October 6th
Another windy day, nets were down but only 14 birds caught. Chris checked the garden, finding some of the birds ringed in previous days, then went back to the site where we tried for Arctic Warbler, now revised to a Greenish Warbler, but still didn't see it.
There wasn't much of note in the gardens we worked, but checks along the coast turned up Ringed Plover (5), Turnstone, Oystercatcher (1), Redshank (1) and Purple Sandpiper (2).
There was an Arctic Warbler at Fladdabister, that we managed to see quite well.
A quick walk at the end of the day, by Clickimin Loch turned up our own Barred Warbler.
Juvenile Barred Warbler
October 7th
The species captured provided hope that there were more birds around to find. Along with the usual House Sparrows, Starlings and Wrens we caught singles of Garden Warbler, Brambling, Chiffchaff, Lesser Redpoll and Blackcap today.
Juvenile Lesser Redpoll
Juvenile male Brambling
Chiffchaff
Garden Warbler
Chris checked the garden, then we surveyed the Voe on our way out. We went back to Kergord to avoid the increasing numbers of birders now present on the island. There was nothing much new at upper Kergord, just a Goldcrest and Song Thrush, and being parked in the middle of nowhere, it was a worry when the car threw a bit of a wobbly and refused to do anything. The message on the dash said 'Place keycard on zone then press start'. However, the zone was not clear, or labelled and inconveniently there was no mobile signal. We got it going 15 minutes later, somehow.
Then, while driving we started getting a 'Low tyre pressure warning'.
We had a look around Da Gairdins where a Barn Owl had put in a brief appearance, staying only a day. Twelve Blackbirds were seen, and three Goldcrests but other than a Yellow-browed Warbler there were no other migrants apparent in this very promising location.
8th October
We put in a short ringing session but closed before long as the Blackcap in the garden had been caught and the numbers of House Sparrows being captured was getting a bit tiresome. It's great to catch them, but the fat pellets that they'd been eating make a bit of a mess.
The tyre warning was still coming up so we went to Lerwick in the later morning, and found the pressure to be worryingly low. Chris found a tyre place that could take a look and thankfully they were able to patch a hole caused by a roofing tack. That only cost us an hour and £34.00 - but we were at last able to get out and look for birds after all the dreadful weather.
First stop was Clickimin Loch for an elusive Olive-backed Pipit and we managed to see it. Then we headed to Sumburgh Farm. A Lancelated Warbler had flown in to a porch at the hotel and a local ringer hand caught, ringed and released it. It had since been giving views along a dry stone wall.
We watched the wall for a while and were surprised at how many birds, mainly Lesser Whitethroat and Chiffchaff, were attracted to it. The crop field had drawn the Lancy away, but Chris managed a very brief view, straight along the bottom of the wall. It wasn't seen by anyone else and I was denied a view by a cabbage leaf. If only I had been standing to Chris' left I may have had a chance, but the bird wasn't seen again. At Fleck we didn't have to wait long to see the Bluethroat, then at Skelberry we managed views of the Western Bonelli's Warbler.
At Loch Spiggie there were swans, both Whooper and Mute, in greater numbers. A Red-backed Shrike was seen on an adjacent fence and Chris found a Common Rosefinch while I sheltered from the rain in the car. Species on the water included Moorhen, Scaup, Shoveler and Slav Grebe We failed to find the American Wigeon known to be in in Wigeon flock.
9th October
It was raining in the morning, with reports of large numbers of thrushes arriving. We had many birds passing overhead with some dropping in to feed on the grassy areas around the house. When the rain stopped just before 11am I decided to open a couple of nets, hoping to encourage some in. We caught 17 in an hour, despite less than optimal wind conditions. We knew they had been forced over from Scandinavia, and what looked almost like Blueberry juice that they were excreting appeared to bear that out. They could not have eaten blueberries on Shetland or the surrounding islands.
One of 17 Redwings on the day.
Heading out, at Aith Chris joined a friend looking for Quail in an extremely wet field. They knew there were two birds and one even came out on the road for a while. Chris also saw a bird that looked good for Lanceolated Warbler, but that could not be tied down despite our best efforts.
Quail at Aith
At Fleck it was possible to single out the American Golden Plover in a Golden Plover flock also joined by two Dunlin, a Ruff and a Knot, then at Gruntness two Long-tailed Ducks were out on the water. Finishing off at Loch Spiggie we located the Wigeon flock, grazing out on a near by pasture, and also found the American Wigeon.
10th October
Birds were pretty thin on the ground on the last morning. Only 4 birds were caught but that did include a fourth Yellow-browed Warbler and another Redwing.
Our fourth Yellow-browed Warbler
We were all packed up and ready to go by 11am and had a last look at the Voe where four Otters were seen. We made our way south so as to be closer to Lerwick for reaching the ferry in the evening. At Cunningsburgh we spent time looking through the birds out on the fields, finding a Wheatear and Fieldfare amongst the busily feeding Redwing (C250) and Blackbird (C20). There were also Golden Plover and it looked like a good chance for something especially interesting but we didn't find an interesting eastern thrush, although a Black-throated Thrush was reported from the Sumburgh hotel garden, staying about 10 minutes the previous day.
Our last visit was to Easter Quarff, somewhere that we'd never visited and intended to check out earlier on, but got drawn away by someone else's find at another location. We really liked the muddy track with a row of willows, along one edge and water from the recent rain pouring through them. On the way up we had seen two Blackcaps in the trees and looked at the Blackbirds and Redwings feeding across on the grass, but now it was time to get to the ferry port and we turned to head back.
We had not yet reached the end of the track when Chris noticed something further up the track. It flew into the grass under the willows and at first sight he thought it may have been a Robin. Having got closer I saw it on the far side of the fast flowing stream and directed Chris to the location. It was partially obscured and we began working on identification. Robin was disregarded, too large, Nightingale was considered briefly than it hopped up and we knew we had one of the American thrushes. Chris began working through the possible species and I tried to capture a record shot not focused on any twigs or grass in front of the bird. Veery, Wood and Hermit thrush were ruled out but we weren't 100% certain exactly what it was. We had only seen it in shade and partly obscured. but we had less than an hour to get to the boat and hopefully get others there to avoid the bird being lost. We hadn't had good views, certainly not as good as those that saw it the following day and got terrific photos, but with time so short we put it out anyway, after all, some of those leaving on our ferry may get a chance to see it and it was getting towards the end of the day with the light failing. It was put out as a probable Swainson's thrush and then we set about relocating it as it had flown upstream.
The track at Easter Quarff
Viewing was not good with the sun directly behind the willows
We couldn't seem to get a view of the entire bird
It seemed like a long time waiting for the first birders and as they arrived there were quite a lot of them. We were checking the time and hoping the parking would be sensible and not stop us getting away. A few people managed to get on to the bird and Grey-cheeked Thrush was suggested. At about that time we had to leave with people still arriving.
Later, while on the ferry, it seemed that a few people had managed a glimpse, with the last sighting being about 18:10. On getting a chance to review my photos with photographic ID guides we also agreed that it was a Grey-cheeked Thrush, so not new for our UK list as we'd seen one on Scillies in the 80s. This became the 12 record for Shetland, with over half of those having been seen on Fair Isle.
The ferry trip back provided a second unexpected memory of that date as the Northern Lights known on Shetland as the 'Mirrie Dancers' came out to see us off with one of the best displays for many months.
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