Autumn migration has arrived with a bang. The weather yesterday was foggy and dull but still mild
After noticing a fall of Blackbird, the above one of seven around the house.
News started coming in of several rare migrants. Three Red Breasted Flycatcher around Sumburgh, Bluethroat at Noness and Barred Warbler at Swinster, Greenshank in a few places, several Common Rosefinch and a Spotted Redshank at Quendale
Also this Arctic Warbler at Dalsetter in a garden
Having confirmed it was still present, i went down to Dalsetter and saw it straight away in a bush
It was showing well feeding at the edge but it was in a dull place and even at ISO8000 it was only 1/125 second
The eye stripe was every evident even at a distance and it was bulky.
After search for insects it was flushed with around 50 starlings by a Merlin
After waiting another hour it failed to return, but a Willow Warbler came into the same bush. Arctic Warblers are mainly a Siberian species which winters in SE Asia so well off course. It is classed as a very rare migrant with only 5-10 records per year
We have had a lot of Swallow recently, this party of 30 birds down at Hoswick and we have had several parties of Swallow over the field in front of the house.
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