19th April 2019 Unst S2 Clear

A day of very nice weather ideal for fieldwork. In addition I covered Skaw, Norwick and North Dale and quickly checked a couple of sites whilst visiting the shop in Baltasound. The highlights were my first 3 returning Whimbrel of the year and a female Hawfinch in our garden. Totals of other migrants today were 3 Shoveler being the first I've seen this year, a Sparrowhawk, an adult Moorhen in the burn at Skaw, a Long-eared Owl, a Collared Dove, 2 Sand Martins, 7 Swallows, a Redwing, 6 Wheatears, 18 Robins, a Dunnock, 2 Pied Wagtails, 34 Chiffchaffs, a Siskin, 10 Bramblings and 2 Chaffinches.

Female Hawfinch at Millfield

It's always fun seeing birds out of context - here's a Hawfinch sat on the windscreen wipers of my car!

Female Sparrowhawk at Norwick

Whimbrel

Drake Shoveler at Baltasound

The trio of Shoveler were first seen by Brydon on the 17th.

18th April 2019 Unst S3 Clear

I covered Skaw, Lamba Ness, Norwick, North Dale and Haroldswick. Bird of the day was an obliging first-summer female Great Grey Shrike at North Dale first seen at knee height in hot pursuit of a Robin, then a Brambling, before taking a Northern White-tailed Bumblebee! Otherwise there was a very similar selection and numbers of migrants as yesterday seeing a Sparrowhawk, my first Kestrel of the year, a Long-eared Owl, 2 Woodpigeons, 3 Swallows, 5 Pied Wagtails, 1 White Wagtail, 5 Wheatears, 25 Robins, 3 Dunnocks, 2 Scandinavian Redwings, 3 Blackcaps, 13 Chiffchaffs, 2 Willow Warblers, 5 Goldcrests, 2 Siskins, 4 Brambling and 6 Chaffinches.

Female White Wagtail at Millfield

Female Sparrowhawk at Norwick

Female Kestrel at Norwick

Long-eared Owl at Norwick

Goldcrest at Haroldswick

First-summer female Great Grey Shrike at North Dale

The white tips to its greater-coverts age it as a first-summer and the grey on its lores sex it as a female.

17th April 2019 Unst SE4 Clear

I had time to cover Skaw, Lamba Ness, Norwick and Burrafirth with it proving the best day this Spring so far for the quantity of migrants seen. Totals were 3 Long-eared Owls, 2 Woodpigeons, a Sand Martin, 7 Swallows, 5 Song Thrushes, 2 Redwings, 20 Wheatears, 5 Pied Wagtails, a White Wagtail, 22 Robins, 2 Dunnocks, 2 Blackcaps, 15 Chiffchaffs, 4 Willow Warblers, 2 Goldcrests, my first 2 Linnets of the year, 2 Siskins, 9 Bramblings and 2 Chaffinches.  

Sand Martin greeting my arrival at Skaw

Female White Wagtail at Norwick

Chiffchaff at Norwick

Plenty of variation shown by the Chiffchaffs seen today. This one appeared to be pollen-encrusted.

16th April 2019 Unst SE5 Clear

A little windier than ideal but another day of clear blue skies. There were 3 Brambling and a Chaffinch on our feeders. A walk around Norwick produced 4 Long-eared Owls, a Wheatear, my first Willow Warbler of the year, 2 Chiffchaffs, a Goldcrest and 2 Siskins. A late afternoon visit to the shop coincided nicely with Robbie watching a Sand Martin and 2 Swallows feeding along the edge of the sound and a quick check of a few more sites around Baltasound added a Jack Snipe feeding in the open and a male Hawfinch.

Willow Warbler at Norwick

my previous earliest date being 29/4 since living on Shetland

Sand Martin at Baltasound

my first April Sand Martin since living on Unst

Swallow at Baltasound

Jack Snipe at Baltasound

15th April 2019 Unst SE4 Occasional light rain

Spent until 8am searching Valyie but there was no sign of the Tengmalm's Owl. Skaw produced a Grey Wagtail and a Song Thrush. There was just a single Brambling present at Millfield with a walk around Norwick producing a Sparrowhawk, a Long-eared Owl, 2 Robins, 5 Chiffchaffs, a Goldcrest, 5 Brambling, a female Siskin and a frustratingly brief encounter with an interesting-looking Redpoll. A look around Haroldswick and North Dale added the Tundra Bean Goose, a hybrid Canada Goose and 3 Long-eared Owls.

Long-eared Owl at Norwick

Male Redpoll sp. at Norwick

A very wary flighty individual that we failed to see well enough to determine any critical detail

Canada Goose hybrid at Haroldswick

Barnacle Goose has been suggested as its other likely parent

14th April 2019 Unst SE2 Clear

Another clear morning without a cloud in the sky combined with a southeasterly breeze. The Robin and at least 7 Bramblings were still in our garden. A walk of the headland at Skaw produced a Sparrowhawk and a Pied Wagtail and Lamba Ness added 2 Song Thrushes. A walk to Norwick was proving quiet with 3 Woodpigeons, a Dunnock, 3 Robins, 3 Chiffchaffs, 2 Goldcrests, a Chaffinch and 5 Bramblings seen but whilst walking the ravine at Valyie I came face to face with this little beauty...

Tengmalm's Owl at Valyie

https://vimeo.com/330614526

The third record for Unst. A female was obtained on 4th January 1908 and one was caught in a barn in the north end of Unst on 23rd January 1912 being kept alive until the 19th February 1912. In addition, Saxby reported seeing the species several times at Halligarth prior to 1871.

13th April 2019 Unst SE3 Scattered clouds

After completing my final Black Guillemot count I concentrated on visiting sites in northeast Unst including Skaw, Lamba Ness, Norwick, North Dale, Haroldswick and Burrafirth seeing a Great Northern Diver, 2 female Sparrowhawk together, 3 Long-eared Owls, a Woodcock, my first Collared Dove of the year on Unst, 3 Woodpigeons including one display-flighting, a Grey Wagtail, a Dunnock, 4 Wheatear including two in song, 9 Robins, 4 Scandinavian Redwings, 8 Song Thrush, 7 Chiffchaffs, 1 Goldcrest, my first 2 Siskins of the year, 20 Brambling, 9 Chaffinches and a Greenfinch.

Long-eared Owl at Norwick

Male Siskin at Norwick

Bramblings, Greenfinch and House Sparrow at Millfield

Scandinavian Redwing at Haroldswick

Collared Dove at Norwick