Shetland Storm Force Photography: Siberian Accentor

Monday 10 October 2016

Siberian Accentor

Yesterday a Mega bird turned up mid afternoon at Mossy Hill, Scousburgh, with most twitchers leaving what ever they were viewing at the times and heading straight there to see a Siberian Accentor

We couldn't make the trip at the time and as we headed home numerous cars came speeding passed us headed to Mossy hill quarry. Apparently around 100 people arrived very quickly.

This bird was found in the larger quarry by Judd Hunt and Hugh Harrop, this was a 1st for Britain and what a bird to find.

The prospect of the bird being present for a second day didn't look good as it constantly fed, building up energy for another long trip and it was a clear night.

So when news started to come in today I was hoping that it would stay until the afternoon at least as i was delivering a photography course in Lerwick in the morning.

I went straight down and up Mossy Hill finding 5 Redwing feeding on the single track road

As i headed down only a small number of cars could be seen close to a row of around 30 birders above the quarry. Would have been 1000's if it had turned up in England

I was soon viewing the bird and what a bird it was, just love the colours in the sun. This had traveled all the way from Siberia, breeding either side of the Urals and normally wintering in South east Asia, so along way off course.

This is a Dunnock size bird but more colourful. The Russian population is said to be in the region of up to 10,000 birds

This bird was extremely confiding sometimes coming as close as 20 feet and other times it flew out of the quarry but soon returned

I was talking to a group of birder who had hired a plane from Somerset to make sure they added the bird to their lists. You have to feel sorry for the birders that had just left Shetland and would be thinking last night whether to come back up just in case the bird stays.