Handsome Devil

Another grey overcast day with not a great deal of wind. The Spotted Flycatcher put in an appearance and showed a lot better than earlier in the week, that was the best Brough had to offer.

News of a Great Reed Warbler on Unst spurned me to get out. A quick check of Brough, still just the Spot Fly so decided to check Skaw. Straight out of the car and clapped on eyes on a male Red-backed Shrike, not seen a male for a couple of years, beautiful little birds and it was also singing whilst showing fairly well. Also at Skaw another Spotted Flycatcher. Tomorrow beckons.

The Secret Is Out

Well after all the speculation, rumours and whispers the news was released today of the Adult Long-tailed Skua seemingly on territory somewhere in Shetland. For obvious reasons i wont be broadcasting its exact location due to the sensitivity of the surrounding area, with breeding Red-throated Divers and Arctic Skuas close by. What i will say is, as the photos show, its stunning. I had only ever seen a Juvenile before and that was sat in a field in a land locked county. A very vocal bird that afforded some spectacularly close views and hopefully a bird i will be visiting again.

Isle's News................
A check around patch this morning produced nothing other than the skull of the Hooded Crow that was showing well in the Tree's and Wood post from last April.

The afternoon was spent off isle having birthday lunch! And being disappointed that an Iberian Chiffchaff on Unst may well be the bird of the spring. Took a trip up to Skaw this evening where a Pied and Spotted Flycatcher were in the plantation, other than that dead.

Last nights sunset from the garden.

Look out for Mr Stork

News of the Black Stork still present on Unst this morning had myself and John Laurie heading north shortly after 9. Once finally on Unst and news that the Stork hadn't been seen since before 9 we toured the surrounding area hoping to unearth it. No such luck. So we headed to Halligarth for Golden Oriole just to have an hours rest bite. I never saw the Oriole and John Laurie saw its arse disappearing into the distance. Unbeknown to us whilst deep in the cover the Black Stork had resurfaced back at Burrafirth, countless text messages and missed calls were logged on my phone. The bird showed well but was distant which in a way i was glad about giving no hope to it being flushed. Many thanks to Jim Nicholson for the use of his 500mm lens and Rory for the updates, cheers.

Eventually

A blustery day with the wind set SW and F5-6 not ideal birding conditions. But after the relative highs of yesterday evening i was hopefully optimistic for something, i wasn't disappointed. First bird this morning was a skulky singing Garden Warbler, then a fly by Collared Dove that eventually settled in a local confiner. A Swallow flew through the Houb where the 2 Common Terns remained and a Spotted Flycatcher was a welcome year tick.

Met up with John Laurie for a bash around Skaw and first bird there was an Icterine Warbler, eluding good views in the windy conditions. Also at Skaw was a Grasshopper Warbler, Whitethroat, Spotted Flycatcher, Wood Pigeon and a Collared Dove. So a howling SW'rly wind and birds appear? Not that i'm complaining. A Black Stork on Unst may have me off isle tomorrow, we shall see.

Positive

After the doom and gloom of this afternoon it suddenly picked up. A text from John Laurie about a male Pintail in flight was soon relocated on the small pool at Vaivoe, with any luck it will make its way down to the Houb. John also had a Spotted Flycatcher in the plantation at Skaw but it eluded my views, though there was a male Blackcap bounding around. A positive sign at least.

A quick check of the Houb for said Pintail drew a blank but 2 Common Terns were an overdue patch tick.

It's Oh So Quiet

A planned trip to Fetlar with Dougie to photograph Red-necked Phalarope's yesterday failed miserably. For the first time i failed to even see one, let alone try and get pictures. And for all the searching for migrants on the isle the only birds of note was a Chiffchaff and a Black-tailed Godwit. Shetland is in a Harry Potteresque state at the moment with 'He who must not be named' not being named, probably the reason why we are being punished for the lack of migrants throughout the isles! So posing bird of yesterday went to this Shag at Toft, easily within stroking distance (if you like that kind of thing).

Today's efforts failed to produce anything, typical really. The wind is firmly stuck in the East yet it doesn't drop anything and its looks like it continues for the next week at least. If only it was Autumn.

False hope

At last some birds have arrived, though not the hoped for 'rares' but it was a start and better than we have had. A Lesser Whitethroat skulking around in one of the first gardens on patch filled me with hope but it turned out to be a mere loner on patch. A Sanderling was a patch year tick at the Houb and other than a very curious Ringed Plover, a vocal Arctic Tern and 3 Whimbrel that was it. Joined John Laurie for an assault on the isle but came away with a paltry count? 3 Willow Warbler and 2 Chiffchaff. But, the wind is still in the east so maybe tomorrow.