Shetland thrushes

The Thrushes still keep coming with another fall today, again lots of Redwing and Blackbird with a small number of Song Thrush

 In Lerwick 3 Cattle Egret arrived late in the day and a Pallas Warbler turned up with an Upland Sandpiper in Unst

Large fall of Redwing in Shetland

Thousands of Redwing continued to pour into Shetland, late Wednesday as rain and fog came back again. Most local birders saying they have never seen anything like it. 

It was  more or less blanket thrushes with many Blackbird but only a few Fieldfare (yet to Come?) and around 50 Ring Ousel

Large falls of Brambling also arrived at the same time

Lots of Gulls down at Sandsayre

15 Curlew in fields at Sandwick

28 Redshank at Sandwick

A nice flock of 86 Golden Plover in the usual field and 38 Lapwing

Big Fall in Shetland

What a week

Sunday was a good day weather wise and for birds. News came in just as we were setting off, that a Red Flanked Bluetail had been seen at Hestingott in the south mainland.

A few cars had already been parked up and a small group of birders stood looking into a sheep pen.As i arrived i saw it flying down off a metal gate to feed on the ground. It then flew up over our headed  and landed briefly on a picnic table then up onto of a fence then disappearing.

Despite one brief view at the back of a garden it then disappeared and was eventually found 1/2 later by one of the 20+ birders present in a small  garden. Most birders have left Shetland but usually one or two good birds normally turn up mid- late October into November.

I decided to go down to Quendale, a short walk away. A couple of Black Throated Divers had been see and as the sea was flat calm it was just a matter of scanning the bay before picking out the divers in the middle way off  shore.

These may be the two that wintered in the same area, BT Divers are a scarce bird in Shetland. On the beach i also picked out a Glaucous Gull with Herring, Common and Black Headed Gulls. It was good to see a flock of 64 Long Tailed Duck and a few Black Guillemot. A pod of 6 Porpoise came into the bay.

A few Red Breasted Flycatcher also arrived, around Sumburgh, Quendale and Hoswick

Red Breasted Flycatcher

Monday came in with gale force winds, fog and rain and this force  a couple of thousand Redwing and Fieldfare to land in Shetland. This followed hundreds of Brambling, dozens of Ring Ousel and a rare Pallas Warbler late on. The Red Flanked Bluetail was relocated in the same area as Sunday joined by a Red Breasted Flycatcher- just reward for those out braving the conditions

Even bigger falls of Redwing, Blackbird and Brambling on Tuesday with Whites Thrush,  Blyth Reed Warblers  Raddes, Humes, Pallas warblers and even a Yellow Browed in the garden, several Little Bunting and Gt Grey Shrike & Gt White Egret. Lots of Ring Ousel, Goldcrest, Chaffinch and other common migrants in the afternoon fog.

Boom 3x3 rare birds in Shetland

 This last week proved to be the real starting point of Autumn migration.

Pied Flycatcher

Kestrel

In the isles, Hoopoe, Rosefinch (12) Pectoral Sandpiper (3), King Eider, Bluethroat, Marsh Warbler, Barred Warbler, 

Willow Warbler

Greenland Wheatear

Not seen too much but nice views of Arctic Warbler (3) usually only 5-10 per year in UK, Little Stint, Red Breasted Flycatcher (3) and a few common migrants

Arctic Warbler , 1 of 2 at Quendale

Redstart, Willow Warbler, Garden Warbler, Chiffchaff, Pied Flycatcher, Swallows, House Martin, 

Conditions were not ideal for photography, the bird kept well inside the bushes only occasionally coming to the edge. This was in among the sycamores while the other bird called and showed next to the mill

All taken at ISO8000 F9 1/1250 200-600+ 1.4 converter

Also had distant views of Minkie Whale