Monday October 7th 2024...
Today, I secured a booking for the ferry to Unst, the UKs most northerly island. Despite being as far north as southern Greenland, Unst is highly accessible, boasting smooth, modern roads and regular vehicle ferries heading north. To reach Unst, you must pass through Yell, the second largest of the Shetland Islands. There are scheduled daily ferries that operate frequently between Toft (Mainland) and Ulsta (Yell), as well as between Gutcher (Yell) and Belmont (Unst). It is advisable to allocate 30 minutes for the drive between Ulsta and Gutcher.
I headed straight to Valyie at the northern end of Unst, where a Paddyfield Warbler had been sighted for several days in a crop field. A Lanceolated Warbler was also spotted nearby. Upon arrival, I found about twenty birders observing the crop field. Across the track, a few large lenses were mounted next to a wall, seemingly in anticipation of the Lanceolated Warbler's emergence.
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Paddyfield Warbler - Special thanks to Martin Joyce, a friend from my Brandon Marsh days, for capturing this excellent image the day before my visit. |
Resembling a Reed Warbler with a more pronounced eye-stripe, the Paddyfield Warbler is a rare visitor. Observations are mostly recorded during the autumn, particularly from up in the Northern Isles. It's breeding range extends from Romania to Mongolia, while it winters from Iran to China.
I devoted roughly 90 minutes here before a heavy shower, enjoying sporadic but occasionally clear sightings of the Paddyfield Warbler as it emerged between gaps or momentarily perched on the crops. This was a 'lifer' for me!! Regarding the Lanceolated Warbler, it remained elusive throughout my visit, so I am thankful for the outstanding views I had of one in Shetland back in 2021.
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Common Rosefinch - A quick encounter! |
Overnight, there was a significant influx of thrushes, mainly Redwings and Blackbirds, observed in the surrounding trees as I anticipated the Paddyfield Warbler's emergence. Among them, a Ring Ouzel swiftly dropped down and crossed the adjacent fields before disappearing from view. Shortly after, a bird zipped into the sycamores behind me and perched on a branch. To my delight, it was a Common Rosefinch; I managed to snap a few photos before it flew off again. Other sightings included a Chiffchaff, a Blackcap, and a Brambling. Then news of a Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler came through which had been found back on the mainland at Garth!
The small car ferry from Gutcher (Yell) to Belmont (Unst) |
The chance of spotting another lifer and a bird high on my list was too good to miss, so I opted to try for an earlier ferry back to the mainland. Despite the challenges, I managed to reach Garth an hour before sunset. After parking at the church, I jumped over the fence and joined around twenty other birders on site. Although I'm not keen on 'organized flushes', I was taken aback when, during one, the bird suddenly appeared before me! I concede that the flush was advantageous, as I likely would not have spotted this infamously elusive bird otherwise, which leaves me with somewhat ambivalent feelings but nevertheless another lifer!
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Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler - In the fading light I'm managed a single image. |
Amongst birders, the diagnostic row of white tips on the tail and inner wing feathers of this rare visitor from Siberia mean it is known as a "PG Tips". Most records of Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler come from the Northern Isles, with Fair Isle particularly well represented. The sight of one of these diminutive birds is still enchanting, especially when considering they have journeyed over 3,000 miles from their breeding grounds in the Far East.
Tuesday October 8th 2024...
First stop of the day at Burn of Hjugalswater for Arctic Warbler. |
My day started with an Arctic Warbler at Bridge of Fitch, located in a burn known as Hjugalswater. This sighting would mark my fourth Arctic Warbler since relocating to Scotland in late 2020. Upon my arrival, it was great to catch up with my old birding buddies from Brandon Marsh who were just departing. This is their inaugural visit to Shetland, and they seem to be enjoying an excellent week so far!
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Arctic Warbler - Capturing a photograph of an individual full of energy and constantly on the move proved to be a challenge. |
The Arctic Warbler is a diminutive warbler which boasts a breeding range spanning from Norway to the Bering Strait, reaching into western Alaska. These populations migrate to southeast Asia for the winter. Predominantly, records in Scotland indicate that their arrival is more concentrated in autumn than in spring.
Today was a quieter day for spotting rarities, perhaps due to the very strong winds having a negative impact, so I opted to visit Kergord Woodland again for a stroll. Upon my arrival, it appeared that the Olive-backed Pipit observed on Sunday had been relocated to the opposite side of the woodland. I encountered the Brandon boys' again, who were also searching for the bird, and together we caught brief glimpses of it during our search. I departed soon after for Hoswick. The Snow Bunting continued to visit the Orca car park, and I enjoyed some excellent sightings of a Yellow-browed Warbler, which are abundant around the islands currently, before returning to my accommodation for an earlier finish.
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Yellow-browed Warbler - Along the burn at Hoswick. |
I spent the evening at the Brandon boys' accommodation, reminiscing over takeaway. Later, we went to the local pub, where I had a very enjoyable evening with some familiar faces.
A Few More Images of the Day...
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Rock Dove - But is it a wild one? Great article HERE |
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Dunlin on the shoreline at Hoswick. |
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Rock Pipit - Abundant around the Island. |