Friday 5 June 2020

Shetland- singing Booted Warbler

I have now seen 3 Booted Warblers in Shetland although this was the first in song. According to one magazine, this is the earliest Booted Warbler found in Scotland

It turned up in a garden at Bakkasetter and thanks to Rob Fray we were able to respond quickly making our way down from the north side of Spiggie taking only a few minutes

I instantly saw the bird on a fence beside the house, not normal for me as when any rare birds turn up they hide away.

It flew up and then appeared in the main part of the garden and burst into full song. Five or so minutes after this a couple of other birders turned up but  we were still able to maintain a save distance from each other , complying with the Covid 19 rules
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It moved along the tree line, occasionally flying out of the garden but came back to the same area a few times before it flew off and didn't return until later that evening

Having missed out on the Serin a couple of days before, it was good to see this rare warbler from Asia. Like most spring birds it didn't stay for another day.


While common migrants haven't been that plentiful,  rare migrants have been popping up throughout the isles. A good number of Red Backed Shrike, Blyth Reed Warbler (3) Marsh Warbler, Gt White Egret, White Tailed Eagle, Common Nightingale, Bluethroat, Red Rumped Swallow, Turtle Dove, Lesser Grey Shrike, Black & White Warbler, Rose Coloured Starling, Bee-eater, Golden Oriole and several Osprey have visited the isles in recent weeks









Northerly winds this next few days so we will see if any other goodies turn up. It certainly quieter times with regard to birders present, no one allowed to travel to Shetland

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