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.

Shetland Birding: Fine start then deeply dippy

On Sunday 28th September, after barely a couple of hours sleep we had breakfast on the ferry and we approached Lerwick harbour where the only bird seen ws a male Eider. Ravens and Hooded Crows were also seen and seen throughout the trip being reasonably common and seen several times daily. We then drove to Lock of Tingwall. Parking by the first part of the Loch, revealed little but as we stopped at various parking spaces, the penultimate (last but one space) just before the Golf course revealed the fine male Ring- necked Duck amongst all the Tufted Duck(around 80 birds), a female Goldeneye was also seen and Red Grouse heard calling in the moorland cliff expanse beyond. It started to rain heavily so we dived back into the car. We then drove just south of Lerwick and in a bay just south of Lerwick from a large layby we saw a our first Black Guillemot in winter plumage in the bay, an Otter was seen swimming our way in the bay too. Plus Cormorant and a Shag on a distant rock. Whilst a Fulmar and 10 Gannet flew right. Turnstone and a Curlew over were also seen. We then drove to the Loch of Spiggie, with all the cameras still packed in the boot, it was unfortunate we saw a group of 6 Twite on a fence wires really close and 1 Twite stayed and would have posed nicely for the camera. Earlier on we had seen a flock of 24 Twite fly over a left side field. There was a large hide on the left side of the road. We parked up and entered the hide. We failed to find the Blue- winged teal, but we did see a female Scaup, a male Pochard, there were groups of 5 Whoopers and 3 Whoopers, there were 6 Mute Swans, a Heron, 2+ Snipe by the Loch edge, there was also Teal, Wigeon, Goldeneye, Mallard and Tufted Duck. Reports of a Little Bunting at Quendale Farm had us driving to the spot and our first encounted with Hugh H, who informed us we needed to park at Quendale Mill. We drove down to the Mill buildings and walked back to the Farm, no sign of the Little Bunting, but we walked right a little and other a field with vegetation a fine Wryneck flew and perched on the stone wall. We then walked back to the Quendale Farm near the Mill and a small group was gathered by a wall looking over a weedy area where a fine Willow Warbler was feeding. In the little tree copse surrounded by a stone wall, a Pied Flycatcher was feeding and perched up a few times. 2 Redwing were also seen and House Sparrows seen too. At Maywick Farm area, I spotted a fine Pied Flycatcher perched on a stonewall very briefly before flying into a copse. 8 Twite were seen in the wires and Starlings seen too, however there was no sign of Rustic Bunting. We should have stayed here longer. But instead we went onto another site down the road but there was no sign of the Dusky Warbler or YBW, just 2 Goldcrest seen here too and again no sign of Rustic Bunting. Again with hindsight we shoulf have stayed longer at this site. Back at Lerwick we saw around 15 Oystercatchers. In the evening in the back garden bushes, a male Blackcap was seen in bushes plus our first Shetland Wren of the trip, darker backed and larger, settled and posed briefly on the wall. Whilst down in the bay, c25 Golden Plover seen, a fine mother and calf Bottle- nosed Dolphins seen swimming and occasionally scything through the Loch showing a dorsal fin and their backs. The mother would surface and then the calf would surface.

Shetland birding: Musselborough and the ferry journey starts 26th- 28th September

On Friday 26th September, together with John H., Tony S. and Mick D. we travelled up by car to take the ferry to Lerwick, Shetland. We travelled overnight and by first light on Saturday 27th September, we were at Musselborough estuary, near Edinburgh. A really superb place for birds we saw a close Guillemot in the water below, and 3 Grey Wagtails seen bu the edge. we saw another 2 comprising 3 Guillemots in all. Whilst further out we saw 8 Razorbills. 30 female Red- breasted Merganser as a group on the estuary, c300 Eiders (80% were females). We saw 7+ Velvet Scoters, a male Common Scoter, but disappointingly no sign of the White-winged Scoter. We also saw Cormorant, Gannets flying past c30 (half adult, half juveniles). 8 Wigeon, an Oystercatcher, Curlew, Whimbrel, 200 Bar-tailed Godwits, Dunlin . A Sandwich Tern flew around just offshore. A male Reed Bunting and male Stonechat seen. We later heard it was seen further along the bay near the Marsh Sandpiper site. This was to be my first trip to Shetland for over 40 years! It would prove to be an emotional one too as we would be revisiting some of the places I had visited over 40 years ago with my late mother, originally travelling over on the 5- 8 August in 1985. In 1985 (as now), we had travelled by the ferry from Aberdeen to Lerwick and then there had been near storm force south-east winds in 1985 which has caused a lot of sickness on board. My strategy was to stand on the outside deck and seawatch and it still is the best seawatch I have ever witnessed (not difficult given my recent seawatches, as my late friend Ricky used to say when we hadn't been successful 'the worst seawatch ever!') in 1985, the near gale force winds produced an incredible tally of 2 Cory's Shearwaters (still the only ones I have seen in UK waters), 6 Manx Shearwaters, 20 Bonxies or Great Skua, 15 Arctic Skuas (inc. 3 light phase birds), Puffin, 10 Razorbills, c150 fulmars including 3 Blue Phase birds. Skeins of 300 Barnacle Geese and 500 Pink-footed Geese flew overhead. The next port of call was the Marsh Sandpiper site at Musselborough lagoons. We walked across a field and then through a wood to a concrete hide, looking out were 2 large pools. There were Teal, a Spotted Redshank, 4+ Ruff, 60 Candada Goose, Stock Dove, Mallard, 2 female Pheasant close in by the first pool. Whilst finally at the back pool on the left hand side the pale grey/ white super Marsh Sandpiper was busy feeding and it promptly walked left and out of sight! It went missing for 10 minutes before it was relocated at another large right hand pool, where it fed at the nearside but often obscured by vegetation before it walked around the right hand side to the back always feeding. Returning to 2025, we travelled by ferry standing on the stern of the ship looking back at Aberdeen harbour, we spotted a fantastic Bottlenose Dolphin swimming right of the habour entrance and its dorsal fin and back were seen several times when if 'furrowed' through the water. On the Ferry journey at the start we saw up to 8 Razorbills, I saw a fine Manx Shearwater shearing over the water over to the right (my first since 2021 and sightings at tenby). , Fulmar and 5 Kittiwake. We then had the ship's fish and chips meal which was OK and then we retired to our pods for the night in Cabin no 1. Big mistake, the pods are basically reclining chairs but I didn't get a lot of sleep maybe 3 hours tops and even less on the return journey, always book a cabin, more expensive but worth it. The sleep deprivation wasn't helped as we were situated 2nd row back from the entrance door to the cabin, which if the door not shut carefully slammed shut with some force guaranteed to wake up anyone fortunate enough to have drifted into sleep.

Very quiet at Corton

On Thursday 25th September before work, I saw a Song Thrush perched on a bush on the north side of the old Corton Sewage works compound. Walking back a Buzzard flew over the copse. Little else seen.

Back to the Winterton Lesser Grey

On Wednesday 24th September, leaving off work at 2.20pm, I went back to Winterton for a second visit to the Shrike this time with plenty of sunshine. As I parked up Mark and his wife drew up behind and we walked up to the Toad pools together, witnessing a family of Stonechats, an adult male and 1 youngster seen in bushes just north of the Totem Pole. A line of 4 people by the posts heralded the rough location of the fine Lesser Grey Shrike, this time perched on a bush. But by the time we reached them the Shrike was on the posts and then spent plenty of time hunting from a bush behind the posts where it caught several insects including a beetle. later on it even coughed up a pellet. It then flew south and behind, before it flew to a bush just north. I was able to sneak up to it using several bushes as cover and it spent some time perched in this bush before eventually flying west right by the western most track. Later it returned to the same bush for around 30 minutes where again I went back using the bushes as cover and I was able to get several pictures, most of which are pictured here. It spent some time hunting from this bush flying down to the ground often catching beetles and Odonata.

Andrew to the rescue (again) with a last gasp Lesser Grey Shrike

On Tuesday 23rd September after missing the Shrike early morning, I tried again after work but didn't park up at Winterton until 5.40pm, so just an hour and ten minutes before sunset. Time was ticking! Directions were vague for the Shrike stating it was just north of the Totem Pole but I couldn't even find the Totem Pole, the Shrike or any birders! Obviously I know the general vicinity of the Totem Pole but no boird or birders! I met a birder coming back from north of the Dunes who said he couldn't find it and he was trying the Southern valley, I then met 2 other birders and I checked Bird Guides which had a new message saying the Shrike was up by the Toad Pool bushes, so we had another mile to walk, we saw a line of 4 birders including Andrew E who had relocated the Shrike and I saw the fine Lesser Grey Shrike, perched on a fence post. I had 10 minutes of reasonable light left seeing the Shrike on fence posts, using them as vantage points to periodically hunt for the ground and was succesful at least several times catching prey and then it then flew slightly south hunting from bushes again catching prey. It was sunlite very briefly but as soon as we arrived the sun went in! A female Stonechat also seen and it appears there are some water in the pools too.

Finally a 2025 Ibis

Early evening on Sunday 21st September, I drove down Marsh Lane and walked up the Share Marsh Track and by the pool west of the track, Mark spotted the excellent Glossy Ibis feeding, it then flew back a little and and out of sight.