White Beaked dolphin - Mousa

 

Black Kite- Shetland

Still catching up on the photos i took this autumn

This Black kite was a surprise fly over.  i had only just got down to Quendale when this kite flew over flew up the valley and then circled around before coming back down and then disappearing to Hillwell

A few moments later a Honey Buzzard passed over but i didn't see it until it was on the horizon

 

Shetland Pechora Pipit

 A rare Pechora Pipit was at Quendale Mill, it was found while ago but i have had problems downloading the photos

This bird was very confiding and showed very well over a few days

Despite heavy showers we set off to see the pipit and found around 30 people present. I was only a short way up the track when the bird flew from the wall down towards the mill.

It didn't stay there long and headed back up the burn and then back on the wall giving superb views. It was perch for a good minute giving plenty of opportunity for photos.

It moved along the wall twice before jumping on the ground so i walked further up towards the dam where a Marsh warbler had been seen earlier. It was there i met two Sheffield birders walking down and it was Roy and Richard, good to see them again.

I walked towards the two large barns to see the two Barred Warbler but by this time the cattle had just been brought down for milking so the area was a no go.

Back to the pipit, this is a bird from Siberia, it is a long distant migrant and is usually found in bushes near rivers and streams. it is heavily streaked brown above with a whiteish mantle. This is a first for me, missing one by 5 mins last year.

Buff Bellied Pipit- Shetland

Arrived at Rerwick only to find three others present, not a good sign

Roger Riddington had found the bird at Clavel about an hour before. Just ten another 4 people arrived and the search started

The bird was re-found down on the beach but then called and flew back up the hill. By this time the wind had really started started to pick up making photography very difficult

 managed to see the bird on a steep slope and got a few shots from a distance. Good VR on the Sony system which helped.

It then flew again back down to the burn, so i decided to leave it as the wind was very strong at this point.

Another American bird turned up the week before and stayed a week, this is the White Winged Scoter at Wadbister (4th from right). I was the only person present. A difficult one to find as it was in a small eider flock but kept flying off. Luckly it came back, so only the swell to contend with

Lapland Bunting- Shetland

 Lapland Bunting , always nice to see and this one was very confiding

Shetland Red Breasted Flycatcher

This is the second RBF i have seen this autumn but the only one photographed

The Quendale bird was difficult as it was constantly being chased by a Garden Warbler,

This one was a Grutness and i saw it over a couple of days becoming more confiding

Although there is still a lot of leaves on the bushes it did come onto the end of branches and a post

 

Shetland whales

Although we haven't seen Orca for a few weeks there has been plenty of Minkie Whales

                        In Mousa sound there was at least 4 and with a calm sea easy to spot.

also around 40 Porpoise close in to the lower layby coming up the hill from Cunningsburgh