Dr Stein.

Apart from a Waxwing briefly in the garden, the day was completely birdless.

Happy Hallowe'en, Dr Stein.

Surf's Up.

Spent a good few hours checking all the bays on the patch just in case there had been a Little Auk or a Grey Phal blown in - and, surprise surprise, there hadn't been ! So I took some 'action' shots ("listen mate, action shots, bang ! 'nuff said") of the stuff that was feeding in the surf.

Kittiwakes.

Eiders.

Common Gull.

Waxed Wings.

A pretty quiet week and it looks like the autumn is definitely over now, just a Brambling near the bus stop on Wednesday and 2 Waxwings in the garden on Thursday and 5 in there on Friday.

Waxwings.

Last Chance.

Probably the last chance of the autumn for anything decent, and despite thrashing several places, it didn't happen (surprise, surprise !). 20 Lapland Buntings and a late Wheatear were on the patch, a Yellow-browed Warbler at Quendale, a Common Redpoll in with the Twite at Hillwell and 3 Robins and a Dunnock were at Channerwick - roll on May !

Yellow-browed Warbler.

Wheatear.

Moon over Fitful Head.

North Wind.

With a north wind now blowing, there's little change as to whats on the patch, apart from a few winter birds arriving. 75+ Long-tailed Ducks are in West Voe, up to 28 Lapland Buntings are still about, 14 Whooper Swans are on the Loch, 2 Robins and a Song Thrush are knocking around and 3 Common Redpolls are still here.


Lapland Bunting.

Long-tailed Ducks.

Tail less Meadow Pipit.

Merlin.

Common Redpoll.

Scaup.

Snowblind.

Finally got out onto the patch again, in between snow showers, apart from a few birds leaving not a lot has changed over the last few days - the 6 Common Redpoll are still in with the Twite, a Robin remains in the garden, 110 Long-tailed Ducks have returned to the West Voe/Burgi Area, the Lapland Bunting flock is still present with 29 birds, 50 Wigeon are on Little Holm, 5 Whooper Swan are still on the Loch and a Golden Plover is out on the headland. Birds new in are a late Bonxie, a Moorhen and 3 Tufted Ducks.

Whooper Swans.

Common Redpolls.

Great Skua.

Here comes winter !

Closer.

Spent most of the morning having a closer look at the Redpolls in the 'secret' crop, none of them looked any good for Arctic and all of them showed the dark streak on the undertail coverts.
Elsewhere on the patch - 8 Whooper Swans on the Loch, 14 Lapland Buntings, a Robin in the garden and a Brambling in with the Redpoll.

Common Redpolls.

Whooper Swans.