Some days it all comes together. Having missed out on a Rosefinch, Bluethroat and Bylth Reed Warbler I finally got on to a few good birds
Down at Virkie a Kingfisher turned up, although distant it was good to see this rare bird for Shetland and my first one here. Also Curlew Sandpiper (2) and Little Sting (2) with lots of Ringed Plover, Dunlin, Sanderling, Bar tailed Godwit, Curlew and Redshank.
The following day (Friday) i was down at the Harrier roost early, but to my dismay the Pallid Harrier had just flown off with a Starling. This was well before the normal roost time. Only four other people which was a surprise , one from Glasgow and the other from England.
Eventually a Pallid Harrier showed in the distance but came a bit closer before turning back towards Brow Loch and then disappearing into the distance. I picked it up above the houses in the distance and then in a nearby field.
After disappearing again, two Pallid Harriers made an appearance from the south west, moving close together and then to the eastern end of the loch split up before going to root in the reedbed.
On the Sunday i managed to get down to Virkie again to see the Egyptian Nightjar which had been found by Roger Riddington on his drive the evening before. It then flew down to some rocks and seemed settled then flew off as dusk approached.
I got down Sunday afternoon in heavy rain to find about 25 people watching the bird among the rocks, the bird sheltering against a large boulder.
The bird was facing us and looked slightly lighter than the surrounding rocks. It had only moved once since it was rediscovered more a less in the same spot as yesterday. The bird went to roost at 20.26pm flying west.
I spoke to a couple of birders up from Southampton, they only had just only 1.5 hours in Shetland before the plane left Sumburgh, such is the pulling power of a new bird..
The following day around 60 birders were present but the bird had flown.
This was the first Scottish record and only the third British record the last in 1984.
