A missing day
They are here, birders and birds, well its that time of year. Autumn migration is underway and has been for a fortnight

Thursday rained, with birds but mainly water, it came down in buckets and had a Force 8 gale with it making birding very difficult

I spoke to some Newcastle birders that spent three hours searching in very difficult conditions, most seem to have colds now.

Friday was completely different, hardly any wind , or rain and some sun. Birds were not as numerous as everyone had expected, even with easterly winds

I started down at Swinster a few mins away from home. Apart from the common birds a few migrants showed. A Grey Wagtail on the grassy area at the Hoswick end, then two Spotted Flycatcher and a Pied Fly.

Then up popped a Little Bunting onto the fence, one of three along the burn and a Yellow Browed Warbler flew up into the bushes. A Song Thrush jumped onto a fence, it was a good start.

Down at Quendale, a good number of birds had already been reported. Near the bridge and beside the mill Yellow Browed Warbler (5)  with Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff and Blackcap.

The Red breasted Flycatcher had moved from the quarry to an iris bed a short distance away and showed well for 10 mins before flying up the small burn

Up at the Quarry, Redstart, Goldcrest, Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Wren and Blackbird. Just opposite in the iris bed a Red Breasted Flycatcher showed well but the tail-less Little Bunting had disappeared. A Kestrel flew over putting up a large flock of Skylark and Meadow pipit

The Turtle Doves(3) had just flown north just as a shower arrived, a large flocks of Starling fed in the stubble field with Rock Dove.

I stopped off at Scatness where around 1500 Barnacle Geese took off  while on the loch Wigeon (150) Pintail (2) Mallard (12) and Moorhen (2)

A drive down to Grutness found better weather, here Turnstone(12) on the pool but the wood sand had gone.

Only a Willow Warbler in the garden and a nice Redstart sat still in the paddock allowing a close approach along with Twite (20)

Over at Spiggie beach, Little Stint (3) , Dunlin, Redshank, Turnstone and Ringed Plover fed along the tideline. On the loch Whooper swan (33) had arrived along with many wigeon

Sunny Shetland

What a great sunny still day with plenty of birds about. No rarities but some nice common migrants

First a stop up at Sumburgh but only a few migrants with Redstart, Blackcap, Redwing, Goldcrest (2) Pied Flycatcher and Robin(2)

The quarry was quiet as well with a Robin and Blackcap along with a flock of Twite. A large flock of Meadow Pipit and Skylark followed me along the road

A willow Warbler at Grutness garden and at Toab. The Semi Palmated Sandpiper returned to the same area of beach at Grutness as the previous three days attracting a fair number of birders.

Little stint

The two Little Stint showed well again at Peerie Spiggie with Turnstone (32) Ringed Plover (4)

Over at Swinster the Olive Backed Pipit showed three times but briefly so no photos.  Dipped on the Barred Warbler in Lerwick for the second time

Shetland Bee-eater

Back in the 1970's i picked out four birds i really wanted to see. But thought it would be impossible to see any of these in the UK

The four are Roller,  Hoopoe, Golden Oriole and Bee-eater. Well I have seen the last three in Shetland.

In 1992 I think, we saw Bee eaters at Vidlin in a small conifer plantation. It seemed odd seeing one perched above a Shetland sheep

Then great views of Golden Oriole in the open at Quarff, but I had seen a few before at Kergord and Halligarth

The Hoopoes at Quarff and then earlier this year at Burra 

But back to the Bee eater today at Ollebery in the north mainland. It had already been present since Sunday and had showed really well yesterday

I headed north in sunshine which quickly turned to heavy rain and black clouds. Arriving just behind another Shetland birder we parked up near the original site and waited.

It showed straight away flying passed a few time but headed up the hill and out of sight

It re appeared flying over head towards a small group of conifer landing on a fence post. A couple of birders went round and got views and we quickly followed.

By this time the Bee eater had flown up into a near by paddock and landed on top of a fence post. from here it flew out and caught a couple of insects

The rain started again so it was always difficult for photography and it stayed distant.

It flew again and landed behind us, then moved again back to the original side but further up the hill

I caught a view as it sat in a bush , then it flew down the hill but disappeared just as another couple of birders arrived

I headed back to Lerwick to see whether the Barred warbler was still present at the bowling green. No go so down to Cunningsburgh where a Greenish warbler and Red Backed shrike had been seen.

I could see about 10 birders down in a park but decided to give it a miss when heavy rain started to fall

I did see a Stonechat along a fence and then found out I had missed a pod of Killer whales at St Ninian's

Isabelline Shrike

Sunday 29 9 19

A lot better weather wise on Sunday so we headed down to Quendale but turned off at Levenwick when word came in that the Isabelline Shrike had reappeared.

Can you make it out in the confer

We passed yesterday but it was raining heavy, so no good for photography.

Now on the fence

It had moved west since yesterday and was now just south of the shop in a garden. It showed straight away but was very distant. It stayed in one position for at least 10 mins before flying off and landing in the grass

It flew back to the fence staying in one position again for around 10 mins. It then took off and flew away from us.

About 10 birders had gathered by the time it flew further towards us resting low on the fence. Again it flew off to collect an insect and then returned to the same place

After a good 25 mins it flew into the garden and that was the last I saw of it. It did reappear again later to a small group but again distant.

This shrike has now two races, this was a `Turkestan' bird which has a whiter underside and a white strip above the eye and blacker mask. The other race is  `Daurian'.

This is a rare vagrant from Asia mostly seen October- November along the coast, this one a few days early