset of rain and a freshening wind late afternoon a few birds began arriving with a Black Redstart, a Chiffchaff and a Goldcrest all appearing in our garden.

Black Redstart at Skaw

Black Redstart at Millfield

12th April 2018 Unst SE2 Clear

A beautiful Spring day with blue skies, warm sunshine and a light southeasterly breeze. I spent virtually the whole day in the field concentrating on Skaw, Lamba Ness, Norwick and Northdale. From first light Fieldfares were roaming the island in large flocks of 40 to 60 strong. At Skaw I saw my first Green Sandpiper of the year and along the cliffs at Lamba Ness a male and 2 female Wheatears, At Norwick I was pleased to see my first Swallow, Blackcap, Siskin and Linnet of the year as well as 2 female Hawfinches now flying around together. As I arrived at Northdale Willie Henderson very kindly stopped to tell me that his dog had put up a Long-eared Owl from the area behind his crofthouse in the morning. That didn't prepare me for walking a further 20m and finding it sat in the open on an elder - superb. On a late afternoon visit to the shop I saw my first Collared Dove of the year in Baltasound and a female Hawfinch was still present on the Boordanoost feeders. Thinking the day was over Bertie Priest then very kindly handed me a male Hawfinch that he'd heard crash against on of his windows at the Chalet in Norwick. A very sad end for a magnificent bird.

Water Rail 1

Sparrowhawk 1 female

Long-eared Owl 1

Collared Dove 1

Swallow 1

Grey Wagtail 1

Pied Wagtail 2

White Wagtail 3

Dunnock 3

Robin 10

Wheatear 3

Blackbird 25

Fieldfare 100+

Chiffchaff 2

Goldcrest 1

Linnet 1

Siskin 1

Brambling 2

Hawfinch 3 females, 1 male (dead)

Male Wheatear at Lamba Ness

Fieldfares flying over Lamba Ness

Adult female Sparrowhawk at Norwick

Swallow at Norwick

Male Blackcap at Norwick

Female Linnet at Norwick

Long-eared Owl at Northdale

Dead male Hawfinch at Norwick