Olive-backed Pipit, Lerwick 3rd October 2015

Saturday with no transport, since Dave was now staying at Toab, I decided to catch the bus into Lerwick & try again for an Olive-backed Pipit which had turned up the day before. We'd been at Wester Quarff watching a Red-brested Flyctchear when news broke. I didn't have any info, so we followed the folks that did know where to go, into Lerwick. The bird had been seen in gardens around the Gilbertson Park area, but wasn't on view whilst we were on site.

So, misreading the bus timetable I decided to hitch into Lerwick. I hadn't done any hitching for about 35 years, but got a ride no problem & being only a short walk from where I was dropped off near Tesco's to the area took only a few minutes. I'd been on site for around fifteen minutes when the call went up just a few yards from where I was standing on the edge of Gilbertson Park. One birder went round to the other side of a small bunch of Willows on the edge of the park & signalled he could see the bird. We all then went through the gate & arced around the Willows. Good views were obtained as the bird moved into the gaps between the trees right at the back at the base of the wall. Photo by Peter Garrity.

OBP twitch in Lerwick

Baltasound to Sandwick

After a hugely enjoyable two weeks birding on Unst, based at Baltasound, it was time to head south to the Mainland for the remaining two weeks.

Baltasound (left)

Baltasound (right)

There were a couple of memorable afternoons as the sun set & evenings as the stars appeared, looking south from our chalet.

Having arrived at the B&B in Sandwick Thursday evening, it wasn't until we'd returned from Norby on the Friday I had a chance to check out the area around where I was staying in Sandwick.

Mousa from Sandwick

The house was on top of the hill overlooking the Isle of Mousa.

Leebitten

I wandered down the hill from the top left of the photo above & explored the area around Leebitten, comprising of beach, fields, ditches, Iris beds & a small amount of woodland at Sand Lodge, on the right of the photo above. Just beyond the photo to the right & back over my shoulder, I found two Yellow-browed Warblers at Sand, a derelict farm, in a small weedy patch on that first evening. So, this area became my temporary local patch, together with Hoswick a couple of miles away, for my remaining stay.

Pechora Pipit, Norby 1st October 2015

We departed Unst on Thursday & headed for Norby to see the Pechora Pipit which had been hanging around since 29th September at the east end of Loch of Norby. The bird was on view when we arrived, but proved tricky to gain good views of. After several attempts with glimpses of the bird on the ground, the best view was when it perched briefly on a gate. A very worthy 400th species in UK. Unfortunately, no photo, but this photo by Chris Griffin is rather good.

Before leaving Unst we popped over to Burrafirth to try for more views of a Red-backed Shrike we'd seen briefly the previous evening. The Shrike appeared as soon as we arrived & proceeded to work its way around the area giving great views. Photo by Tony Davison.

The following day, Friday 2nd October, we returned to Norby to try & see the Pechora Pipit again. Although it was seen, we didn't see it. More luck was in evidence watching a Red-breasted Flycatcher at Wester Quarff, which initially was hard to see in the garden, but which later showed really well on the edge, as in this photo by Martyn Hayes.

American Golden Plover, Sandwick 27th September 2015

Photo courtesy Dave Willis

Sunday saw us traveling to the Mainland to try & catch up with a few interesting birds.

Our first attempt proved unfruitful as we tried to see an Eastern Subalpine Warbler which had been inhabiting a garden at Mossbank. The location was in a housing estate, so it was quite amusing to see fully clad birders with wellies, waterproofs, bins, scopes & cameras tramping about the roads of the estate in search of the bird.

Our next target was an American Golden Plover at Sandwick, which we also failed to see. Indeed, we couldn't even see the Golden Plover flock of 400+ birds anywhere in the area! We resolved to call back later on the way back north.

Next we travelled to Toab & had more luck with a Blyth's Reed Warbler in a large thistle bed. Several brief views were obtained of this secretive & skulking bird.

Upon our return to Sandwick the Golden Plover flock was present across a couple of fields. We scanned the flock several times then a helicopter put the whole lot to flight. Fortunately, they settled closer to us. Another scan drew a blank. However, another smaller flock of Plover joined the larger flock, so we scanned again & this time Dave picked up the American Golden Plover & we had excellent 'scope views.

Arctic Warbler, Uyeasound, Unst 24th September 2015

Photo courtesy Dave Willis

An Arctic Warbler appeared at the southern end of Unst last Wednesday, towards the end of the afternoon at Uyeasound. I managed to catch a couple of glimpses the following day & during the next few days repeated visits provided better views. Always hard to see & only the second I've seen. The bird was still present earlier today.

There's been loads of Yellow-browed Warblers about this last week, the most pleasing of which was one a few yards from the chalet at Kelda. Another couple of brief & distant views of Pallid Harriers was another highlight this week.

Collared Flycatcher, Sumburgh 21st September 2015

Photo courtesy Dave Willis

News broke just before 1pm today of an adult male Collared Flycatcher at Sumburgh Head lighthouse. We'd been birding at Skaw, pretty close to the most northern part of Scotland. Not many birds about except for a flock of 20/30 Snow Buntings briefly. Upon heading back to base at Baltasound the info arrived.

Fortunately, the timing was good because we were able to make the 1.30pm ferry from Unst (Belmont) to Yell (Gutcher). We made good time and had a short wait before the 2.15pm ferry from Yell (Ulsta) to the Mainland (Toft). All the way was rain & at times a very low cloudbase. We arrived on site at the southernmost point in Shetland about 4pm in clear skies & made the short uphill walk from the lower car park to the lighthouse compound.

The Collared Flycatcher was on view immediately upon arrival in the compound on the left just before the lighthouse, feeding in typical flycatcher fashion & using some fencing, ropework & metalwork to sally forth only a few yards from our vantage point. Excellent views for the whole time we were on site. There were also three Yellow-browed Warblers present & at one point all three & the Flycatcher were perched in a line on the same section of fencing.

Managing to make the requisite ferry timings on the return trip, we arrived back on Unst just after 7pm.

Citrine Wagtail, Norwick, Unst 19th September 2015

Photo courtesy Dave Willis

A first-winter Citrine Wagtail was found by visiting Wirral birders Eddie Williams & Allan Conlin on the evening of our arrival on Shetland. We failed to see the bird the following day, but a return visit this morning was successful.

Almost immediately after we arrived on site the Citrine Wagtail was viewable on the beach rumaging about the seaweed for insects. Good views were obtained & we returned later in the afternoon & had excellent views as the bird remained in its favoured area on the beach.