Bluethroat, Gulberwick 15th October 2015

Photo courtesy Paul Wilson

Since I'd failed to see any Bluethroats on the trip so far, news of one at Gulberwick had me heading over there. Following the instructions, I was looking for a phone box! Having spotted the target, as I pulled in to park by the Kirk, another car was just pulling out. Of course, they were birders. Very kindly, they waited for me to park & get out of the car, then informed me the bird had been chased by a Robin out of the garden it had been giving good views in & they'd lost it in the garden about 50yds back down the hill towards the Kirk.

I wandered up to the original garden & no sign, so I strolled back to the other garden. As I came round the back at the southerly edge of the garden I saw a movement in the undergrowth. The Bluethroat was very close, at times too close to focus on. I followed it round, edging ahead & gained cracking views when it hopped out into the open onto the lawn for several minutes.

A crew from Manchester arrived & also had good views. One of them managed to pick out a Great Grey Shrike, which had been in the area, characteristically perched atop trees some distance away, my third of the trip after birds at Quendale & Swinister.

Photo courtesy Paul Wilson

Friday was my final day on Shetland & I spent it locally around Hoswick, Swinister & Leebitten, At the last location I found a Tree Sparrow in the House Sparrow flock.

I booked my travel arrangements home last week; boat on the Friday night & train on the Saturday morning. However, with news of Britain's second Wilson's Warbler on Lewis in the Outer Hebrides breaking on Tuesday & the bird still being present, after a couple of days of pondering, it looked like I might have to bin the train ticket & take the hit as part of the cost of going to Lewis.