20th June 2021 Unst ESE2 Partly cloudy

It was southeasterly winds that brought our Rosy Starlings so perhaps it should not have been surprising that with the winds switching to the east overnight they would move on - there was no sign of them all day. The albino Great Northern Diver was still off Norwick spending most of its time close to the southern cliffs of Lamba Ness.

19th June 2021 Unst NE2 Partly cloudy

The 2 Rosy Starlings were still present in our garden but there was no sign of the Common Crossbill. The albino Great Northern Diver resurfaced off Norwick and there was a Song Thrush and Blackcap at Skaw. It was good to spend the evening out with Matt and what better way than climbing the Heogs and enjoying more views of the female Snowy Owl.

Matt at Millfield

Matt commencing the most-memorable day of his visit to Shetland so far...!

Otter enjoying the warm sunshine

Song Thrush at Skaw

Male Wheatear at Millfield

Female Snowy Owl on the Heogs

18th June 2021 Unst NW3 Clear

 ... the day wasn't quite over as Mike stumbled across a female Snowy Owl whilst conducting his Whimbrel surveys. So, watch the football or search for a Snowy on a beautiful sunny evening... no contest, and fortunately we were the ones that scored!

Snowy Owl on the Heogs

18th June 2021 Unst W5 Partly cloudy clearing

Bright and breezy for much of the day. The 2 Rosy Starlings and the Common Crossbill spent another day in our garden. Skaw produced my first 3 Common Swifts of the year and a walk around Norwick added 2 Swallows, the singing Marsh Warbler and a Garden Warbler.

Rosy Starlings at Millfield

Marsh Warbler at Valyie

Puffin

17th June 2021 Unst W3 Clear

A bright, clear and virtually calm morning. The Rosy Starling and Common Crossbill were still present in our garden early this morning. Skaw was playing host to an unseasonable Robin but with no migrants evident I decided to walk the headland where I was rewarded with another Rosy Starling accompanying a small flock of Starlings. Valyie was still playing host to the singing Marsh Warbler but otherwise seemed quieter in recent days. At Haroldswick there were 4 Sandwich Terns today. On returning home it was no surprise when a Rosy Starling flew from our feeders but then a considerable surprise when it was followed by another with both then remaining in our garden on and off for the rest of the day. Brenda had been watching 3 Collared Doves feeding in our garden that were also still present and a Swallow was buzzing around. I met up with Mark Holling and revisited Valyie where we heard the Icterine Warbler singing on a couple of occasions in an hour spent there.

Robin at Skaw

Rosy Starling at Skaw

Marsh Warbler at Valyie

It was nice to watch this today with Mark Holling being one of the authors of the May BB paper 'The recent history of breeding Marsh Warblers in Britain'.

Rosy Starlings at Millfield

Sandwich Tern at Haroldswick

I received a very prompt reply from Steve Dodd to say 'We ringed 124 on 18/6/19 at Cemlyn, Anglesey as chicks. This is the first year they are back in N Europe. One has been seen at Cemlyn, one in Holland, and one on the Loire coast of France, though none are breeding.'

16th June 2021 Unst SW3 Overcast

There was a nice feel to the early morning being calm and overcast but all too soon the cloud cleared and the wind increased. Our garden was still playing host to both the Rosy Starling and Common Crossbill. The albino Great Northern Diver was again off Skaw, 7 Sanderling were on the beach, a Redwing and there was a Grey Wagtail near the mouth of the burn. Whilst driving past Haroldswick beach I heard the raucous call of a Sandwich Tern and was pleased to see there were two present - the first time I've seen more than one on Unst! A walk around Norwick produced 2 Great Northern Divers, the singing Icterine Warbler, a Marsh Warbler, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Chiffchaff and the Red-backed Shrike.

Grey Wagtail at Skaw

Sanderling at Skaw

Sandwich Terns at Haroldswick

One bearing an orange leg flag presumably ringed in Wales

Female Red-backed Shrike at Norwick

15th June 2021 Unst NW3 Overcast

The Rosy Starling and Common Crossbill (sound recording here) remain in our garden. Otherwise just time for a quick walk around Norwick seeing 2 Great Northern Divers, a drake Teal, 2 Collared Doves, a Blackcap, the singing Marsh Warbler, a Chiffchaff and a nice surprise female Red-backed Shrike.

Female Red-backed Shrike at Norwick

Marsh Warbler at Valyie