Rare Bird Alert News
MAINLAND
Red-flanked Bluetail still in willows on west side of house, Coues's Arctic Redpolls x 2 (one trapped & ringed) at North House, Common Rosefinch at Swining.
Hoopoe flew through garden, Long-eared Owls x 2, Little Bunting, Mealy Redpolls x 30, Siberian Chiffchaffs x 7, Quail at Hillwell.
Barred Warbler in sunken garden at Scalloway.
Siberian Chiffchaffs x 4, Mealy Redpoll at Hoswick Burn, Siberian Chiffchaff by play area, Mealy Redpoll at Hoswick.
Western Bonelli's Warbler still at Frakkafield.
Olive-backed Pipits x 2 flew over running circuit towards Haldanes Crescent from Anderson High School, Ring Ouzel, Mealy Redpolls x 14 at Staney Hill Quarry, Siberian Chiffchaff near Anderson High School, Lerwick.
Hume's Warbler, Siberian Chiffchaffs x 3 in garden, Netherton Road, Levenwick.
Cattle Egret in cattle field at Clevigarth, then flew to Fleck.
Siberian Chiffchaff at Hamnavoe, West Burra.
Siberian Chiffchaffs x 2 in plantation north of Bridge End plantation, East Burra.
Firecrest at Strand Plantation, Tingwall.
Coues's Arctic Redpoll at junction to Troswick Road, Firecrest still in gardens at end of Troswick Road, Boddam.
Long-eared Owl at Virkie Willows, Pool of Virkie.
Mealy Redpolls x 2 in plantation at South Nesting Public Hall.
Mealy Redpoll at Swinister Burn, Sandwick.
Northern Bullfinch at Cunningsburgh.
ISLANDS
Hume's Warbler trapped & ringed, Mealy Redpolls x 25 at Gorie, ISLE OF BRESSAY.
Siberian Chiffchaffs x 2 at Queyon, Aywick, Siberian Chiffchaff at Burravoe, King Eider fem. at Gutcher, ISLE OF YELL.
CHESTNUT BUNTING 1w still at Buness Farm, Coues's Arctic Redpolls x 2, Mealy Redpolls x 50 at Hunter's Wood, Baltasound, Firecrest at Valyie, Norwick, UNST.
Little Bunting, Lapland Bunting, Long-eared Owl, Russian White-fronted Geese x 2 on OUT SKERRIES.
Coues's Arctic Redpolls x 2, Yellow-browed Warbler, Long-eared Owl, ISLE OF WHALSAY.
A mostly sunny day and almost no wind after the 60mph+ winds and rain last night. Three of my bird feeders were on the ground this morning. Lots of Redwings and Blackbirds on Gallow Hill behind my house again and also a Robin near the wall. There was a large flock of Rock Doves (more than usual) and some were having a bathe at the top of the burn which was cascading down the hill and under my driveway after the excessive rainfall last night. The highlight was watching three Goldfinches, one behind the other flying east across the hill over the ponies at fairly close range and at eye level in glorious sunshine! This was a colourful and unexpected surprise – they seemed to land in one of the gardens a fair distance away. Went to try and see Marcus's Barred Warbler in the sunken garden, but failed with that, but did see a Chiffchaff and 15 Blackbirds feeding on the playing field.
I really wanted to see the Hoopoe that was found yesterday, but after it was seen flying through a garden towards Brake this morning, it wasn't seen any more after much searching I heard. I was heading that way anyway to have a look myself when news came through of a Hume's Warbler found by visiting birders (must be the last here!) in a well known garden at Levenwick. Just before I arrived on scene Hugh H. had put out that it was still there, but he had left as nobody else was there apart from Anne E. who had just arrived seconds before me. Then Ewan arrived and another lady and later on Kevin K. and another birder. The Hume's Warbler had been showing well and calling before we all arrived, not now its wasn't! If I had known how long we were going to have to stand there (must have been at least two hours), I would have given it a miss as I really wanted to go to Geosetter Burn before the day ended. Long story short, I managed to have two views of the Hume's Warbler in the dense garden, but not even slightly long enough to get any photos sadly. There was a male and 2 female Blackcaps in there, at least 4 Chiffchaffs and 1 Siberian Chiffchaff. What looked like a Chaffinch dived into the garden over the fence in the last throws of light. Anne saw a Woodcock, which I seemed to miss completely and then she left after not getting a clear view of the Hume's. I then drove down to the gardens by the beach and saw good numbers of Redwings and Blackbirds.
News of a Coues's Arctic Redpoll came through at Troswick, so being as this was close by I went to have a look. I presumed this was at the end by the garden where the Firecrest was as there was no other detail in the message. Arriving on sight 8 minutes after the news came out, I thought the finder might still be there, but nobody was there. A couple of minutes after I arrived the four visiting birders who had found the Hume's Warbler at Levenwick turned up and said "are we too late?" I explained I had only just arrived before them and not seen it yet. I asked for further details on the WhatsApp group and the message came back saying it was at the junction to Troswick Road. Drove back up to the junction and no sign, but the light had gone. Maybe if we had known it was there, we might have possibly seen it. When the light is fading, every second counts. Oh well, that was the end of that! Drove home. End of my holiday.
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