1st September 2026 Unst SW4 Overcast

Norwick: Lesser Whitethroat.

Uyeasound: 2 Goldeneye.

31st August 2026 Unst SE3 Clear

A few lingering migrants were still present at sites that we visited in north Unst but the highlight of the day was Mike kindly showing us a Great Brocade that he'd trapped overnight in Baltasound.

Skaw: Black-tailed Godwit, 28 juvenile Sanderling, Lesser Whitethroat & 2 Willow Warbler.

Norwick: juvenile Merlin, 8 Snipe, 8 juvenile Sanderling, 5 Swallow,  4 Pied Wagtail, White Wagtail, Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Willow Warbler & 1cy Pied Flycatcher.

Haroldswick: Pied Flycatcher.

Baltasound: Chiffchaff.

Juvenile Black-tailed Godwit at Skaw

Great Brocade

30th August 2026 Unst NE3 Overcast

A cooler morning feeling distinctly autumnal.

Skaw: Garden Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Chiffchaff & Willow Warbler.

Norwick: 4 Knot, 11 Sanderling (10 juv. & 1 ad), 6 Swallows, 6 Pied Wagtails, 1cy Stonechat, 2 Pied Flycatchers, Garden Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Chiffchaff & 8 Willow Warblers.

NorthDale: Garden Warbler & 2 Willow Warblers.

Burrafirth: 3 Snipe, Knot, Garden Warbler, Chiffchaff & 2 Willow Warblers.

Haroldswick: Whinchat & Pied Flycatcher.

Pied Flycatcher and Willow Warbler at Norwick

1cy Pied Flycatcher at Norwick

Pied Flycatcher at Haroldswick

Whinchat at Haroldswick

29th August 2026 Unst N4 Overcast

After a few days of promising easterlies there was switch to a northerly airflow. On climbing the hill to Valyie I heard a Hooded Crow alarming from behind me, so I spun around to take a look just in case it was in pursuit of a Pallid Harrier... and it was!! A superb, tiny, juvenile male.

Norwick: 4 Knot, 10 juvenile Sanderling, juvenile male Pallid Harrier, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Pied Flycatcher, Blackcap & 7 Willow Warblers.

Skaw: Snipe, 2 Garden Warblers & 2 Willow Warblers.

1cy male Pallid Harrier at Norwick

Mike P has kindly informed me that it is the seventh Pallid Harrier for Unst with 2 recorded in 2003, 1 in 2011, 2 together in 2015 and 1 in 2025.

28th August 2026 Unst SE1 Clear

Skaw: Merlin, Garden Warbler, Chiffchaff & 2 Willow Warbler.

Norwick: Kestrel, Knot, 6 Swallows, Garden Warbler, 8 Willow Warblers & Siskin.

NorthDale: Garden Warbler & 2 Willow Warblers.

Mike ran a moth trap in our garden overnight and a few migrants were caught being a Dark Spectacle (Mike trapped another in Baltasound overnight being the first records for Unst), a worn Small Mottled Willow, a Turnip Moth (both second records for Unst), a The Crescent, a Bright-line Brown-Eye and 30 Setaceous Hebrew Character.

Dark Spectacle at Norwick

27th August 2026 Unst SE3 Partly overcast

Skaw: 3 Garden Warblers, Chiffchaff & Willow Warbler.

Norwick: 3 Snipe, 3 Knot, 2 juvenile Sanderling, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 6 Swallows, 8 Pied Wagtails, Barred Warbler, 3 Garden Warbler, 3 Chiffchaff, 8 Willow Warbler, adult Pied Flycatcher & 6 Siskin.

Burrafirth: 2 Willow Warblers.

Adult Pied Flycatcher at Norwick

26th August 2026 Unst SE1 Overcast clearing

Skaw: Merlin, 2 Snipe, 3 Ruff, 12 juvenile Sanderling, 6 Swallows, Pied Wagtail, Barred Warbler, Garden Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat & 3 Willow Warblers

Norwick: 2 Knot, 2 juvenile Sanderling, juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Barred Warbler & 4 Willow Warblers.

Juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker at Norwick

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