📖 Shetland 2026 : 09/10/26

The final full day of our Shetland Tour 2026 turned out to be the absolute highlight of the trip, delivering visible migration at its absolute finest. From the moment light broke, thousands of thrushes descended from the skies in every direction. The air was filled with the distinct calls of Redwings, punctuated by the odd Fieldfare and even Ring Ouzel, a few Bramblings were also in the mix.

Sumburgh Head Lighthouse

We originally planned to travel north across the mainland, but the sheer volume of birds kept us grounded in the south. We began at Sumburgh Head, where the influx was in full swing. Word spread quickly when a Black-throated Thrush dropped into the Sumburgh Hotel gardens, triggering a rapid gathering of birders, though the bird departed before our arrival and left nearly everyone frustrated. Nearby at Sumburgh Head Lighthouse, we encountered an unusually secretive Little Bunting staying hidden low in the high grass, but patience paid off with a few record shots before moving on.

Little Bunting at Sumburgh Head.

Every field and stretch of grassland across the area seemed to hold hundreds of Redwings, requiring careful scanning of every flock. At Fleck, we had good scoped views of an American Golden Plover resting alongside European Golden Plovers. Being so close to Boddam, we made a quick return trip to check on yesterday’s Bluethroat, which proved far more cooperative this time around and showed exceptionally well.

Bluethroat - Better views on our return visit.

We wrapped up the day back at Hoswick as the light began to fade. After returning to our accommodation, a final scan around the Orca Inn revealed that fresh migrants were still trickling in. Watching three birds drop into a nearby sycamore initially looked like a trio of Blackbirds, but a closer look revealed one to be a striking male Ring Ouzel—a fitting end to an unforgettable day in Shetland.

An interesting-looking Ring Ouzel at Hoswick - My final species of the day.