23rd May 2021 Unst NW2 Overcast clearing

An early visit to Skaw went unrewarded seeing just a Robin there and hearing a Redpoll overhead. Yesterday's news that Al's Bee-eater was lost to sight flying south (rather than north!) at Haroldswick was disappointing but short-lived, as whilst walking past the bus stop at Norwick it flew past me and thankfully landed at Leawart before flying around catching bees between there and the pines below Valyie. We then completed our second visit to our final Breeding Bird Survey square that didn't produce any surprises and virtually a complete lack of passerine migrants. The female Snow Bunting was still present on Lamba Ness. A Shore Lark was found by visitors on Norwick beach that Mike relocated late afternoon that we popped down to see enjoying more views of the Bee-eater feeding furiously from overhead wires this evening.

Bee-eater at Norwick

Snow Bunting at Lamba Ness

Shore Lark at Norwick

22nd May 2021 Unst NW2 Overcast

An early morning start of a new contract surveying moorland breeding birds was interrupted by rain showers so I returned home for a break. That was well-timed as looking out of a window I saw a Diver fly over our house, bank and land on the sea. As it banked I thought I saw some white on the scaps, so I took a look through the scope and there was a beauty of a summer-plumaged Black-throated Diver being the first that I've seen this year. I managed a couple of record shots through the window and braved the rain to get closer frustratingly to never see the Diver again! The rain had eased so I returned to work but headed to Skaw thereafter to take another look at the tan-striped White-throated Sparrow now feeding around a couple of caravans parked there.

Skaw: White-throated Sparrow

Lamba Ness: Snow Bunting

Norwick: Black-throated Diver

Black-throated Diver off Norwick

White-throated Sparrow at Skaw

proving ridiculously tame taking scraps from the caravan owners

20th May 2021 Unst NE3 Overcast

The northerly airflow continues and after checking a couple of sites that proved as quiet as expected, I completed my second Breeding Bird Survey square that provided my surprise of the day being a pair of Snow Buntings.

Holsens road: Carrion Crow

Norwick: 2 White-billed Divers, 3 Great Northern Divers, Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaffs singing & 7 Tree Sparrows.

Pair of Snow Buntings

19th May 2021 Unst N4 Overcast

Having firmly returned to a cold northerly airflow I completed my second visit to my first Breeding Bird Survey square finding my first Wood Sandpiper of the year whilst doing so but predictably it proved very quiet for passerine migrants. It was great to see Graham & Mary Bundy this afternoon as well as some gripping video footage of Bee-eaters, Wheatears and Accentors from Israel, China, and Mongolia and even of a Waxwing in Baltasound! On returning home a scan of the wick and there was the pair of White-billed Divers albeit they were spending much of the time asleep!

Skaw: Wood Sandpiper & Robin.

Norwick: 2 White-billed Divers, 3 Great Northern Divers, Long-eared Owl, Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaffs singing and a Reed Bunting.

Wood Sandpiper at Skaw

Distant pair of White-billed Divers off Norwick

18th May 2021 Unst NW3 Drizzle clearing

A drizzly start to the day with a light northwesterly wind didn't appear to have produced too much during my visits to Skaw and Norwick. It was then something of a surprise that whilst arriving at NorthDale that enjoys a mobile phone signal the pinger went into overdrive with around 8 messages received all informing me that Robbie Brookes had found a White-throated Sparrow feeding on his lawn whilst leaving for a dental appointment! By the time we arrived all of the other birders had left the site but the Sparrow was performing virtually continuously - well done Robbie! I resumed my usual tour of sites that produced a very thin scatter of common migrants but did include my first Long-eared Owl of the year.

Millfield: Swallow.

Skaw: Robin & Willow Warbler.

Norwick: 2 Great Northern Divers, Sparrowhawk, Tree Pipit, 4 Pied Wagtails, Song Thrush, 2 Chiffchaffs, Willow Warbler & Carrion Crow

Baltasound: Whinchat, Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaffs, Willow Warbler, tan-striped White-throated Sparrow

NorthDale: Swallow, Tree Pipit, 2 Robin, Song Thrush, Willow Warbler

Haroldswick: Long-eared Owl, Pied Wagtail, Robin, female Ring Ouzel, 2 Willow Warbler

tan-striped White-throated Sparrow at Ordaal House, Baltasound

Albeit late Spring is a good time to encounter this species in the UK I'd half-anticipated it might be the Barcombe bird but such thoughts were immediately extinguished on seeing that it was a tan-striped individual.

17th May 2021 Unst SE2 Clear

What cloud there was soon cleared into a nice warm day being virtually calm too. A few new arrivals first thing included a Sedge Warbler, a small flock of Tree Sparrows, my first Hawfinch of the year (not before time as it's seemed a good Spring for them across Shetland) and a Siskin. Thereafter it proved more a case of seeing a similar selection of migrants as those seen in recent days although those included my first Lesser Whitethroat of the year.

Millfield: 11 Carrion Crows.

Skaw: 4 Swallows, 3 Robin, 2 Redwing, Song Thrush, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler & Goldcrest.

Holsens road: Whinchat & a singing male Common Whitethroat.

Norwick: 28 Woodpigeon, Swallow, Robin, female Common Redstart, 2 Redwing including one singing, Song Thrush, Sedge Warbler, 4 Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff including one singing, 7 Willow Warbler including a couple singing, 6 Tree Sparrow, Siskin, Brambling & male Hawfinch.

Haroldswick: Swallow, Sand Martin, Song Thrush, 7 Blackcap, Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Willow Warbler & 2 Pied Flycatcher.

Burrafirth: 3 Swallows, White Wagtail & Common Whitethroat

Sedge Warbler at Norwick

Male Hawfinch at Norwick

16th May 2021 Unst NW3 Overcast

Another overcast morning being foggy at first. There seemed a similar selection but rather fewer of lingering migrants during my morning check of sites but a few surprises with a Woodcock flushed at Valyie, a Short-eared Owl seen flying west over Norwick just prior to the thick fog clearing and refinding the male Red-backed Shrike now at Leawart. Whilst gardening this afternoon a ringtail Hen Harrier flew northeast, the Common Buzzard flew high east out to sea only to return low southwest a few minutes later, 2 Peregrines and an unexpected movement of Corvids all flying northeast with several flocks seen flying out to sea. 

Millfield: ringtail Hen Harrier, Common Buzzard, 3 Sparrowhawks, 2 Peregrines together, 3 Swallows, Willow Warbler, Pied Flycatcher, 6 Jackdaws (2,3,1 all with flocks of Carrion Crows), 27 Carrion Crows (plus 91 probable Carrion Crows but too distant to be absolutely sure).

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

Holsens road: Sparrowhawk, Common Redstart, 3 Fieldfare & Willow Warbler.

Norwick: Pinkfoot (flew northeast), Woodcock, Short-eared Owl, 3 Robin, 2 Tree Pipit, 5 Song Thrush, Redwing, 2 Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Willow Warbler, Goldcrest, male Red-backed Shrike & Brambling.

Sotland & Burrafirth: 3 Swallows, Whinchat, Chiffchaff & Willow Warbler.

Haroldswick: 2 Swallow, White Wagtail & Tree Pipit.

Woodcock at Valyie

Short-eared Owl at Norwick in the fog!

Male Red-backed Shrike at Leawart

Pied Flycatcher at Millfield

ringtail Hen Harrier over Millfield

Carrion Crows on the move over Millfield

I saw flocks of 6, 10 & 11 and flocks of 'probables' of 16, 14, 44, 4, 11 & 2.