7th June 2021 Unst SSE2 Overcast

It felt nice conditions this morning but the only 'new' migrants seen during a tour of northern sites were 4 Collared Doves and a Whinchat albeit the Rosy Starling was performing nicely outside Victoria's Tea Rooms at Haroldswick. Having mowed our lawn a return to Skaw produced a considerable surprise in the form of an albino Great Northern Diver sat offshore!

Skaw: albino Great Northern Diver.

Norwick: Sparrowhawk, 4 Collared Doves, singing Garden Warbler, 3 Chiffchaffs, Willow Warbler & 2 Mealy Redpolls.

NorthDale: singing Sedge Warbler.

Haroldswick: Rosy Starling.

Rosy Starling at Haroldswick

Whinchat at Norwick

Albino Great Northern Diver off Skaw

Glen Tyler kindly let me know that full albinism appears extremely rare with just two historic records from North America in 1930 and 1944 and last winter's individual in Devon - being so rare it would seem likely it's the same individual seen in Devon.

6th June 2021 Unst W2 Fog clearing

Skaw produced my first Reed Warbler of the year and whilst watching it I heard a commotion and saw the adult White-tailed Eagle being pursued by Bonxies heading towards me. It overflew the headland and out to sea until reaching an offshore fog bank where it began to circle before heading back ashore and landing on the hillside under the radar dome before flying off towards Burrafirth. Whilst at Valyie I found a Marsh Warbler, that unusually for Spring, wasn't in song. The Eagle flew south at 9.15am and started circling over Taftens before continuing south. The Quail was still audible from the Heritage Centre.

Skaw: White-tailed Eagle, Robin, singing Reed Warbler & Blackcap.

Norwick: Long-tailed Duck, Sparrowhawk, Robin, Marsh Warbler, singing Garden Warbler, 2 Chiffchaffs, Tree Sparrow & Mealy Redpoll.

NorthDale: singing Sedge Warbler & Garden Warbler.

Haroldswick: Heron, Quail, 2 Garden Warblers & Reed Bunting.

Reed Warbler at Skaw

sound recording here

White-tailed Eagle & Great Skua over Skaw

Marsh Warbler at Valyie

5th June 2021 Unst SE2

An early start at Skaw proved disappointingly quiet and an unseasonable Long-tailed Duck and a Mealy Redpoll at Burrafirth wasn't really what I was hoping for given it's early June and a singing Sedge Warbler at NorthDale could have been so much better! But just as I was leaving Valyie I flushed a Sparrowhawk from the burn that I watched overflying the mires just in case it flushed anything of interest... a flock of Starlings took flight and there was a Rosy Starling among them! They landed on the hillside between Valyie and Holsens road. Whilst walking around Haroldswick my first Quail of the year was audible from the Heritage Centre and I then relocated the Rosy Starling in the sheep fields at Skeggie where it was showing well whilst actively feeding and seemed unconcerned by my presence.

Skaw: singing Common Whitethroat

Holsens road: Kestrel

Burrafirth: Long-tailed Duck, Swallow, Mealy Redpoll

NorthDale: singing Sedge Warbler

Norwick: Sparrowhawk, Collared Dove, 2 Swallow, Robin, Blackcap, Garden Warbler, 2 Chiffchaff, Spotted Flycatcher, Rosy Starling, Tree Sparrow & 2 Mealy Redpoll

Haroldswick: Quail, Garden Warbler, Rose-coloured Starling & Mealy Redpoll.

Mealy Redpoll at Burrafirth

Sedge Warbler at NorthDale

Sparrowhawk mobbed by Starlings

I've been cursing the ever-present Sparrowhawks present around Valyie this Spring but this one did me a favour today...

Rosy Starling at Norwick

Rosy Starling at Skeggie

4th June 2021 Unst N3 Mist clearing

A sprinkling of common migrants were still present at both Skaw and Norwick but an adult White-tailed Eagle flying north over our garden and then Lamba Ness stole the show. It was warm and sunny surprisingly early this morning and activity soon quietened but a roadside female Red-backed Shrike was a nice surprise.

Millfield: Red Admiral.

Skaw: Swallow, Garden Warbler, Common Whitethroat, singing Lesser Whitethroat, Willow Warbler & 2 Spotted Flycatchers.

Norwick: White-tailed Eagle, Sparrowhawk, Collared Dove, Blackcap, singing Chiffchaff, Spotted Flycatcher & Tree Sparrow.

Burrafirth: Common Whitethroat & Willow Warbler.

Haroldswick: Heron & female Red-backed Shrike.

White-tailed Eagle over Norwick

Female Red-backed Shrike at Haroldswick

3rd June 2021 Unst SE3 Partly Overcast

Skaw produced my first Spotted Flycatcher of the year and there was also a female Pied Flycatcher present. NorthDale added a fine male Pied Flycatcher and whilst driving past the Heritage Centre I saw a male Red-backed Shrike sat on the roadside fence requiring an emergency stop! As I walked around Norwick I'd seen a few common migrants but on arriving at Lewart there was a sense of de ja vu when a small Sylvia with a jerky flight flew from the rosa - another Subalpine Warbler but frustratingly another female! I was soon joined by Pete Morris and his family, Robbie, Pat and then Gav Thomas who found a bat sp. obligingly patrolling back and forth along the burn feeding on insects.

Skaw: Swallow, female Pied Flycatcher & Spotted Flycatcher.

NorthDale: Garden Warbler, Blackcap & male Pied Flycatcher.

Haroldswick: Kestrel & male Red-backed Shrike.

Burrafirth: 4 Great Northern Diver, Garden Warbler & Spotted Flycatcher.

Norwick: Swallow, 2 House Martin, Robin, Subalpine Warbler, 2 Garden Warbler, Blackcap & 2 Chiffchaff.

Spotted Flycatcher at Skaw

Female Pied Flycatcher at Skaw

Great Northern Divers at Burrafirth

Male Pied Flycatcher at NorthDale

a very pale-rumped individual

Male Red-backed Shrike at Haroldswick

Subalpine Warbler at Leawart

A different individual to that present at Haroldswick a couple of days ago

2nd June 2021 Unst S3 Haar clearing

Whilst clear at first the haar rolled in and out for most of the morning before clearing into a blue skies warm afternoon and evening. It proved very slow going again and I couldn't find the Subalpine Warbler, but in widening the search, I heard Marsh Warbler singing. I assumed it was singing from a small patch of rosa, but whilst re-positioning myself, I noticed it sat low in a tiny almost leafless elder pretty much in the open and almost facing away from me so immediately saw its greenish upperparts and long primary projection. But almost immediately, whilst turning it's head whilst singing, I saw it almost jump as it saw me and it flew into cover and then remained silent - frustrating! The usual mixed feelings on seeing one, as whilst I love them, they often feel the harbinger of the end of Spring - here's hoping that's not the case!

Millfield: Heron flew west, the male Hawfinch made a visit late afternoon.

Skaw: 2 Swallow, Robin, Willow Warbler & Chiffchaff.

Norwick: Sparrowhawk, Garden Warler, Blackcap & Chiffchaff.

Haroldswick: Marsh Warbler.

1st June 2021 Unst SE3 Clear

It felt a promising wind direction but a visit to Skaw soon dispelled any hopes of much in the way of any new arrivals. The Subalpine Warbler was still present at Haroldswick but no less elusive.

Skaw: Swallow, Robin & Chiffchaff.

Norwick: Sparrowhawk, 8 Swallow, Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Willow Warbler & a Redpoll heard overflying.

Haroldswick: Subalpine Warbler & Hawfinch overflying heading SW.

NorthDale: Swallow & Garden Warbler. 

Prime Subalpine Warbler real estate 

Female Subalpine Warbler at Haroldswick