Patch Highlights September

A few pics from around the patch taken during September.

Chiffchaff

Kestrel

Redstart

Spotted Flycatcher

Sparrowhawk

Yellow-browed Warblers

Ruff

Barred Warbler, Redstart, Greenshank, 2 Chiffchaffs,Whinchat, Garden Warbler, Green Sandpiper and 5 Ruff around the patch today.

Green Sandpiper

Garden Warbler

Chiffchaff

Ruff

Redstart

Eastern Subalp

Lots more migrants on the patch - Lesser Whitethroat and Robin in the garden, Redstart at the end of the road, Swallow, Common Tern, Whimbrel and 6 Pintail at the Loch, 2 Collared Doves around Colonial Place. But it was the docks that attracted most birds with 2 Chiffchaff, 4 Willow Warblers and a stunning male Eastern Subalpine Warbler - a most welcome self-found year tick.

Eastern Subalpine Warbler

Redstart

Another Shetland sunset

Eastern Subalp Twitch

Garden Birds

Now 2 Pied Flycatchers in the garden plus a Common Redstart.

Redstart

Better.

Much better around the patch today, with new birds in and just more around generally. The totals for the day are - 3 Chaffinch, 1 Brambling, 1 Blackcap, 3 Robins, 1 Goldcrest, 21 Pink-footed Geese, 7 Lapland Buntings, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 12 Song Thrush, 3 Wheatear (inc Albino), 21 Wigeon, 2 Golden Plover, 2 Whinchat and a Redstart.


Whinchat.

Blackcap.

Golden Plover.

Pink-footed Geese.

Redstart.

Wheatear.

Wigeon.

Matter of Time.

More improvement on the patch, it's just a matter of time before something big turns up ! The usual stuff was still knocking around, with 5 Goldcrests, 2 Blackcaps, a Garden Warbler, 2 Siskin, 21 Song Thrushes, a Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Robins, 19 Lapland Buntings, 5 Wheatears (including the reappearance of the albino), a Whinchat and a Black Redstart. New birds were 10 Barnacle Geese,2 Linnets, 2 Grey Heron, a Peregrine and a Redstart.

Barnacle Geese.

Blackcap.

Lapland Bunting (no apologies for anothe Lap photo - they're smart birds, and while I've got these numbers on my patch I'm gonna enjoy them while I can).

Linnet.

Peregrine.

Redstart.

Wheatear.

SNOB.

Still windy but at least it's stopped peeing down ! At the house there was a new Redstart in the garden and very little else, 2 Knot by the big wall didn't fire much enthusiasm either, however, out on the headland the numbers of birds was pretty impressive with over 400 Meadow Pipits, 100 Skylarks, over 60 Twite (there's normally about a dozen or so), at least 12 Lapland Buntings and a single Snow Bunting.


Redstart.

Snow Bunting.

All the Same.

Pretty much the same stuff around on the patch with 1 Redstart, 1 Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Blackcap, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Garden Warbler, 1 Tree Pipit, 1 Pied Flycatcher, 3 Whinchat, 2 Merlin and 4 Knot. Not that impressive, but after the lousy spring, it's nice to go out and see common migrants day to day.

Redstart.

Garden Warbler.

Spotted Flycatcher.

Whinchat.

Quite Unusual.

The south easterly continues to bring the usual fare to the patch, those being - 3 Blackcaps, 8 Willow Warblers, 2 Pied Flycatcher, a Whitethroat, 4 Garden Warbler, a Tree Pipit, a Song Thrush, 2 Common Sandpipers, 3 Redstarts, 2 Spotted Flycatchers, 6 Ruff, a Lesser Whitethroat and a Whinchat. More unusual birds were a total of 12 Lapland Buntings in various places about the patch, including 4 birds in a neighbours driveway ! Another break from the norm was 3 Otters feeding around the west side of Scatness.


Lapland Bunting.

Blackcaps.

Garden Warbler (or in this case Beach Warbler !).

Lesser Whitethroat.

Redstart.

Whitethroat.

Willow Warblers.

Otter.