Easterlies

A few days of easterlies promised so much but delivered very little to the patch, maximums for 7th-9th - 25 Common Tern, 2 Arctic Tern, 5 Whimbrel, 1 Arctic Skua, 2 Garganey, 2 Pintail, 2 Gadwall, 1 Pied Wagtail, 2 Chiffchaff, 4 Siskin, 1 Sand Martin, 9 Swallows, 4 Willow Warblers, female Blackcap, 1 Lesser Whitethroat and 2 Carrion Crows.

Garganey

Common Tern

Gadwall

Siskin

Swallow

Whimbrel

Willow Warbler

A couple of shots of Fitful Head

Some Stuff...

....from last week ('cause I couldn't be arsed to update at the time).

Eider.

Linnet - duly year-ticked at the old pile of rocks

Mute Swans - a flock of 8 were present for one day.

Reed Bunting - 3 males have been around the patch

Red-throated Diver - several in West Voe

Whimbrel.

Willow Warbler in the garden.

Up The Beach.

Another attempt to try and boost the patch year-list with a 3 hour stomp around Scatness in between snow showers and, quite surprisingly, it worked, with 4 Sanderlings on Moast Beach and a Tree Pipit in a nearby garden. A few migrants seem to be braving the conditions - a Chiffchaff in West Voe car park, a Swallow along the cliffs, 5 White Wagtails at various places, a couple of Whimbrel and a Carrion Crow. The male Blackcap remains in the garden, I think, mainly thanks to the Missus putting out sliced tomatoes, which it can't get enough of.


Sanderling.

Whimbrel.

Singles.

Hoping for a Buff-breasted Sand or AGP or something similar, spent the morning around the headland at Scatness, there were birds out on the cliff tops - but everything seemed to be in singles - i.e. one each of Golden Plover, Ruff, Knot, Sanderling and Arctic Tern, the only thing that wasn't in singles was Meadow Pipits, about 150+ per hour heading south and being harassed by a single Merlin. Curiously, late this afternoon, they were moving north at about 45 per hour. Alas, not a sniff of any Yanks.

Golden Plover - doing it's best to try and look rare by being on its own.

Merlin - in hot pursuit.

Sanderling.

Whimbrel - sadly with a white rump.

Whimbrels and other Moorland Birds.

A most pleasant afternoon spent on the moorland in Northmavine, doing the BTO surveys. Golden Plovers, Whimbrel, Red-throated Divers, Dunlins and Great & Arctic Skuas all showing fantastically well in the afternoon sun.


Golden Plover.

Red-throated Diver (note ring on left leg).

Whimbrels.

Whimbrel.

All day spent surveying Whimbrel - this time on a site that actually has some !

Whimbrel.

Having a Cow !

After enduring 3 hours on the Good Shepherd, myself, the BFG and the Whalsay Rapper got to Fair Isle to find that the Brown-headed Cowbird had disappeared from Burkle, tho' after about an hour it did return and eventually gave mega views. Even singing and displaying at times - Bird of the year so far.
Also on Fair Isle - Goldfinch, Tree Pipit and several Whimbrel.
Thanks to Liz at the Haa for putting us up for the night, and Josie from South Light for organizing things while we were on the boat.

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Brown-headed Cowbird.

Goldfinch.

Whimbrel.