Shetland Bird News, Latest Sightings:
https://www.nature-shetland.co.uk/latest-sightings
Best bird to see after work was a Red-flanked Bluetail in Lerwick that was 'elusive' and there had been no news since 1.35pm. Arriving home and feeling very tired, I was thinking about going out, fell asleep and woke up in the dark at 6pm!
Back at work today and somewhere close by in Lerwick, was Shetland's third-ever Pallid Swift, found by Phil Harris! It was showing all afternoon and even though I have seen at least three of these at Trimingham, Felbrigg Hall and Cley in Norfolk, it would still be fabulous to see another one!
When I left off work at 4.30pm, the last message for the Pallid Swift was at 15.39 over Twagoes, Lerwick, so I asked for latest info and was kindly helped immediately with info from local birders, that it was last seen between Hill Head and the cliffs to the south. I wasn't sure where that was (yes I should know by now), but after a quick Google (+advice from Catherine), found where it was and parked the car up next another birder called Gary, who had also been at work all day and had just arrived. Together, we walked along St Olaf's Street, where we suddenly saw the Pallid Swift, fairly high up over the houses in the fading light and sunset! We saw it a second time over the end of King Harold Street and for a third time over the end of St Olaf's Street, next to the junction of Breiwick Road, along with Jim N. and Howard.
There was a few moments when it appeared to be flying over the hospital and my house – it could have a been a 'garden tick'! No pictures at all, apart from 8 sky shots! Far too late for photography for a Pallid Swift in flight. We watched the Pallid Swift fly catching in beautiful skies, until it became a spec in the distance over The Knab!
This was the main bird of the day in Shetland, so very pleased I managed to see it! Here are some pictures of the bird here, here, here, here, here, here, by Hugh H., Rebecca N., Bethan C., Anne P., Jacquie B. & Dougie P!
Let's hope I get to see tomorrow's bird of the day too after 4.30pm, which ideally needs to be in Lerwick again please?! 😉 🤞 😊 Thank you in advance!
Shetland Bird News, Latest Sightings:
https://www.nature-shetland.co.uk/latest-sightings
I got out of the house fairly early and went to Helendale, next to Clickimin Loch in Lerwick. The east winds continue and it was raining all day, but I just had to try my best and find something! I had not seen the Northern Treecreeper here yesterday morning, when news of the Western Olivaceous Warbler broke, so I really wanted to try and see this today.
Parked my car up by the lochside and firstly walked up to Helendale House, nothing of note along here, apart from a few Blackbirds, Goldcrests and a Robin. Walked up Helendale Drive and scanned every tree trunk, waited, watched and then walked left at the top along Helendale Terrace. In the very far left corner, underneath the darkest firs I could hear a Treecreeper and then I saw it! It was firstly on a tall pine in someone's garden, then flew into the lower part of the trunk of a fir, right in front of me! I was SO pleased! The light was dire for photography though, but still got something. I couldn't magic any Coal Tits out though. I was the only person here. Then, whilst scanning the tops of the firs for Coal Tits, I suddenly saw 5 Waxwings! Then John Coutts arrived, I was just pointing these out to him, when we both spotted a whole flock of 23 Waxwings in a tree behind a house and then a good number of them flew towards us and in the garden next to where I had just seen the Treecreeper.
I also saw a female Blackcap, a Chiffchaff and several Goldcrests. An excellent start to the day! It was really nice chatting to John about cameras etc and then Paul B. turned up on a mission to find a Coal Tit, as he hadn't seen one yesterday. I left and walked back up to Helendale House again in case the Treecreeper had relocated to there, but couldn't find it again. Bumped into Phil H. and another birder as I left. Returned to my car and had a quick coffee and then went to Sea Road.
I parked up along Sea Road and walked to West Hall to scan their brilliant looking garden, for anything exciting. Found 3 Blackbirds, a Robin and 2 cute bunnies sitting in the middle of the lawn. The long border under the stone wall, just looks so good for a Siberian Rubythroat! Blackbirds and Redwings in the Rosa scrub by the big pillar entrance and 5 Fieldfares in the horse field just west of here. Checked the horse paddock that overlooks the Sands of Sound and found several Turnstones, a Ringed Plover, Starlings and Redwings. Returned to my car and then walked up the leafy drive track/road just south of here and along the sycamore avenued path/road alongside Seafield Park. Found more Blackbirds, Redwings, Robins, Wren, Chiffchaff and Goldcrests. Got chatting with a lovely local man, who told me he had moved up here many years ago from northern Scotland and never regretted it and loves it here. Still raining. Walked back to my car and headed south.
Searched Levenwick beach area and James S. arrived 5 minutes after I did. James found a Siskin in Leemor (the house I wanted to buy a while back), but I didn't see this. I then found a Siberian Chiffchaff in the garden with the drive and James found a Waxwing, which was feeding on Rosa berries. Checked out the house, garden and drive (that once had a Siberian Rubythroat in once), but only found Blackbirds, Starling and House Sparrows.
Drove up to Mossy Hill and I was surprised to find almost nothing, one Redwing and that was it! Nothing in the two quarries either. Bumped into Hugh H. up here, just as I was descending to Scousburgh. News came through of a Glossy Ibis and a Rough-legged Buzzard at Quendale and a Blue Tit at Boddam. Saw the Blue Tit at Boddam and then went to Quendale Mill. Walked to the quarry and dam with Hugh and chatted with Jacquie & Dave and also Ray and Lynne which was nice. Lovely views of a Great Spotted Woodpecker on a post, but too late in the day for the Glossy Ibis, Great Grey Shrike or Rough-legged Buzzard. We all ambled back and saw either the same or another Great Spotted Woodpecker bound across the sycamore trees by the mill. Cruised home and spent ages sorting all my wet gear out!
A fabulous two weeks annual leave, but worried about what I will miss from tomorrow onwards. Fingers crossed that if anything mega if found, that its somewhere in Lerwick, so I have time to see it before the light goes after work. When the clocks go back next weekend, that will be it for evening birding after work, until next Spring. But will still have Friday, Saturday and Sundays!
Shetland Bird News, Latest Sightings:
https://www.nature-shetland.co.uk/latest-sightings
Red-headed Bunting at Flamborough Head, Yorkshire
News of a Northern Treecreeper at Helendale Drive in Lerwick, got me very excited. I have not ever seen one! I joined a few local birders and it didn't take long before I was watching 2 Coal Tits, high up the pines above someone's house – there were four altogether! Coal Tits are very scarce here indeed. However, the Northern Treecreeper was not on show currently, so I started an enjoyable walk round to look for it. That was the end of that.
Mega news took over the day with the Eastern Olivaceous Warbler at Whalsay now being caught, ringed and re-identified as a WESTERN OLIVACEOUS WARBLER! Which made this a FIRST FOR BRITAIN!!!
The stubborn side of me didn't fancy going on a ferry to see any bird in these dire weather conditions, but common sense soon took over (debatable?) and after ringing Jill and Rob, I arranged to meet with them at the Vidlin ferry. The weather was atrocious, wind, rain and poor light.
Firstly I went to the Laxo Ferry, but this was not where I supposed to be – long story. The ferry was leaving from Vidlin. With time to kill before the 2pm ferry, I stopped off on the edge of the road by a large copse of trees surrounding a field next to a small stone walled cemetery. This location is on the hill, just as you descend down the road to turn left to go to the Vidlin ferry. There was a really good selection of birds here and probably much more, but I only had so much time, but found lots of Goldcrests feeding in the trees and on the grass, Redwings, Blackbirds and best of all a big flock, maybe 20+ Redpolls landed in a distant trees and then a few seconds later a Waxwing landed on a branch above them! I really wanted to go and take a closer look at these redpolls, but I had to leave. I was surprised I didn't find any Coal Tits here to be honest, there were a real mix of different fir and pine trees here.
Met Jill and Rob at the Vidlin Ferry Terminal. Jumped out of my car into theirs, which was very kind of them and along with several other birders, we embarked on a 30 minute journey from hell! 🤮
Well, Jill and Rob were ok – I laid flat on the back seat and had to really concentrate, if not I would have been sick, no question. There were at least a couple of times, when waves crashed over the ferry, seriously! That 30 minutes, was 30 minutes too long. Anyway, after arriving on Whalsay, we drove to where the Western Olivaceous Warbler was.
When we all first arrived, which included Rebecca N., John and Dennis C., Chris (who was on Foula with us), Adrian K. and a few others, the finder John said it had gone missing for a short while....... Approximately 10 minutes later it reappeared and there we were watching a first for Britain! The first thing of note, was the massive size of its bill!!! WOW! The dire conditions made for pants photography – there were no end of shots and lovely poses that should have been pin sharp, but because of the atrocious weather, combined with the darkness in the pines where it favoured, I didn't get many keepers. The only pictures that were okish, were when it spent time in the fuscia bushes.
We left and drove back to the ferry terminal to catch the 5pm ferry. Whilst in the queue we wondered what was going on, when the ferry that came in, then started to leave and was moved to a different area. Staff then came and told us that it wasn't safe for this smaller ferry to return, so a larger one was coming and it would be leaving at 5.45pm instead. I was quite happy to wait another 45 minutes for a less sicky ride home!
The ferry back was just as bad as the one going out, but I made it without being sick. Back on land.... I gathered my wet gear up and left Jill and Rob and got back into my car and drove home. The drive home to Lerwick in darkness and rain seemed to take forever. Picked up fish 'n' chips or "Fish Supper" as it is called here and bumped into Catherine's (my lovely work colleague) mum in the queue – she was amused by my details of the rollercoaster ferry ride I'd had to Whalsay and she "you're not going back then?" My reply was "not until next Summer" 😉 🌞. I arrived home shattered at around 7pm. 😴
3rd November Update!
The DNA from the Western Olivaceous Warbler, confirms its identity and that this is a first for Britain!
Shetland Bird News, Latest Sightings:
https://www.nature-shetland.co.uk/latest-sightings
FIRST FOR BRITAIN!
WESTERN OLIVACEOUS WARBLER at Whalsay, Shetland
Very chilly today and still very windy! Trip to the dentist first thing, so couldn't go anywhere early. First time I had to put a hat and gloves on. I could see why the Northlink didn't sail again today, looking at the state of the sea and may not be sailing on Saturday either. Went to Toners Garage at Quarff on route south to get my car tyres checked and was advised that I really do need to swop my tyres for Winter ones soon.
Please take time to read THIS – my goodness, they all deserve medals! The Shetland RNLI Lifeboat was 18 hours at sea rescuing a fishing boat! All involved must be completely shattered. Incredible bravery.
I spent a long time in the area around Wick House in Gulberwick. At least a couple of hundred Redwings here and 100+ Blackbirds, Goldcrests and Robins. It was a real spectacle! Chatted to the lady of the house as she was driving past me, who said they had taken their property off the market! I can't understand why a rich birder has not bought this amazing property (come on Steve, Sue wants this house!), with probably one of the best and largest birding gardens in Shetland! They have their own meandering path and woodland stream, loads of mature trees and shrubs, lawn etc. There was a Siberian Rubythroat here 18th-30th October 2011 – what a garden tick!
I leaned over the private gate that overlooks the path and stream for ages, willing something colourful to emerge on the path. Lots of Blackbirds, Redwings, a Goldcrest and Robins seen at this idyllic spot, but no Siberian Rubythroat yet. Checked lots of gardens around Gulberwick, more thrushes, but nothing else found.
Being as someone had found a Coal Tit (scarce here) at The Orca Inn, Hoswick (one of several found on Shetland today), I stopped off there next. No Coal Tits to be seen or anything else of note. I decided I would go and check the cliff top garden whilst I was here and just before I got there, a message came out that the Yellow Warbler was still here! Wow! I was wondering if it had survived or not over the last few days of atrocious weather. I walked down along the cliff edge to view the garden, it was insanely windy here and no sign of the Yellow Warbler. Matt Bruce had put the news out and he had been watching it from the road I found out. I met up with him a short while later and just after he left, I saw the Yellow Warbler twice in the sycamores, approximatly 10 minutes apart, just behind the scaffolding of Bayfield House (from the road).
Anne arrived and also a lady called Natasha, who for work reasons had still not seen this amazing bird. There was a Siberian Chiffchaff by the scaffolding, which was an added bonus. I left Anne and Natasha and walked a little way along the road to view the rosa bushes and seconds later, the Yellow Warbler appeared in a sycamore in front of me – I immediately left my spot and beckoned Anne and Natasha towards me. Natasha ran and she got to see her Yellow Warbler before it melted away again! Brilliant! No pictures from me, it wasn't hanging about for photos today, far too busy feeding.
Joined others by the fire station at Sandwick to see a Coal Tit that a local birder had found. No sign of it now, but it was late in the day. Whilst searching by myself, I was delighted to find two Waxwings gorging on Rosa berries in someone's garden – fabulous and gregarious birds! Lovely end to a day, that ended far too quickly! Two days left and then back to work on Monday.
Shetland Bird News, Latest Sightings:
https://www.nature-shetland.co.uk/latest-sightings
Shetland Bird News, Latest Sightings:
https://www.nature-shetland.co.uk/latest-sightings
VERY windy today, but still went out. It was probably too windy to be driving anywhere to be honest, but I took my time and drove to Lunna. I was hoping for a different rarity amongst the leaf litter where the Veery was, but only found two Blackbirds and a few Redwings. Found a Blackbird and a Goldcrest in the small plantation of trees just after the farm. The highlight was a ginger-brown, white and cutest ever bunny! I could hardly stand upright at Lunna Kirk!
Shetland Bird News, Latest Sightings:
https://www.nature-shetland.co.uk/latest-sightings
White's Thrush on Papa Westray, Orkney
With easterlies all day, I would have been out birding seriously, especially being as the gales don't commence until late this evening, but I had the most important application of my life to fill in and complete today and its taken hours of work – all done!
Went for a speed walk very late at 5.30pm round Sea Road and up to West Hall in Lerwick, checked the paddocks and gardens, too late in the day, but did find a couple of Blackbirds. Most birds would have gone to roost by this time.
The Yellow Warbler remains at Hoswick today and a good fall of birds, going by the messages on the WhatsApp groups, including RBFly's, YBW's, Little Buntings, Hawfinches, Waxwings, Siberian Lesser Whitethroats, Siberian Chiffchaffs, Mealy Redpolls, a Firecrest, lots of Goldcrests. No more megas yet!
Out birding tomorrow in 60mph gales 🍃, but no rain according to the forecast, bonus! 😄 😂
Northlink ferries cancelled for Thursday and highly likely for Friday too.
Panic buying in Tescos, no bread left, good job I have stock in the freezer!
Shetland Bird News, Latest Sightings:
https://www.nature-shetland.co.uk/latest-sightings
Wishing John Richardson and Paul Fulbrook a fabulous birding trip to Norfolk. Thank you for your lovely email today and my apologies to you for discovering that I have moved 'North'! Click here, for other sites for Norfolk bird news. Thank you for your congratulations on my new job and location – much appreciated. Much cooler here, more peaceful and some incredible birds seen! As Lee Evans said a while back, now I have moved here, Norfolk will probably get its first Siberian Rubythroat! I'm very much hoping for one here, fingers crossed! Happy Birding in Norfolk!
Best Wishes Penny
😊
Shetland Bird News, Latest Sightings:
https://www.nature-shetland.co.uk/latest-sightings
Busy day, more important things going on than birding just now! Although, I did pop out just down the road to see the Waxwings in Lerwick – I failed!
I tore myself away when the light had gone and went to Noness, where I found a Red-breasted Merganser on the sea, a Swallow skimmed close over my head and on the beach, there was a Grey Heron, a bright Northern Wheatear, good numbers of Ringed Plovers, Turnstones, Redshanks, Oystercatchers, Rock Pipits and tons of Starlings foraging amongst the seaweed.
Shetland Bird News, Latest Sightings:
https://www.nature-shetland.co.uk/latest-sightings
Shetland Bird News, Latest Sightings:
https://www.nature-shetland.co.uk/latest-sightings
70mph gusts of wind today – just a hint of what it will be like over the next few months I'm sure! Looking forward to seeing BIG seas!
It was a typical October day in Shetland, heavy showers one minute, sun the next and so on. I needed a day's birding by myself, so I escaped! I headed south and resisted seeing the Yellow Warbler again, to try and find my own birds. Started off at the Geosetter Burn. Not a single birder here! I had the place to myself. The excitement that you might find something, keeps you in good spirits, even in the rain.
I decided to copy Eddie M., who is often seen taking a large umbrella when out birding at Cley and he always has the last laugh when others are dripping wet, as he bluntly declares, "I'm nice and dry". My stormproof, large brolly that I have had for years, gave me a much more enjoyable time here, than without it. Crossing the Geosetter Bridge, I spotted a Goldcrest in the willows. Climbed over the stile and followed the burn up the hill, to where the Blackburnian Warbler was recently and stood and watched the willows for ages. The best I could find were 4 more Goldcrests in a feeding frenzie in the willows, which were beautiful to watch, although I would have preferred something a little more exciting! I spent so long here, I don't think I could have missed anything. I scanned every trunk and branch in hope of finding something black and white creeping around, no luck today.
Went to the Bigton Shop to buy sweet oatcakes, I particularly love these and you can't seem to buy them in Lerwick anywhere. Drove along the road to Ireland and scanned the belt of pine trees in the middle of the field, where Graham Etherington (think I'm right in saying) found a Myrtle Warbler last October. I then headed along the road to Maywick Beach.
On route, there were several Redwings and the odd Blackbird amongst the sheep and the usual big numbers of Starlings and House Sparrows, but nothing else of particular note. Parked up by the farm and walked to the beach. It was exhilarating! Huge waves rolling in, that's more like it – a calm sea doesn't quite have the same excitement! Rain one minute and sun the next, made for stunning light and skies. I got quite excited when I found a very orangy Wheatear, but it was simply a very smart Northern Wheatear with a Pied Wagtail on the beach. I spent ages watching the Wheatear feeding in the sunshine, on a white beach and with no other footprints other than mine. Took lots of seascape pictures and also of Turnstones on the rocks, being battered by the waves.
Drove back along the Maywick Road, lots of Greylag Geese around. Stopped by the Maywick, Bigton junction and photographed Redwings in the fields with a few Blackbirds. Lots of sheep here and picture postcard views – see below. Then drove south to Grutness.
A pair of Mallards and a Curlew on the Grutness pool looked rather lonely. At least 8+ Rock Pipits feeding in the area. Parked the car by the toilets and then walked to the Grutness Garden. Spent a long time peering over the stone wall into this fabulous garden, still lots of flowers in bloom, including a sedum ice plant. House Sparrows and Starlings were the only birds in here. The field next to the garden held good numbers of Redwings and Blackbirds amongst the Shetland ponies and hens. Jacquie and Dave B. paused to chat in their car, as I was standing here, which was lovely.
The light was starting to go, so I decided to cruise home slowly at a sensible time. 58mph North west winds, rain and sun tomorrow. Sunday looks far more appropriate for photography and birding! Wednesday 18th brings easterlies for the remaining five days of my holiday! 🙌 It also continues when I return to work on Monday 23rd October!
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