Shetland Birding: Gales, Northern Lights & Siberian Thrush!

On Monday 29th September, as we drove south only 20 minutes into our ride I spotted a super Merlin on the right mobbing a Hooded Crow but as were on the main road we couldn't stop. We returned to Lock Tingwall, where we parked in the furthest pull in (nearest the goldf course) and scanning amongst the 20 Tufted Duck present and in better weather we had much better more prolonged views of the male Ring- necked Duck (& for Tony it was his first view as her had missed it when the rain had suddenly came lashing down last time we were here!), we heard Red Grouse calling from the moorland opposite. In our usual bay near Lerwick I spotted a male Goldeneye on the sea and a close Fulmar flew by, We had 5 Shag and 1 Cormorant on a distant samll rock. We also saw 2 Tysties or Black Guillemots on the sea here too plus an adult Kittiwake flew by. Back at the Loch of Spiggie as we were driving down to the hide on the left a flock of 30 Twite flew over the weeds. From the hide we saw 6 Whooper Swans and Snipe. Back at Quendale Mill we checked the small copse where over on the left side a Shetland Wren show well by a wall, Goldcrest seen too plus 6 Siskin (2 males and 4 females) A male Blackcap seen too. I a stone walled compund just left of the small plantation a Willow Warbler briefly seen.. Chiff- Chaff also seen. plus in a nearby field, 17 Oystercatchers in another 7 Curlews, whilst Hooded Crow and Raven flew over at the back. We then drove to Scatsca Plantation where 150 birders amassed for a Siberian Thrush, it flew 4X and every time we were in the wrong place. 1 Garden Warbler, 1 female Blackcap and groups of 4, 2, 3, and 2 Bramblings seen in the tall trees to the left. On Tuesday 30th September, first thing we looked into the bay and a fine Great Northern Diver was seen fishing, there were also 3 female Red- breasted Mergansers fishing near the island to the left. Over the farside to the left, we saw 2 Otters playing by the seaweed. 5 then 15 Rock Doves flew up the valley. Curlew seen and a fine Merlin flew by. Early evening, we walked down the hill after the high winds had subsided, we saw Gannet flew right over the bay and Mallard seen too plus we saw up to 4 Tysties or Black Guillemots in the bay. back on the island we saw 4 Knot, 2 Dunlin, a Meadow Pipit flew up and perched on the wall and finally a Snipe flew up from a ditch we walked past. At around 10am, Mick had an Aurora alert and he and I went outside to try and get some pics, I quickly googled for help and Mick gave me some invaluable tips too. I used my standard Canon camera using the lowest aperture I Had F5.6 ( I would have preferred F2.8 and a wide angle full frame camera but I don't have those. I set the exposure setting to 20 seconds and attached the camera to the tripod and set it up outside trying to get the bay 1/3 and 2/3 of sky aiming near the light areas of cloud. As it was still very windy and I had to sttreadily hold the tripod down and I got a couple of half decent pics on my first attempt. The pics showed the green and pinks of the Northern Lights/ Aurora. On October 1st, another wet and windy day, 17 Curlew flew across the garden and up the valley. At Lerwick taking the road from Tesco's Superstore, by Lerwick harbour/ back, a line of rocks included a Feral Pigeon seen, 2 Turnstone, up to 5 Rock Pipit, 3 Meadow Pipit that flew up and settled on a fence. We eventually spotted the fine Purple Sandpiper feeding amongst the seaweed encrusted rocks and 6 Gannets flew over the sea. At Scatsca Plantation, 1+ Yellow- browed Warblers heard calling and the bird was seen in the low bushes by the path by me . Brambling, Goldcrest and 9 House Sparrow seen. On our approach to eshaness, we eventally picked out the fine Glossy Ibis by the pools near the road, but the car was surrounded by 3 Shetland Ponies and 1 tried to grab Tony's jumper and arm and even tried to eat John's passenger door handle! A quick getaway was required! On October 2nd, At Scatsca planatation we walked around and we finally saw the calling Yellow- browed Warbler low down in trees near the start of the walk plus Brambling, Goldcrest and 9 House Sparrows seen. A tour party found a Sedge Warbler by the pool and I briefly saw the Sedge Warbler on the island then flew to the reedy edge on the bank behind it. We then heard about a second 1st winter Siberian Thrush this time we parked at Scallowway Caravan park and joined about 80 birders gathered around the edge of Loch Asta (next door to Loch Tingwell) Going down a bank by Loch Asta and past a wooden hut and looking at a thicket starring into bushes and specifically Elderberry bushes. We saw a male Siskin, Song Thrush and Goldcrest and 5 Starling in these bushes whilst 5 Greylag Geese were on the loch. People were gathered alongside a fieldside the other side. After an hour or so it was apparent they were seeing the bird so we all went round and joined them, I knelt down in front of the crowd and although I didn't see the bird in the bush I did see the excellent 1st winter Siberian Thrush showing the excellent zebra black and white underwing flying back along the thicket. We then went back to our former position and this time we saw a slightly more prolonged view of the excellent 1st winter Siberian Thrush, black plumage, whiter below the indertail coverts and zebra black and white underwing. As it flew right low across the glade then wheeled round and flew across the road. A Red grouse was heard from the moorland opposite. A visit to a plantation on the way back to our accomodation by the crossroads and the ferry to Whalsay. A Sparrowhawk flew over, 3 Raven seen and Wren and Goldcrest heard.