10th November 2020 Unst SSE4 Overcast

Skaw produced the Eider, 3 Long-tailed Ducks, a Glaucous Gull, 25 Fieldfares, 15 Redwings, a Black Redstart, a Common Chiffchaff and a Common Redpoll. I saw a Sparrowhawk and a Blue Tit on my return along Holsens road. NorthDale held 10 Redwings and there was a Merlin at Ungirsta mires and a male Peregrine chasing Ravens at the Shore Station. The Grey Plover had been joined by a Dunlin on Haroldswick beach. In already fading light in overcast and misty conditions I found an interesting bedraggled Phyllosc in Norwick. Although it was resolutely silent the combination of its apricot-buff undertail-coverts, broad supercilium and bill shape - seen in that order - convinced me it was a Radde's Warbler despite the late date. I managed a few images but bear in mind they were all obtained at the highest ISO. Hopefully it will still be present in the morning...

Black Redstart at Skaw

Initial views of a bedraggled Phyllosc but its conspicuous broad supercilium was very striking and pinkish legs appearing rather sturdy

Its apricot-buff undertail coverts contrasting with the rest of its albeit rather sodden underparts are just about discernible in the above images 

Its broad supercilium enhanced by its broad dark eye-stripe.

Appearing large-eyed and its bill appeared both short and thick

Its supercilium appearing most colourful just above its eye whitening at its rear.  

both a vague olive cast to its upperparts and vague yellowish wash to its bedraggled underparts

Radde's Warbler at Norwick

Radde's (left)Thailand (Natthaphat Chotjuckdikul), Norwick (centre) & Dusky (right) Portugal (Jose Frade)

A comparison of head shape, bill structure & broad fore-supercilium.

9th November 2020 Unst SSE4 Overcast

A gloomy grey day with misty low cloud. Skaw produced the 3 Long-tailed Ducks, an Eider, a Woodcock, 5 Blackbirds, 10 Fieldfares, 5 Redwings and a Blackcap. A brief seawatch at Lamba Ness saw 2 blue Fulmars fly south, there were 3 Harbour Porpoises close offshore, a Purple Sandpiper with the Turnstones and at least 20 Fieldfares and 2 Redwings along the access track. Returning along Holsens road added a pair of Stonechats. A walk around Norwick produced the Great Northern Diver, 2 Woodcock, 40 Snipe, 10 Redwings, 6 Robins, a Siberian Chiffchaff, a Blue Tit and 5 Chaffinches. Burrafirth was playing host to a Robin, a Siberian Chiffchaff and a Blue Tit and returning via Haroldswick beach proved worthwhile as my first Grey Plover of the year on Unst was feeding on the seaweed. Just as it was getting dark Alison arrived with a male Blackcap in her hand that she had found sat in the middle of the road - after it warmed up, it flew off strongly.

Blackcap at Skaw

Harbour Porpoise off Lamba Ness

Purple Sandpiper and Turnstone at Lamba Ness

Siberian Chiffchaff at Burrafirth

Grey Plover on Haroldswick beach

8th November 2020 Unst SE2 Overcast

Nice calm conditions again today. Our garden was playing host to a couple of Icelandic Redwings and a walk around Norwick added 3 Siberian Chiffchaffs, a Reed Bunting and a male Common Redpoll. A walk around Haroldswick added another Siberian Chiffchaff and a Blue Tit. All we could find at Burrafirth was a Peregrine and another Blue Tit. Just prior to dark there were a couple of Common Redpolls at Skaw.

Siberian Chiffchaff at Norwick

Common Redpolls at Skaw

7th November 2020 Unst NW2 Clear

A Barred Warbler in our garden was a nice late Autumn surprise. A Waxwing overflew and a Great Tit also made a brief appearance. A walk around Norwick produced 2 Woodcock, 2 Stonechats, 3 Blackcaps and a flock of 9 Crossbills overflew. Skaw added 3 Long-tailed Ducks, a Merlin, 5 Redwings and 25 Fieldfares. At Haroldswick there were 2 Great Northern Divers and a Long-tailed Duck offshore and a Blue Tit in the Heritage Centre garden. I met Will and Mike at Burrafirth where we saw a Merlin take a Fieldfare only for a Hooded Crow to intervene to attempt to rob the Merlin whereupon the Fieldfare escaped - a Siberian Chiffchaff was also present.

Barred Warbler at Millfield

Stonechat at Norwick

6th November 2020 Unst & Yell W5 Overcast

Whilst waiting for the ferry at Belmont a juvenile Glaucous Gull flew east. On Yell I saw the Little Grebe and 2 Scaup on Sand Water, 5 Bar-tailed Godwits at Hamnavoe and a Pink-footed Goose at Burravoe.

4th November 2020 Unst NW5 Overcast

I enjoyed a 90 minute sea-watch from Lamba Ness with the highlights being a Red-breasted Merganser,  2 Sooty Shearwaters, 6 blue Fulmars, 2 Little Auks and a fourth-winter Glaucous Gull all flying north. On my way home there was a Siberian Chiffchaff along Holsens road.

Fourth-winter Glaucous Gull passing Lamba Ness

Adult-like plumage but with a fleshy-coloured basal two-thirds of its bill that also shows some dark subterminal markings

Sooty Shearwater passing Lamba Ness

blue Fulmar passing Lamba Ness

blue Fulmar and Fulmar passing Lamba Ness

Eclipse drake Red-breasted Merganser passing Lamba Ness

Siberian Chiffchaff along Holsens road

1st November 2020 Unst S7 Rain clearing

A wet and windy morning saw 3 Goldeneye and my first Common Scoter of the year sheltering off Norwick. The weather cleared through in the afternoon when a walk to Valyie and back produced 2 Stonechats, a Blackcap, a Goldcrest and the Goldfinch.

Goldeneye and Common Scoter Norwick

Goldfinch at Valyie