Winding Down

Spring is not far off coming to an end, with only a week or so to go. And so it is on the patch, with only 1 Reed Warbler, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Shoveler, 5 Swallow and 2 Golden Plover being seen today. Put the moth trap out last night for the first time this year - 2 Angle Shades, 2 Netted Pugs and a Shears.

Chiffchaff

Angle Shades

Shears

Shove

At long last, finally managed to get Shoveler on the patch yearlist (2 on the Loch), not only that but a fly over Grey Wagtail as a bonus, I'm not sure quite why a Grey Wag would be passing through this late as all my previous records at Scatness have been in either April or October. Elsewhere on the patch - 2 Swallow (around Loch), Reed Warbler (still in the garden) and male Scaup and male Velvet Scoter (West Voe).

Shoveler

Reed Warbler

An extremely pale Reed Warbler in the garden caused a bit of a headache, but it is just a Reed albeit a very pale one. Also on the patch today were 2 Spotted Flycatchers and a Chiffchaff. The Velvet Scoter in West Voe was showing a bit closer.

Reed Warbler

Spotted Flycatcher

Velvet Scoter

Sandwich Tern

A Sandwich Tern on the Loch was an overdue addition to the patch yearlist, elsewhere around the patch there was 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Swallow, 1 House Martin and a calling fly-over Tree Pipit.

Sandwich Tern

V Scot

A male Velvet Scoter was in West Voe this evening, managed to get a record shot before the fog rolled in, it's about time West Voe produced something as throughout the winter it was pretty well birdless.

Sedgie

A Sedge Warbler in the garden this afternoon was a most welcome addition to the patch year list.

Little Stint

A fine summer plumaged Little Stint on the Loch this afternoon, elsewhere just 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 4 Swallows, 1 Whimbrel, 1 Goldeneye and a Brent Goose.

Little Stint

Shortie

Definitely a clear out on the patch with just 2 Whimbrel, 4 Swallows, 20 Purple Sandpiper, 33 Sanderling, 1 Brent Goose, 1 Short-eared Owl and a Chiffchaff.

Purple Sandpiper

Short-eared Owl

Bluethroat

Still a good few birds on the patch - 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 7 Chiffchaff, 4 Whimbrel, 30 Swallow, 4 Reed Buntings, 4 Gadwall, 1 Willow Warbler, 2 Whitethroat, 2 Swifts, 1 Brent Goose and a female Bluethroat - could have been yesterday's bird as it was only 300 yards away, but today's bird looked more well marked, so on balance is probably a different bird. Amazingly a bird race team today saw an adult male in the same place a few hours earlier!

Bluethroat

Swift

Rain

A bit of rain in the morning and the patch was covered with migrants by late afternoon - 4 Lesser Whitethroat, 12 Chiffchaffs, 1 Willow Warbler, 8 Swallow, 2 Grey Heron, 1 Whitethroat, 2 Song Thrush, 1 Brent Goose, 1 Spotted Flycatcher, 1 Garden Warbler, 4 House Martin, 3 Reed Bunting, 1 Whimbrel, 1 Wood Sandpiper, 2 White Wagtail, 1 Short-eared Owl and, bird of the day, a female Bluethroat - not showing very well at all as it was on the cliffs.

Lesser Whitethroat

Short-eared Owl

Wood Sandpiper

Still coming in

Still more migrants coming in to the patch - 10 Swallow, 1 House Martin, 8 Chiffchaffs, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Grey Heron, 4 Whimbrel, 1 Brent Goose, 1 Whitethroat and a Reed Bunting. A Buff-tailed Bumblebee was a first for the patch.

Buff-tailed Bumblebee

Swallow and House Martin

Whitethroat