Shetland 2nd October, last day.

Our last day on the Island started well with 3 Yellow-browed Warblers in the garden, the species dominated every bit of cover in the south of the island throughout the day. Before our flight at 4pm we managed to catch up with the Alpine Swift which has been around a few days and a fresh in Izzy Shrike. A great trip with many good birds, highlights being - Black-headed Bunting, Olive-backed Pipit and Lesser Grey Shrike.

Alpine Swift.

Izzy Shrike

Friday 30th - Sat 1st

Birding today was fantastic, a stark contrast to yesterday which was hard work, the Red-backed Shrike pictured below being the highlight. There was an obvious fall over night with lots of Redwings all over the place and a great start in the garden with - Pied Flycatcher (1), Redstart (1), Yellow-browed Warbler and best of all was a Wood Warbler. The rest of the day we spent birding the south with over 20 Yellow-browed Warblers (below) recorded as well as Barred Warbler (1), Common Rosefinch (1), Lesser Whitethroat (1) and a single Sedge Warbler. We fly home tomorrow evening just as things are starting to get good but with 2 Olive-backed Pipit's (below) on the mainland, who knows what tomorrow may bring! Click on any of the images to see an enlarged version.

Above 3 Images, Olive-backed Pipit, Quendale.

Above 2 images, Red-backed Shrike, Grutness.

Pallid Harrier, Quendale

Yellow-browed Warbler, Sumburgh hotel garden. (1 of 5 present)

Above 2 images, Wheatear, Sumburgh hotel garden.

Wednesday 28th and Thursday 29th

Well the birding is hard work, what else can I say but with the wind having an element of S.E in it tonight, who knows what tomorrow might bring. On Wednesday we ventured over to Foula in an attempt to see the Yellow-breasted Bunting, we failed! We also failed to locate the elusive Buff-bellied Pipit, which un-like the Bunting, still remained on the island. The best we could do was 1 Redstart, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Short-eared Owl and 2 Tree Pipit, one of which is pictured below.

Today we started on Unst and managed to see the Black-headed Bunting that was found yesterday, we got superb views but I only managed the record shot below. We birded the island for a further hour or so and caught up with the Northwick Bluethroat as well as a Lapland Bunting and a Yellow-browed Warbler. We stopped in at Busta House between dipping an Alpine Swift and a Surf Scoter, recording 5 Blackcap and a Chiffy, like a said hard work! Tomorrow we will be taking part in an organised search for a Great Snipe, fingers crossed!

Black-headed Bunting

Tree Pipit

Goldcrest

Gannet

27th September

A bit of a late start today because last night we were watching the Northern Lights until 02.30! What an amazing experience, my words will never be able to describe just how superb this natural display really is, but the pictures below may help! We began the day birding at Voe where a Yellow-browed Warbler and a Blackcap were all that was present. The rest of the day was spent birding Whalsay, it was very quiet with 4 Blackcap's, 1 Grasshopper Warbler (had the heart racing for a second!), 1 Little Bunting (below) and a single Ruff being the only birds of note. Tomorrow we are going to try and charter a flight on to Foula to see the Yellow-breasted Bunting, fingers crossed!

Above 4 images - Little Bunting, Whalsay.

Above 3 images, Northern Lights.

Shetland 23rd - 26th September

A quick update from Shetland so far, me and Dan will be birding the island until the evening of Sunday 2nd of October. We wasted the first two days on the island in a windswept estate looking for a Swainson's Thrush, which needless to say we didn't see. Anyway yesterday we birded the island much more extensively mainly in the North West, best finds were 2 Yellow-browed Warblers (pic below) and a Coues's Arctic Redpoll (see below). The bird lacked any tramlines, had a very small bill, an un-streaked all white rumped, feathered tarsus, a tiny single pencil line on the undertail coverts and just an overall pale appearance. We also managed to catch up with Pierre's Lesser Grey Shrike at Laxo.

Today we again birded extensively mainly in the North East with Pierre, we visit lots of gardens and Iris beds and recorded the following of note - Pied Flycatcher (1), Yellow-browed Warbler (2), Redstart (1), Garden Warbler (6) and best of all the 1st winter Red-breasted Flycatcher pictured below. Some other general pictures below from around the island, click on any of the below images to view an enlarged version.

Above 4 images, Red-breasted Flycatcher. Eswick, North House.

Above 3 images - Coues's Arctic Redpoll. North West Mainland.

Above 2 images - Lesser Grey Shrike. Laxo.

Yellow-browed Warbler

Black Guillemot

Bonxie

Eider

Garden Warbler

Post Fair Isle Update.

The above picture was taken shortly before we departed Fair Isle on the last day of our successful and enjoyable 2010 Shetland tour. However, the smiles were short lived, not due to the tour i might add, but more that usual suspect - Mr Sod and his Shetland law!! Within 20 minutes of touching down at Sumburgh airport, news filtered through to us of a Lanceolated Warbler on Fair Isle!! (the groups main target of the tour). As if to add insult to injury 3 further Locustella's had been found on the Fair Isle warden's morning census - at least one of which was thought to be a Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler!!

A frantic half hour or so ensued as we assessed the viability of going back to Fair Isle, eventually we decided to grit our teeth and enjoy the remainder of the day on Shetland mainland before the ferry to Aberdeen later that evening. Our despair was slightly lifted by the superb views of both Radde's and Booted Warbler we managed to achieve, however there was another twist in the story! Having boarded the boat an hour early to enjoy some food news came through of a Swainson's Thrush which had been found just up the road but with the hire car keys given back, it would unfortunately be another one which has to be put into the category - "dipped on Shetland!"

The tour did manage some excellent scarce/rare migrants and vagrants during the trip so we didn't dwell on the few we missed. Trip Highlights included - Arctic Redpoll, Melodious Warbler, White's Thrush, Buff-bellied Pipit, Red-flanked Bluetail, Booted Warbler, Radde's Warbler, Bluethroat, Red-breasted Flycatcher and many Yellow-browed Warblers, Barred Warblers, Common Rosefinch and the sheer numbers of common migrants such as Pied Flycatcher.

Since returning from the trip I have remained in the UK in the hope of completing my goal of seeing 300 species in the UK this year. On the 6th of October i made the trip North to Hartlepool where i was rewarded with superb views of a juvenile Woodchat Shrike. Yesterday (11th October) found me heading down to Seaton in Devon to see the Solitary Sandpiper pictured below, a beautiful vagrant which showed very well within the vicinity of 3 Green Sandpiper, excellent for comparison. My current total for 2010 stands at 294 so I have 6 to see before the 20th when I plan to return to Spain.

Above 3 Images - Solitary Sandpiper - Seaton, Devon

Fair Isle - Day 5

Another day of quantity rather than quality. Morning birding was much better than the afternoon, as strengthening winds and lashing rain made birding nigh on impossible. The group still managed to see some interesting species during the day though, non less so than this Bluethroat which was trapped during the morning:

Bluethroat

During the afternoon the group headed up to the north end of the island, where many tired migrants were sheltering from the gale force winds battering the south-east of the island. Although the wind was still strong, good numbers of migrants were taking advantage of the relative shelter at the top end of the island. All in all, the group recorded:

Song Thrush - 157, Blackcap - 3, Robin - 4, Goldcrest - 8, Chaffinch - 35, Redwing - 42, Siskin - 124, Jack Snipe - 4, Skylark - 84, Reed Bunting - 6, Snipe - 11, Golden Plover - 7, Buff-breasted Sandpiper - 1juv, Pied Wagtail - 2, White Wagtail - 1, Whinchat - 3, Lapwing - 4, Little Bunting - 1, Yellow-browed Warbler - 2, Willow Warbler - 2, Fieldfare - 2, Wheatear - 5, Redstart - 1, Pied Flycatcher - 1, Swallow - 4, Brambling - 197, Lesser Whitethroat - 1, Chiffchaff -3, Hen Harrier - 1juv, Woodcock - 1, Ring Ousel - 7, Snow Bunting - 26, Long-tailed Duck - 1, Arctic Redpoll - 1.


Hopefully with winds dropping tomorrow we will be able to get off the island tomorrow as our aeroplane was cancelled this afternoon. If not I'm sure the group will find plenty to do and as many of the team keep reminding me - "there's plenty of worse places to be stranded in October!"

Fair Isle - Day 4

The morning dawned grey and overvcast with the rain still falling, however perhaps more importantly the wind had dropped to no more than a gentle breeze. As the group enjoyed a superb cooked breakfast, news filtered in of a 1st-winter male Ring Ouzel which had been trapped by one of the assistant wardens and was being brought back to the observatory for ringing. After the bird had been processed, it was shown to all birders present, allowing some excellent views of this scarce migrant.

Ring Ousel

Following breakfast the rain had eased off somewhat, and the group headed out optimistic of potentially encoutering some of the more interesting species possible on the island at this time of year. There was clear evidence of new migrants, filtering through these over the course of the day produced the following:
Buff-breasted Sandpiper (1)
Common Rosefinch (2)
Merlin (1)
Blackcap (5)
Willow Warbler (4)
Hen Harrier (1 juv)
Greenshank (1)
Ring Ouzel (1)
Whinchat (4)
Sparrowhawk (1)
Little Bunting (1)
Jack Snipe (5)
Goldcrest (6)
Lesser Whitethroat (3)
Barred Warbler (1)
Brambling (120+)
Peregrine (1)
Short-eared Owl (2)
Wheatear (4)
Swift (1)
Swallow (5)
Spotted Flycatcher (2)
Siskin (45)
Mandarin (1, first for Fair Isle!)
Yellow-browed Warbler (3)
Redstart (2)
Sedge Warbler (2)

Lapland Bunting

Common Rosefinch

Little Bunting

The most interesting moment of the day occured when a call on the radio told the group that the 'Wood Duck' seen briefly twice the previous day had been seen again in the gully near the observatory. All birders on the island were rounded up and gathered above the gully, creeping slowly forward in the hope that the bird would not be disturbed. Indeed it wasn't, and this allowed everyone present to get good views of the bird, only to reveal it was a female Mandarin Duck! As disappointed as many of the birders present may have been, this bird actually represents the first record for Fair Isle in nearly a century of recording.

Mandarin Duck

Other birds on the island today which the group did not manage to catch up with included, Hawfinch, Arctic Redpoll, Great Grey Shrike, Olive-backed Pipit and a Red-throated Pipit which the group heard but did not see! With lots of birds dropping in to the island in the late afternoon, we will be trying hard to find some more good migrants tomorrow.

Fair Isle - Day 3

The day dawned to the sound of the wind howling round the roof of the obs, and clear evidence of overnight rain. With spirits dampened a little by the liklihood that the very strong SE wind would make most birds difficult to observe, we headed out after breakfast consoling ourselves with the fact that at least it was from the right direction and the rain may have forced a few tired migrants to make landfall.

Birding was very hard, with most birds choosing to keep very low in what little vegetation there is on the island, but despite the driving afternoon rain, the group worked hard to find what birds might be on the island, and recorded the following:

Corncrake (1)
Ring Ouzel (4)
Barred Warbler (2)
Common Rosefinch (1)
Buff-breasted Sandpiper (1 juv)
Redstart (1)
Wheatear (5)
Lapland Bunting (100+)
Sooty Shearwater (1)
Arctic Skua (1)
Long-tailed Duck (2)
Purple Sandpiper (2)
Whinchat (4)
Barnacle Goose (25)
White Wagtail (1)
Jack Snipe (3)
Pied Flycatcher (1)
Brambling (120)
Greenshank (1)
Curlew Sandpiper (1)
Hen Harrier (1)

Whinchat

Evidence of new birds was certainly clear, and also seen on the island was a Little Bunting, the -Buff-belled Pipit, and a controversial juv Wood Duck. Hopefully the wind will drop a little for tomorrow and the birding will become a litte easier, though the forecast may suggest otherwise!

Fair Isle - Day 2

The day started very early, in fact before dawn, as I and another group member made our way down to some of the favoured areas for migrants before the sun had fully risen. The wind was strong and from the east, and it was clear a lot of birds had left during the night, although a deluge of Redwings gave us hope for something new. We managed 2 hours birding before breakfast, and recorded a good selection of species given the short time scale, these included: Yellow-browed Warbler (5), Pied Flycatcher (2), Whinchat (2), Golden Plover (9), Jack Snipe (1), and many Lapland Buntings.

Buff-breasted Sandpiper

We returned to the obs to meet up with the other two members of the group, who had spent the morning following the wardens as they did their daily rounds of the bird traps situated at various points near the observatory. Unfortunately there had been very little, with only one Song Thrush trapped, but this early morning option can often provide a rare opportunity to examine birds in detail at close range. Following breakfast the team again split up in to two pairs, one heading north and one heading south. Shortly after leaving the building, we found the Buff-breasted Sandpiper while scanning the fields in the centre of the island, feeding with a small flock of Golden Plovers. Fortunately the flock were fairly close to the roadside, and we enjoyed superb views of this charismatic trans-atlantic vagrant.

Buff-breasted Sandpiper

Buff-breasted Sandpiper

The rest of the day was spent covering the whole of the island, and despite the near gale force winds meaning most birds chose to lie low, the group still recorded good numbers of common migrants with some more interesting bits thrown in. These included:

Hen Harrier (2)

Red-breasted Flycatcher (2)

Barred Warbler (1)

Yellow-browed Warbler (2)

Long-eared Owl (1)

Brambling (80)

Whinchat (5)

Ring Ouzel (6)

Lesser Whitethroat (1)

Pied Flycatcher (10)

Redstart (4)

Spotted Flycatcher (1)

Jack Snipe (1)

All in all a good days birding, and the whole group returned to the observatory weary but satisfied, if not a little hungry for the fantastic observatory food.