7th October 2014 Out Skerries SE7 Overcast

After a noisy night of easterly gales and rain it dawned very windy but dry and remained so all day as the wind abated. A good start as a Grey-headed Wagtail was present on our lawn before relocating to Edwin's lawn. The East Isle circuit then produced further surprises in the form of a Common Sandpiper at the end of the horseshoe bay and a male Ring Ouzel on the northeastern point where a blue Fulmar was seen flying east. There had been a noticeable increase in Turnstone consorting with Purple Sandpipers and a couple of Dunlin. The Tufted Duck had overnighted on the pool and we met Chris and Mike who were watching a female Common Scoter in the harbour. We then found another presumed Blyth's Lesser Whitethroat along the walls at the Rocklea crop where a White Wagtail was on the lawn. We again met Chris and Mike who had just located a Little Bunting at Magnus's beach that we quickly saw. A Woodcock was then flushed from the iris beds and a Swallow was at Richard's croft. A total of 18 Herons were seen in flight over West Voe and a walk to Mioness accounted for most of the 15 Jack Snipe flushed today. The wall was alive with Song Thrushes and Redwings and there were a few Reed Buntings, Bramblings and Goldcrests and 2 Yellowhammers. A Ruff was accompanying 3 Dunlin near the geo and there were another 2 Common Sandpipers along the shore. There was a mixed flock of Greylags and Pinkfeet on the point. The walk back produced a Goldfinch at Richard's croft, 4 Wood Pigeons at Rocklea and a final walk around the harbour produced one last surprise in the form of a Scaup. A very enjoyable day's birding.

 

Pink-footed Goose 40

Greylag Goose 8

Teal 6

Tufted Duck 1

Scaup 1

Scoter 1

Red-breasted Merganser 1

blue Fulmar 1 east

Cormorant 7

Grey Heron 18+

Kestrel 1

Ringed Plover 6

Golden Plover 40

Lapwing 2

Purple Sandpiper 4

Dunlin 5

Ruff 1

Jack Snipe 15

Snipe 12

Woodcock 1

Common Sandpiper 3

Turnstone 40

Wood Pigeon 4

Goldcrest 3

Skylark 15

Swallow 1+

Chiffchaff 1

Blackcap 5

Blyth's Lesser Whitethroat 1

Wren 2

Ring Ouzel 1 male

Blackbird 12

Fieldfare 1

Song Thrush 250+

Redwing 150+

Robin 5

Whinchat 3

Wheatear 15

Dunnock 1

Grey-headed Wagtail 1

White Wagtail 1

Meadow Pipit 75

Chaffinch 2

Brambling 50

Goldfinch 1

Siskin 3

Yellowhammer 2

Little Bunting 1

Reed Bunting 12

 





 



 

Grey-headed Wagtail on Out Skerries

 

View looking towards the marsh from East Isle hill

 

 

 

Blyth's Lesser Whitethroat at Rocklea

A very short-winged individual. Brown crown and upperparts, sullied underparts, wholly white outer tail feathers.

Little Bunting at Magnus's beach

 

Jack Snipes on Out Skerries

Yellowhammer along the Long Wall

Ruff on Mioness

Pinkfeet over Mioness

 

Song Thrush near Mioness

 

the Long Wall on Out Skerries

 Goldcrest along the Long Wall

 

the walk back from the Long Wall

Wood Pigeon at Rocklea

Siskins on Out Skerries

Whinchat at the pool on Out Skerries

Scaup in the harbour on Out Skerries

6th October 2014 Out Skerries SE9 Rain

The winds turn southeast but they are so strong it's hard to stand up at times! Got the 90 minute early morning walk in before any rain arrived and there were 30 Pinkfeet on the airstrip and a dozen Greylags on the hill and a count of 105 Eider were sheltering from the worst of the wind and 2 Snow Buntings flew past but just a handful of Song Thrushes were seen. It then started raining quite heavily at times and birds began to arrive with good numbers of both Song Thrushes and Redwings suddenly everywhere and the odd Blackbirds being the first that have felt true migrants, a few small flocks of Brambling and with smaller numbers of Goldcrests and Blackcaps. A Common Stonechat found at the pool was the first we've seen and somewhat frustrating as at about the same time a Siberian Stonechat was found at Skaw on Whalsay being the closest land to Out Skerries! A Tufted Duck was then a surprise sheltering in the harbour before quickly relocating to the pool. The third surprise quickly followed as a male Yellowhammer was seen at Rocklea with presumably the same individual later seen at the pool. Met the others late afternoon and they had found a Melodious Warbler in the North Hill geo but it was too late to attempt to get out there. More frustration then came in the form of flushing two Long- or Short-eared Owls that due to the buffeting winds and rain-soaked optics escaped all too quickly before any critical detail could be seen. Storm force 10 southeasterly winds are forecast for tonight...

 

Pink-footed Goose 30

Greylag Goose 12

Tufted Duck 1

Eider 105

Heron 10

Water Rail h

Ringed Plover 6

Golden Plover 40

Lapwing 2

Dunlin 2

Jack Snipe 3

Snipe 5

Turnstone 12

Black-headed Gull 2

Arctic Tern 2

Long- / Short-eared Owl 2

Goldcrest 5

Skylark 5

Blackcap 6

Blackbird 5

Song Thrush 100

Redwing 100

Robin 2

Stonechat 1

Wheatear 10

Dunnock 1

White Wagtail 1

Meadow Pipit 30

Chaffinch 2

Brambling 25

Siskin 1

Snow Bunting 2

Yellowhammer 1 male

Reed Bunting 4

 

Pinkfeet inadvertently flushed from the airstrip

but they didn't go far

grounded Greylags on the same hillside

pleased not to be on the early morning ferry

unfortunately nothing Siberian about this Stonechat

Tufted Duck sheltering in the harbour

the afternoon ferry looked no more inviting!

Male Yellowhammer on Out Skerries

Stormy harbour viewed from the bridge



5th October 2014 Out Skerries S5 Clear

A dry day but with a strong southerly wind that strengthened as the day progressed. The usual early morning circuit around the East Isle produced a Grey Wagtail that flew across the harbour near Edwin's house, the Greenland Redpoll was still present at the northeast point but better was a Yellow-browed Warbler found feeding on the cliffs of the larger of the two geos. The juvenile Icelandic Black-tailed Godwit was still present in the vicinity of the pool where a Kestrel was unfortunately found dead. Migrants were again at a premium although a smart male Redstart was seen on the walk to the Marsh where there were a couple of very heavily streaked Redwings. The oddity of the day then came in the form of a Stock Dove seen flying in off the sea being a very scarce migrant in Shetland! A walk around the North Hill produced a few Song Thrushes and a couple of skeins of Pinkfeet and a few Greylags flew south.

Pink-footed Goose c.50 south
Greylag Goose 4 S
Red-breasted Merganser 1
Grey Heron 8
Kestrel 1 found dead
Ringed Plover 2
Golden Plover 40
Purple Sandpiper 1
Snipe 6
Icelandic Black-tailed Godwit 1
Turnstone 8
Black-headed Gull 4
Stock Dove 1
Skylark 5
Yellow-browed Warbler 1
Willow Warbler 1
Blackcap 5
Song Thrush 12
Redwing 2
Redstart 1 male
Whinchat 1
Wheatear 15
Dunnock 1
Grey Wagtail 1
Meadow Pipit 25
Chaffinch 1
Brambling 8
Greenland Redpoll 1
Reed Bunting 6

Rock Pipit at the harbour

 

 

the old croft at Davey's plot

Willow Warbler in George's garden

 

Point beyond the marsh

 

Stock Dove in off the sea near the marsh

 

 

 

Summit of the North Hill

 

Wheatear in the North Hill geo

Red-breasted Merganser taking shelter in the harbour