SHETLAND-1ST-9TH OCTOBER 2022

Its that time again when the annual pilgrimage to the Shetlands begins, and this was my fifteenth consecutive year visiting these wonderful slands. We had a great week yesterday but missed out on a first for Britain, least bittern, whilst being stuck on Unst, which was an absolute killer, as the bird was taken into care before we could get there. Oh well, they"ll be another!!!!

Anyway, we had a good week and saw over 120 species of birds during our stay, which was good as there were hardly any common migrants about, and birding from dawn till dusk was hard going, and the weather was shocking on most days. Below are a few of the birds we managed to see:

Olive-Backed Pipit-Brae

Pechora Pipit-Hillswick

Lanceolated Warbler-Wester Quarff 

White's Thrush-Lerwick

Dusky Warbler-Quendale

Magpie at Sandness is only the second record for Shetland, with the previous record on Fair Isle in 1987.

Glaucous gull-Lerwick Harbour

Great Grey Shrike (Homeyer's)??? -Hillswick-Mainland

Ortolan Bunting-Unst

Glosy Ibis-Unst

Yellow Browed warbler

Hooded Crow

Garden Warbler

Wood Warbler

Myrtle Warbler-Bigton

Swainson's Thrush-Yell

Eastern Stonechat-Saxicola maurus-Quendale

Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll-Toab-Mainland

Red Grouse-Bressay

Great Spotted Woodpecker

A good week, really birdwise, but gutted. I missed the least bittern, and we were only birding five minutes away from the male Siberian thrush when it was found, which was suppressed 🤬 until it went dark and news was put out!

Oh well, Ill be back again next year because I bloody love it!

BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER-BRYHER-ISLES OF SCILLY-15/10/2022

News broke early afternoon on the 13th of October that a first-winter male Blackburnian warbler had been found at Popplestone Fields on Bryher, Isles of Scilly. This species has been recorded on just three previous occasions: 

2009-Outer Hebrides-St Kilda,Hirta, probably a first-winter male, 12th to 14th September.

1988-Shetland-Fair Isle-Furse, first-winter male, 7th October.

1961-Pembrokeshire-Skomer-Age and sex uncertain, 5th October.

This was an absolute mega bird, and there has never been a twitchable one in Britain before. I couldn't go the next day due to work commitments, but thankfully the bird went to roost on Friday night, so plans were made to visit the archipelago the next morning with Dave Mack.

I left Little Sutton at 4.00am, and we arrived at Penzance Heliport for 9.00am, and there was no news on the bird, and then news came out; there was no sign! You know that feeling you get when you feel a major dip coming on!🤬 Thankfully news came out from my good friend Higgo on the islands that the bird was still there just before we boarded the helicopter😜

We were off!

We soon arrived and got picked up by Higgo at the St. Marys airport, and we made our way down to the quay and boarded the boat to Bryher.

The short walk across the island and we arrived with the bird being picked up immediately among the masses watching it!

What a bird!

The next couple of hours were spent watching this magical bird. I couldn't believe how well it was showing! I never thought this little Jem would be on my list and would be so easy to see.

ME AND THE MACK!ITS ON!

We left the bird around 3.30pm and started the long journey home and arrived back in Cheshire just after 10.30pm. What a day, and what a bird! Typically, as I sit here writing this, the bird is still showing well a week later! Don't no what the rush was😎

 

                                    

HOODED MERGANSER-TATTON PARK-20TH JANUARY-8TH FEBRUARY 2021

The belated news of a Hooded Merganser at Tatton park in January 2021 has been accepted by the BBRC. The bird, a first winter male was present from 20th January to 8th February and apparently arrived with an influx of Goldeneye.

BIRDGUIDES PHOTO OF THE WEEK:17TH-23RD OCT 2022

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BIRDGUIDES REVIEW OF THE WEEK:17TH-23RD OCT 2022

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