October 15th 2008. A tale of two Titties.

At last, scored both the Coal Tit and the Long-tailed Tit !!

Coal Tit seen well, but briefly, in Toab at about 9am. The bird went missing for the rest of the day until about 5pm.

Excellent views of the Long-tailed Tit in the Sumburgh Hotel Garden at about 4.30pm, looking very out of place in the four stunted Sycamores.

Other stuff - Red-breasted Flycatcher, 40+ Fieldfare and 120+ Redwing at Levenwick, and Pied Flycatchers in Lerwick and Hoswick.


Long-tailed Tit.

Red-breasted Flycatcher.

Red-breasted Flycatcher & L.O.T.S.W. Team having a tea break.

October 14th 2008. White's Thrush & a pair of Tits.

Good views of the White's Thrush in Kergord - Several times in flight and once perched up in a Larch tree in the sun (this is my 5th White's Thrush in Shetland and my 7th in th U.K.), also in Kergord - 1 Pied Flycatcher, at least 1 Yellow-browed Warbler, 4 Blackcaps, a Merlin and a Crossbill.

Left Kergord for the real Shetland Megas - a Long-tailed Tit at Sumburgh Head and a Coal Tit at West Voe of Sumburgh car park (both rarer than White's Thrush up here) - dipped them both !!

October 13th 2008. Richard's Pipit.

A desperate day around South Mainland.

Chiffchaff and Goldcrest in the Garden.

A Pink-footed Goose and a flighty Richard's Pipit at Toab.

Grey Wagtail, 4 Blackcaps, Reed Warbler, 3 Song Thrush and a Goldcrest at Quendale.

4 Chaffinch, a Brambling, a Whinchat and 2 Redwing at Exnaboe.

5 Brent Geese on Pool of Virkie.


Goldcrest & Hooded Crow.

Pink-footed Goose.

October 11th 2008.

39 Barnacle Geese flew North over the House (in a South-westerly gale), male Blackcap in the Garden.

October 9th 2008.

Chiffchaff and Sparrowhawk in the garden.

Sparrowhawk (munching House Sparrow).

October 8th 2008. Little Bunting.

Most of the day around South Mainland.

Blackcap, Kestrel and Arctic Tern seen from the house, Lesser Whitethoat and Blackcap at Grutness, Wheatear and Otter near Sumburgh Airport, 4 Blackcap, Whinchat and Goldcrest at Quendale, 2 Snow Bunting, Little Bunting, Blackcap and Chaffinch around Sumburgh Head, 3 Grey Plover and 2 Knot at Scatness.
Small groups of Redwing seen at most places.


Snow Bunting.

Redwing & 'Shetland' Wren.

October 6th 2008. Long-eared Owl.

Another day around south Mainland.

3 Grey Plover, 2 Knot and a Bonxie at Scatness.

Barred Warbler at Exnaboe.

2 Slavonian Grebes in Quendale Bay.

Long-eared Owl at Quendale Mill.

Long-eared Owl.

October 5th 2008. Little Auks.

Wandered around south Mainland for most of the day - still blowing a north-westerly gale.

2 Little Auk and 3 Arctic Tern in Quendale Bay.

29 Barnacle Geese, 54 Pink-footed Geese, 3 Whooper Swan and 2 Purple Sandpiper at Scatness (+ lots of gulls feeding off Moast Beach).

Female Pintail and Merlin at Sumburgh Farm.

Blackcap in Garden.


Herring Gulls.

Barnacle Geese.

October 4th 2008. Snow !

31 Pink-footed Geese and 18 Barnacle Geese flew south over the house, Arctic Tern in Quendale Bay.
Northerly gale with snow and hail showers all day !!


Pink-footed Geese.

October 2nd 2008. Arctic Redpoll.

All day spent on Unst.

Stunning views of the Arctic Redpoll with 6 Common Redpoll at Valyie (+ a couple of Lesser Whitethroats), 4 Chiffchaffs at Skaw, a Snow Bunting on Lamba Ness (hundreds of Gannets offshore), Common Redpoll in the crop at Northdale with 2 Goldcrest, 15+ Goldcrest, 6 Blackcap, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, a Yellow-browed Warbler and a Chiffchaff at Haligarth.
Failed to locate the American Golden Plover at Baltasound.

Arctic Redpoll.

Common Redpoll & Golden Plover.

Gannets off Lamba Ness.

October 1st 2008. Hawfinch.

Most of the day around South Mainland.

25 Pink-footed Geese flew south over the house at 8am, 40+ Redwing in the area.

400+ Golden Plover and a Ruff at Fleck.

A Chiffchaff and a Yellow-browed Warbler at the end of Garth's Ness.

Grey Wagtail, 2 White Wagtail and Hawfinch at Quendale.

Sparrowhawk and Robin at Geosetter.

Marsh Harrier around the Ringasta/Hillwell area.


Hawfinch.

Marsh Harrier.

White Wagtail & Yellow-browed Warbler.