Patch Highlights September

A few pics from around the patch taken during September.

Chiffchaff

Kestrel

Redstart

Spotted Flycatcher

Sparrowhawk

Yellow-browed Warblers

After the storm

Out on the patch again after yesterday's south westerly storm, surprisingly it had brought 2 Blackcaps and a Lesser Whitethroat to the garden. Around the rest of the patch there was little change with 3 Grey Plover, 4 Knot, 1 Kestrel, 1 Golden Plover, 1 Grey Heron, 10 Wheatear, 21 Twite and 71 fly over Pink-footed Geese.

Grey Plover

Kestrel

Knot

Twite

Wheatear

Still Arriving

More migrants on the patch today - 1 Pied Flycatcher (still in the garden), 3 Common Redpoll, 1 Kestrel, 6 Ruff, 1 Grey Heron, 23 Knot, 1 Little Stint, 30 Sanderling, 20 Dunlin, 1 Garden Warbler and 2 Willow Warblers.

Kestrel

Knot

Little Stint

Ruff

Questions

So after 2 days of south-easterly gales and loads of rain, how come there are so few birds about? All that was at Scatness was a load of Redwing and Song Thrushes, a few Blackcaps, a flock of Barnacle Geese and a Kestrel.

Barnacle Geese

Kestrel

Crex

Not a bad day on the patch today - 4 Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Yellow-browed Warblers, 4 Wheatear, a Kestrel, 2 Slav Grebes (in West Voe), 15 Swallows, 26 Snow Buntings, a Merlin, a Song Thrush and a Redwing. But bird of the day must go to a Corncrake, flushed from a nearby garden this morning.

Corncrake

Kestrel

Lesser Whitethroat

Yellow-browed Warblers

This evening's sunset

Out of the Blue.

A bit of a mixed bag on the patch today, the best of which was a Bluethroat in Brian's garden this morning (which promptly flew off over the wall into the middle of a field !), the only other thing of note during the mornings walkabout was a Lesser Whitethroat. I covered pretty much the same places in the afternoon and now there were definitely new birds in - 3 Siskins in the thistle patch along with a Song Thrush, 4 Lapland Buntings knocking about, at least 2 Whinchats, 7 fly over Snow Buntings, a Jack Snipe in the mires and finally a Kestrel heading south over the road.
It seems like the Redstart finds the garden to its liking, as it was still there this morning.

Kestrel.

Lapland Buntings.

Lesser Whitethroat.

Song Thrush.

Whinchats.

October 30th 2008. Waxwings.

Another day of light (ish) NE winds - all day in South Mainland.

Robin & Kestrel around Sumburgh Farm, Chiffchaff in Toab, Chiffchaff, Robin, Blackcap, Snow Bunting, 20+ Redwing, a late Green Sandpiper and 4 Waxwings at Quendale, Sparrowhawk, 2 Goldcrest, 2 Chiffchaff, Blackcap and a Robin at Geosetter and 3 Snow Bunting on Mossy Hill.

Goldcrest in the Garden + several small flocks of Greylags over the House.


Greylag Geese over the house.

Kestrel & Snow Bunting.

Waxwings.

September 21st 2008. Yellow-browed & NW Redpoll.

Spent the morning around Scatness and most of the afternoon around Virkie and Garth's Ness.

8 Song Thrush, 4 Redstart, 7 Whinchat, 2 Goldcrest, 3 Willow Warbler, 1 Garden Warbler, 1 Yellow-browed Warbler, 4 Moorhen (Ad + 3 juvs), 1 Little Stint, 8 Lapwing, 1 Blackcap, 1 Redwing and a Robin at Scatness.

9 Sanderling and a Whinchat at Scord.

2 Blackcap, 1 Song Thrush and a Red-backed Shrike at Garth's Ness.

1 Marsh Harrier at Hillwell.

North-western Redpoll at Virkie along POV Promenade.

1 Willow Warbler and 2 Blackcaps in the Garden.

3 Angle Shades in Moth Trap last night.


Lapwings.

Kestrel.

Yellow-browed Warbler.

NW Redpoll.