Saturday 1 October 2011

How many?

Well, after an uneventful journey on the Northlink I arrived back in Shetland this morning and was gratefully collected by my host Dr Marshall. 30 minutes later we were scanning crop fields around the Hillwell/Brake area in the hope of connecting with one of the Pallid Harriers. It wasn't too long before I found the oiled bird sat on a fence post which gave half decent scope views, a side bonus was 2 Little Buntings also up at Brake. With a successful twitch over we headed for Whalsay and more importantly my patch. Whilst getting ready to go out a Yellow-browed Warbler was showing well in the garden, this seemed to set a precedent? Around Brough there were no fewer than 8 YbW, aswell as 2 Blackcap and 2 Chiffchaff. Isbister hosted 4 YbW and singles of Garden Warbler, Blackcap and Goldcrest. The main attention was up at Skaw with 5 YbW trapped and ringed in the plantation and another up at roadside, add that to 1 more at Hamister and without trying we had 20 different YbW in half a day. Bird of the day may have got away? a probable OBP in the plantation that we never got a look at on the ground, the call was right but that was all we had, it may go to roost in the plantation tomorrow will tell. Oh yes and Dr Marshall had a Little Bunting at Marrister also. Not bad for my first day just a shame John Lowrie has to go off fishing, sorry pal will have to enjoy the biggie without you!

No comments: