Garden Purple Patch 2013

A few choice birds from the garden in 2013 -
Blyth's Reed Warbler - Present from the 21st to the 24th September -

Subalpine Warbler - Present on 28th May - 

Red-breasted Flycatcher # 1 - Present on 28th May with the Subalp.

Red-breasted Flycatcher # 2 - Present from 2nd - 3rd October.

Gull-billed Tern - Although not in the garden, I did get it on the house list by 'scoping it from the garage roof - present around Loch of Gards, on and off, from 27th to 31st July.

Top Garden Day

A quick look around the garden at eight this morning, and all there was, was a Chiffchaff and a Willow Warbler. Headed out to do the patch at the back of nine, had another quick look around the garden, now a female Subalpine Warbler there ! After spending an hour or so trying to get some photos, went off and did the rest of the patch, despite walking all the walls, cliffs and gardens - nothing ! Got back to the house and had a quick look for the Subalp again, still present but a bit skulky, but now a Red-breasted Flycatcher bouncing around the lawn -  garden tick ! (the Subalp wasn't).

Red-breasted Flycatcher

Subalpine Warbler

Subalpine Warblers in Shetland - Spring 2009.

As there seems to be some confusion as to the races of, and how many Subalpine Warblers have been in Shetland this year - here's my take on it -

The first one was found at Scatness by PVH on 22/4/09 and remained there until the 25/4/09, this bird was considered to be a 'cantilans', tho' some information services carried the news as an 'albistriata' for reasons known only to themselves.
Photos here - http://shetlandmisfit.blogspot.com/2009/04/subalp-overdose.html
and here - http://www.robfray.co.uk/?p=368

The second Bird was found on Foula by GA on 17/5/09 and remained there until 19/5/09, the photos, taken by Russel Wynn, seem to indicate that this bird is a 'cantilans'.
Photos here - http://www.nature-shetland.co.uk/naturelatest/pics09/subalp1-rw.jpg
and here - http://www.nature-shetland.co.uk/naturelatest/pics09/subalp2-rw.jpg

A third bird was then found at Scousburgh by JND and was trapped and ringed in his garden - biometrics show this bird to be an 'albistiata'.
Photo by RR here - http://www.nature-shetland.co.uk/naturelatest/pics09/subalp1-rr.jpg

On 21/5/09 a fourth bird was found on Fair Isle by DF, the photo on the Fair Isle website shows that this bird may be a 'moltonii', tho' i'm not sure whether the bird was ever heard to call or sing.
Photo by JAB here - http://www.fairislebirdobs.co.uk/Sightings/2009/Jack_Ashton-Booth/Sub-Alp%20EDIT%202.jpg

A fifth bird was then found by RMF, again at Scatness on 22/5/09 and was still present on 28/5/09. This bird was heard to make a rather Wren like 'trrrrt' on the 22nd (RMF, SJM) and on the 28th (SJM, JN), tho' the significance of this wasn't picked up on at the time. This bird is now considered to be of the race 'moltonii'.
Photos here - http://shetlandmisfit.blogspot.com/2009/05/another-subalp.html
and here - http://www.robfray.co.uk/?p=392

Finally (maybe ?), a sixth bird was found on Unst at Skaw on 1/6/09 (RB) and is still present at the time of writing, this bird was identified as a 'moltonii' from calls and song by MGP.
A good selection of photos and sound recordings appear on the 'nature-shetland' page here -
http://www.nature-shetland.co.uk/naturelatest/latestbirds.htm

Another Sub-alp.

All day surveying (and more Arctic Hares), then a mad dash to Unst in the evening for the Subalpine Warbler at Skaw (more on this soon).

Subalpine Warbler.

Midge Bloom.

Arctic Hare.

Scatness.

A few hours on the patch between surveys - last weeks Subalpine Warbler remains, now sub-singing and being generally secretive, 102 Sanderling and the 1st summer Iceland Gull were on Moast Beach - not much of a beach at the moment, as it is covered in rotting seaweed about 4 foot deep ! Just missed a 1st summer Little Gull on the Loch (moved off towards West Voe about 10 minutes before I arrived).


Subalpine Warbler.

Sanderling.

Arctic Terns.

Iceland Gull.

Herring Gull.

Another Subalp.

Spent the morning surveying on the hills 'up north' (until the heavens opened) - 19 Arctic Hares, several pairs of Greylag Geese and 3 pairs of Red-throated Divers were the only things of note. Male Stonechat at the roadside at Brig o' Fitch. Back at Scatness a male Subalpine Warbler was in the exact same garden as the one in April - that's now 3 Subalps at Scatness in the last year (inc the one in the Garden on 26th May 2008).

Subalpine Warbler.

Arctic Hares.

Stonechat.

Greylag Geese.

Subalp overdose.

Most of the morning spent at Scatness with the Subalpine Warbler, which was showing stupidly well in the sunshine - also at Scatness - 1st summer Iceland Gull, 7 Swallows, 9 Whimbrel and 2 Lesser Whitethroats. Lesser Whitethroat still in the Garden.


Subalpine Warbler.

Subalpine Warbler.

Subalpine Warbler.

Subalpine Warbler.

Subalpine Warbler.

Subalpine Warbler.

Black-headed Gull.

Starling.