Sir Lancy

Over three hours thrashing the patch today  - nowt! Three hours for 3 Ruff and 2 Blackcaps!
Just off the patch at the Sumburgh Hotel there was a Lanceolated Warbler, so I nipped across the bay to have a squint at that.
Initially it was showing like this -

 

And then a bit better -

 

Then even better - 

 

And finally in the hand -

And today's birds from Scatness -

Blackcap

Ruff

Persistence Pays Off.

Getting up this morning I wasn't too optimistic about there being any birds around (westerly gales for most of the night), however, 2 Blackcaps and 2 Garden Warblers in the garden indicated that something had happened. At 9am set out down the Scatness road - 2 Bramblings in the secret spud crop and a Short-eared Owl over towards West Voe of Sumburgh, that was pretty much it, apart from the 2 Pink-footed Geese still and a fly over Merlin. After 3 hours started to head back home, stopping to do the thistles and docks near Moast beach again, on the second sweep through flushed a small locustella from a small patch of docks, them lost it in the thistles for 90 minutes before flushing it again, this time I was pretty sure it had to be a Lancy, but on flight views only that's a pretty bold claim !! After eventually getting in touch with 'Bentos' and 'Gumbol', managed to get some help in pinning the bird down. After another 2 hours or so, with 5 of us walking back and to through the thistles and docks (SM,RF,GB,MR,AM), the bird gave reasonable views and a few shots were taken and we were all quite happy that it was indeed a Lanceolated Warbler ! I've walked through those thistles nearly every day since the end of August and apart from a few Meadow Pipits, Skylarks and a Song Thrush, this is the only bird I've seen in there.
Another bird of note was a rather fine looking Lapland Bunting on Moast Beach.

Lanceolated Warbler (should be some better shots soon).

A better shot from Gary.

Blackcap.

Brambling.

Lapland Bunting.

September 12th 2008. Great Snipe and Lancy !

The day it all went nuts !!!
Started off the day around Ward Hill - 5 Redstarts, a Tree Pipit and a Pied Flycatcher, then walked down into Quendale Dunes to do the Eel Burn, kicked up a large Pipit from the stubble field next to the Burn and watched as it flew for miles over towards Fleck - the bird never called. 450 Golden Plover and 6 Knot in fields next to the burn.
Got up around Quendale Mill and Valley - 1 Turtle Dove, 1 Spotted Flycatcher, 8 Redstart, 5 Garden Warbler, 2 Pied Flycatcher, 7 Whinchat and 1 Tree Pipit.
Then walked back through the Dunes with the intention of checking Toab on the way home, however, at the eastern end of Quendale Dunes, whilst checking the thistle patches, flushed a Great Snipe from right next to me !!! Watched it as it flew low for about 100 yards before landing in some rough grass, 5 minutes later i flushed it again, this time it seemed to land behind a large dune - I then waited for other birders to arrive before trying again, but despite 4 people searching, we couldn't re-locate it. 4 Redstart and 2 Whinchat in the Dunes.
Went home for some lunch, then news came of Lanceolated Warbler at Sumburgh Head - dashed out and managed to see it before rain finally stopped play.
3 Song Thrush, 1 Robin, 1 Pied Flycatcher, 1 Spotted Flycatcher, 3 Redstart and a Garden Warbler in the garden.


Redstart (taken through the living room window) & Lanceolated Warbler.

Knots.