10th May 2018 Unst S3

Haroldswick pools produced a pair of Collared Doves, 2 Sedge Warblers (my first for the year), a Lesser Whitethroat and a Chiffchaff. A flock of 10 Barnacle Geese were accompanied by a single Greylag flying high northeast over Saxa Vord Hill. An evening visit to Baltasound produced 3 Wood Sandpipers.

Sedge Warbler singing at Haroldswick

Collared Doves at Haroldswick

Wood Sandpiper at Baltasound

9th May 2018 Unst S2 Overcast

Not before time, this morning I saw my first Willow Warbler of the year at Norwick being a striking acredula-type individual. A small flock of hirundines at Haroldswick included a Sand Martin and 2 House Martins. A nice surprise this evening was finding a Wood Sandpiper at Baltasound.

acredula-type Willow Warbler at Norwick

House Martin at Haroldswick

Presumably a first-summer showing plenty of dusky markings on its rump, sullied flanks and an almost dusky breast-band.

Wood Sandpiper at Baltasound

8th May 2018 Unst SE3 Overcast

It felt like 'classic conditions' at dawn, and whilst the trickle of additions for the year continued, passerine migrants were disappointingly very thin on the ground and I was soon back to completing surveys. My first Common Tern of the year was seen in slightly bizarre circumstances flying in off the sea whilst I was leaving our house this morning. Skaw produced nothing more than a House Martin. On leaving the house for a second time I saw my first 3 Arctic Terns of the year and likewise a female Common Whitethroat at Norwick was my first this year.

 Common Tern passing Millfield

House Martin at Skaw

Female Common Whitethroat at Norwick

Whimbrel

Bonxie

7th May 2018 Unst NW2 becoming SE3 Clear

With the wind forecast to switch from NW to SE late in the day an evening tour of Norwick, Skaw and Haroldswick beach seemed in order. Norwick produced the Lesser Whitethroat, 6 Chiffchaffs, the Goldcrest and 2 Brambling. As I approached Skaw a flock of 5 Barnacle Geese were seen flying over Lamba Ness being the first I've seen this year but Skaw was only playing host to a single White Wagtail. Haroldswick beach added my first Common Sandpiper of the year and 2 White Wagtails.

Barnacle Geese arriving at Lamba Ness this evening

Common Sandpiper at Haroldswick

6th May 2018 Unst Calm Overcast

An early morning walk around Skaw was rewarded with a 'grey-brown variant' male Pied Flycatcher being present in Forn Geo and several Swallows. A quick check of Norwick then proved something of an anticlimax with little change to yesterday with 5+ Swallows, a White Wagtail, 3 Tree Pipits, the Great Tit, a Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Blackcaps, 4 Chiffchaffs, a Goldcrest, c.15 Tree Sparrows and 2 Brambling being seen.

Forn Geo and its Ficedula

Male Pied Flycatcher at Forn Geo

Tree Pipit at Norwick

Female Blackcap at Norwick

Tree Sparrows at Norwick

5th May 2018 Unst SW3 Overcast

An unpromising start to the day with low cloud and a fresh southwesterly wind. I arrived at Skaw to the sight of two hirundines sat on the washing line being a Swallow and my first Sand Martin of the year. A quick look at Norwick produced more surprises with a flock of 11 Tree Sparrows and a Great Tit both also being the first we've seen this year and 2 Blackcaps, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Goldcrest and 2 Brambling. On arriving home we received a number of messages from Brydon and Robbie to say there was a Common Buzzard doing the rounds at Baltasound and within a few minutes we heard the Gulls screaming outside and sure enough there was the Buzzard circling very high in the sky - the first I've seen on Shetland! I then headed to work on Yell where I only checked the garden of the Windhouse bod that was playing host to 2 male Common Crossbills - another yeartick! I returned home via Easter Loch this evening where I saw my first Mute Swan of the year on Unst and a juvenile Iceland Gull and there was a Green Sandpiper at Haroldswick.

Sand Martin at Skaw

Lesser Whitethroat at Norwick

Great Tit at Norwick

Male Common Crossbill at the Windhouse bod, Yell

2nd May 2018 Unst SSE4 Light rain

An unpleasant day that failed to produce many grounded migrants with just a single Chiffchaff seen at Skaw and a White Wagtail and 3 Chiffchaffs at Norwick.

Haroldswick beach

Presumed leucistic Herring Gull at Haroldswick

Aged based on the white tip to its bill