BOOTED IT FOR THE BOOTED EAGLE-BUT NO SIGN!

Leaving Shetland yesterday afternoon with news that the Booted Eagle was still in the area, Dan Pointon and I headed south, collecting Owen Parsons from Cheshire en route. We drove through the night and arrived at the site shortly before 08:00, securing a favourable vantage point from which to watch the area should the eagle remain present.

Despite waiting throughout the day, the eagle failed to reappear. Raptor interest was nevertheless steady, with numerous Common Buzzards recorded, along with a Red Kite, Marsh Harrier, and a Merlin. Offshore movement was also productive, with good numbers of large shearwaters passing; both Cory’s and Manx Shearwaters were noted off Pendeen before dusk.

This represented the third Booted Eagle occurrence in Cornwall this year, though none of the birds have lingered for long. The species has a controversial history in Britain and Ireland. A pale-morph immature that ranged widely between 1999 and 2000 is currently placed in Category D, reflecting reasonable doubt over its natural occurrence. This assessment was influenced by factors such as its timing of arrival, prolonged stay, plumage condition, and the long-standing—though largely unsubstantiated—suggestion that Booted Eagles are reluctant to cross large expanses of open water.

With no further sightings reported, we opted to stay overnight in Penzance in case the eagle returned the following day. By lunchtime, however, hopes had faded, and we redirected our efforts to the Lizard Peninsula, where we were rewarded with excellent views of a juvenile Rose-coloured Starling.

Further stops added to the day’s interest. At Helston, two Firecrests were located, while a Mediterranean Gull was present on the boating lake.

With still no news of the eagle, we began the long journey north, pausing at Dawlish Warren. Here we encountered a small group of Cirl Buntings—a male, a female, and two juveniles—feeding confidingly on the golf course, providing outstanding views of a species I had not seen for several years

Dan and Owen photographing the Cirls

As dusk fell once again, we finally turned for home. No Booted Eagle this time—but there will be another.

SHETLAND 2024 DAY 7

Waking up this morning, a pale-morph juvenile Booted Eagle was seen over Nanquidno in Cornwall yesterday.

Botted Eagle (Jim Waterman)

After the dark morphs were observed over Cape Cornwall on May 20th and Nanquidno on September 2nd, neither birds were seen again. Dan Pointon and I were prepared to leave Shetland if the bird was spotted again, so we continued with our day. During the morning, we saw a Cattle Egret along with two Purple Sandpipers, both of which showed well.

Cattle Egret

News broke late in the morning that the Botted Eagle had been relocated by some local birders. It had been seen intermittently around Land's End, with the last sighting recorded at 1:45 PM. We had booked our flights for a late afternoon departure back to the mainland, and we decided we had to give it a try, even though there had been no sightings after 1:45 PM. 

We returned to our accommodation to pack, and just as we were leaving, we received news that a White-Winged Scoter had been spotted north of Lerwick. We quickly drove north and soon found the bird, which was showing well with a group of Eiders.

White Winged Scoter

After enjoying good views of the bird, we headed to the airport and left after another great week of birding on Shetland!

SHETLAND 2024 DAY 6

The weather was dreadful today with a strong northerly wind and torrential rain. News broke that a Bluethroat had been found at Channerwick, so we headed there and had good views.

The afternoon was spent birdwatching from the car due to the weather, but we did manage to see a Lapland Bunting by the side of the road, which showed really well.

The weather finally cleared up by evening, offering stunning views of the Northern Lights.

SHETLAND 2024 DAY 5

I spent the morning in the accommodation because I had a Microsoft Teams interview online, while the others headed out. During my interview, news broke that a Common Nighthawk had been spotted by the side of the road on the island of Yell. Panic set in because I needed this bird for my British list. After my interview, I quickly went to the airport to rent a car for the day and headed north. When I arrived at the ferry terminal in Toft, I learnt that the bird was actually a Nightjar! Unbelievable! Earlier in the day, a Pallas's Warbler had also been found, so I decided to go there and was rewarded with great views of the bird.

Pallas's Leaf Warbler

Late afternoon was spent at the Loch of Spiggie, where I connected with a Scaup and a Slavonian grebe.

SHETLAND 2024 DAY 4

This morning was spent on the west side of the mainland. A few migrant birds were seen after a full day's birding: 6 blackcaps, 8 yellow-browed warblers, and a Siberian chiffchaff.

Siberian Chiffchaff

The wind has really picked up this afternoon, making it challenging to find birds. However, before dusk, we connected with a returning juvenile White-fronted Goose and observed Pink-footed Geese at Loch of Spiggie.

SHETLAND 2024 DAY 3

This morning was once again spent in the southern part of the mainland, around Sumburgh and Grutness. It was very quiet, with only two Blackcaps and four Yellow-browed Warblers seen. Late in the morning, we received news that a Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler had been spotted at Garth, further north, so we headed in that direction. The bird eventually showed itself very well, marking my third sighting of this species in Britain. It didn't disappoint and performed nicely for the crowd, occasionally perched up in the low vegetation.

After cracking views of the bird, we made our way to Kergord, where we connected with an olive-backed pipit, which showed really well. The bird was foraging in low vegetation, and then it flew up into a tree.

The wind had clearly changed by late afternoon and gone from a southeasterly to a westerly. News came out just before dusk that an Arctic Warbler was showing well south of Lerwick, so we headed there and got great views.

Another great day birding on Shetland!

SHETLAND 2024 DAY 2

Today was spent at the south end of the mainland, where we connected with eleven yellow-browed warblers and a red-breasted flycatcher. A quiet day, really, but we put the miles and steps in.

Red-breasted flycatcher

Migrants were scarce, but we did have sightings of Blackcap, Lesser Whitethroat.

2 Great Northern Divers were also seen at Scousburgh.

 

SHETLAND 2024 DAY 1

Just after 7.30am, John Pegden, Neil Bostock, and I arrived in Lerwick. We immediately picked up the weekly rental car and drove directly to Clickimin Loch, which is just outside of Lerwick, where we were able to see a Barred Warbler up close.

Further down the road, we had crippling views of a Little Bunting.

After hearing that a Paddyfield Warbler had been discovered on Unst, we picked up Dan Pointon, who was already waiting for us on the island, and set out. After a few quick views of it foraging low, the paddyfield finally appeared after a good hour.

Paddyfield twitch

In addition, a Lanceolated warbler, which had been there for a few days and was my fifth for Shetland, was visible at the bottom of the field.

What a beauty!

A Common Rosefinch was also present on site 

The first day on Shetland was fantastic. At Sumburgh Lighthouse, where we were staying, we spent the evening catching up, enjoying some wonderful food, and sipping whisky.

Sumburgh Lighthouse, where we are staying

Shetland team 2024

SHETLAND 2024

I set the alarm early this morning as I wanted to get up to Aberdeen and do some birding before I got on the ferry to Lerwick on my annual pilgrimage to Shetland.I left the Wirral at 4.00am and made good progress north and arrived at Cameron reservoir in Fife just after 11.30am, where I was hoping to see a spotted sandpiper that had been present for the last couple of days. The juvenile showed well on arrival at the north end of the dam and was a good addition to my Scottish list.

Spotted Sandpiper

Cameron Reservoir

Moving on from here, I called in at the Montrose basin in Angus, where a good variety of bird species were seen. My target bird was the Kingfisher, which I needed for my Scottish list, and it didn't take long to find one perched up low in the willows.

A good afternoon birding before meeting up with John Pegden and Neil Bostock on the boat to Lerwick.

Leaving Aberdeen on the overnight ferry to Lerwick