2004 - OCTOBER SIGHTINGS  

30^th October: Back to busy with counts of 40 Wigeon, 7 Teal, Long-tailed Duck, Goosander, 2 Sparrowhawks, Kestrel, 8 Purple Sandpipers, 5 Jack Snipe, 130 Snipe, 200+ Woodcock, 2 Great Skuas, 24 Wood Pigeons, 10 Short-eared Owls, 11 Waxwings, 43 Robins, the Bluethroat, Black Redstart, 2 Whinchats, Ring Ouzel, 570 Blackbirds, 500 Fieldfare, 100 Song Thrushes, 630 Redwing, 2 Lesser Whitethroats, 25 Blackcaps, 11 Chiffchaffs, 22 Goldcrests, Jackdaw, 39 Brambling, 9 Greenfinches, 78 Bullfinches, 80 Snow Buntings, 3 Yellowhammers and 6 Reed Buntings! The Little Grebe is still at South Light!

29^th October: Slightly busier with 40 Wigeon, 54 Teal, 2 Long-tailed Ducks, 5 Goldeneye, Sparrowhawk, 2 Moorhens, 21 Lapwings, 3 Curlew, 10 Wood Pigeons, Long-eared Owl, 2 Short-eared Owls, 16 Waxwings, 34 Robins, 2 Black Redstarts, 440 Blackbirds, 350 Fieldfare, 60 Song Thrushes, 500 Redwing, Lesser Whitethroat, 30 Blackcaps, 9 Chiffchaffs, 13 Goldcrests, Jackdaw, 7 Brambling, 3 Greenfinches, 107 Bullfinches and 4 Reed Buntings.

28^th October: Today’s highlight was a dead Little Auk! Counts included 2 Sparrowhawks, the Moorhen, 131 Turnstone, a Great Skua, 4 Wood Pigeons, a Long-eared Owl, 36 Waxwings, 36 Robins, 540 Blackbirds, 440 Fieldfare, 65 Song Thrushes, 530 Redwing, 29 Blackcaps, 7 Chiffchaffs, 30 Goldcrests, Jackdaw, 53 Brambling and 110 Bullfinches. The Little Grebe is still at South Light.

27^th October: Scarce migrants included the ringed Great Grey Shrike, the Short-toed Lark, what is presumably the same Pallas’s Warbler and a Little Grebe. Numbers remain the same as yesterday with 4 Cormorants, the Moorhen, 62 Redshank, Wood Pigeon, 45 Waxwings, 27 Robins, the Bluethroat, Black Redstart, 2 Whinchats, Ring Ouzel, 220 Blackbirds, 320 Fieldfare, 110 Song Thrushes, 450 Redwing, 7 Blackcaps, 11 Chiffchaffs, 4 Goldcrests, the Jackdaw and 140 Bullfinches.

26^th October: Two Great Grey Shrikes (trapped in double dyke and Springfield) and a Little Bunting were found this afternoon. The morning’s counts included 5 Whooper Swans, 4 Greenland White-fronted Geese, the Slavonian Grebe, ring-tail Hen Harrier, 5 Merlins, 3 Water Rails, 5 Curlew, first-winter Glaucous Gull, 2 Wood Pigeons, 3 Waxwings, 37 Robins, 300 Blackbirds, 270 Fieldfare, 160 Song Thrushes, 550 Redwing, the Lesser Whitethroat, a Garden Warbler, 12 Blackcaps, 6 Siskin, 110 Bullfinches and 7 Lapland Buntings.

25^th October: The Short-toed Lark and Pallas’s Warbler remain. Census produced the Slavonian Grebe, 11 Woodcock, Curlew, 2 Glaucous Gulls (adult and 1w), Wood Pigeon, Long-eared Owl, 60 Waxwings, 25 Robins, Black Redstart, 2 Ring Ouzels, 450 Blackbirds, 700 Fieldfare, 100 Song Thrushes, 800 Redwing, 25 Blackcaps, a few Chiffchaffs, 75 Brambling and 115+ Bullfinches.

Rufous-tailed Robin Photos Deryk Shaw

22^nd October: Today’s highlights were a Slavonian Grebe in North Haven and a Richard’s Pipit in the Wirvie! Other counts included 7 Short-eared Owls, 6 Waxwings, 39 Robins, a new Bluethroat, 2 Black Redstarts, 15 Ring Ouzels, 1500 Blackbirds, 1300 Fieldfares, 340 Song Thrushes, 1700 Redwing, Mistle Thrush, 2 Lesser Whitethroats, 24 Blackcaps, 2 Jackdaws, 72 Brambling, 56 Bullfinches and the possible Arctic Redpoll.

20^th October: An excellent day today with an Olive-backed Pipit at Naaversgill and a possible Arctic Redpoll at the school. However, the day will long live in the memory for the numbers of thrushes with estimated counts of 3 Ring Ouzels, 1200 Blackbirds, 15,000 Fieldfare, 200 Song Thrushes and 7,000 Redwing! Other counts included 9 Long-tailed Ducks, Common Scoter, 4 Water Rails, 40 Woodcock, Wood Pigeon, Long-eared Owl, 90 Waxwings, 6 Dunnocks, 7 Robins, Redstart, a Garden Warbler, 28 Blackcaps, 28 Goldcrests, 9 Chiffchaffs, Rook, 4 Chaffinches, 442 Brambling, 8 Greenfinches, 5 Siskin, 80 Bullfinches, 3 Mealy Redpolls, 5 Yellowhammers and 5 Reed Buntings. The Chestnut-eared Bunting is still showing well. 

19^th October: A slightly better day today, with a few more thrushes around, numbering 100 Blackbirds, 160 Fieldfare, 32 Song Thrushes, 720 Redwing and a Ring Ouzel. Other counts included 2 Woodcock, Long-eared Owl, 25 Waxwings, Ring Ouzel, 8 Blackcaps, 35 Goldcrests, 19 Brambling and 58 Northern Bullfinches. The Chestnut-eared Bunting and Dusky Warbler are still present.

18^th October: A Dusky Warbler was found in Field Ditch mid-morning and although initially giving good views, it soon proved elusive! The Chestnut-eared Bunting is also still showing in the Skadan Crop. Otherwise, fairly quiet with typical autumn migrants including a Long-tailed Duck, 3 Peregrines, 2 Collared Doves, 2 Long-eared Owls, the Richard’s Pipit, the Bluethroat, 30 Waxwings, a similar number of thrushes (80 Blackbirds, 60 Fieldfare, 35 Song Thrush, 210 Redwing), Mealy Redpoll, 100 Northern Bullfinches and 10 Lapland Buntings.

Female Bullfinch   Photos Deryk Shaw

Male Bullfinch

17^th October: Much quieter today, although the Chestnut-eared Bunting is still showing well to the gathering crowds. Counts included 5 Long-tailed Ducks, Common Scoter, the Bluethroat, 22 Waxwings, half of yesterday’s total of thrushes, 37 Bramblings, 7 Siskin, 77 Northern Bullfinches and 10 Lapland Buntings.

Chestnut-eared Bunting All photos Deryk Shaw

15^th October: A good fall of thrushes, Blackcaps and Goldcrests on the west cliffs during the morning with 40 Waxwings and at least 55 Northern Bullfinches for company! The Brent Goose and Corncrake remain as does one Richard’s Pipit and the Little Gull. Two Arctic Terns and a Reed Warbler were new. A presumed Little Bunting is in the Skadan crop.

14^th October: Numbers of thrushes etc remain the same, but a Little Gull in Dutfield was a good rarity. A Little Bunting in the Meadow Burn was also new. Otherwise, the Brent Goose, 2 Richard’s Pipits, 2 Bluethroats and 2 Yellow-browed Warblers are also note-worthy.

13^th October: Much the same as yesterday regarding numbers of migrants, with the Brent Goose, Goldeneye, a Corncrake, 2 Richard’s Pipits and 2 Bluethroats the highlights.

12^th October: A good day, with new arrivals including a Short-toed Lark at Naaversgill, a Little Bunting in Hjukni Geo, a Great Northern Diver in Furse and a Yellowhammer. The Great Grey Shrike was unfortunately found dead at Skerryholm. Counts included 2 Sparrowhawks, 11 Jack Snipe, 11 Woodcock, single Long and Short-eared Owls, 2 Black Redstarts, 4 Whinchats, 86 Blackbirds, 120 Fieldfare, 30 Song Thrushes, 280 Redwing, 2 Mistle Thrushes, the Sedge Warbler, 3 Lesser Whitethroats, 45 Blackcaps, a Yellow-browed Warbler, 10 Chiffchaffs, Willow Warbler, 40 Goldcrests, 19 Brambling and 6 Bullfinches.

11^th October: More migrants today, especially thrushes with counts of 190 Blackbirds, 190 Fieldfare, 53 Song Thrushes, 400 Redwing and a Mistle Thrush. Scarce migrants included the year’s first Great Grey Shrike at Guidicum, a Brent Goose, 3 Yellow-browed Warblers, the Turtle Dove, the two Bluethroats and 5 ‘Northern’ Bullfinches. Other census counts included 13 Jack Snipe, 77 Snipe, 6 Woodcock, Long-eared Owl, House Martin, 5 Tree Pipits, 4 Dunnocks, 7 Robins, 3 Whinchats, 4 Ring Ouzels, 4 Lesser Whitethroats, Whitethroat, 3 Garden Warblers, 50 Blackcaps, 24 Chiffchaffs (inc. 19 ‘abietinus/tristis’ types), 62 Goldcrests, Pied Flycatcher and 115 Brambling.

10^th October: A light south-easterly wind produced a good crop of late migrants with a Marsh Warbler, 2 Yellow-browed Warblers and a Turtle Dove the highlights. Other counts included 3 Water Rails, 13 Jack Snipe, 3 Woodcock, Long-eared Owl, 3 House Martins, 4 Tree Pipits, 4 Grey Wagtails, 5 Robins, the two Bluethroats, Black Redstart, 2 Redstarts, 3 Whinchats, 25 Blackbirds, 19 Fieldfare, 23 Song Thrushes, 82 Redwings, 3 Lesser Whitethroats, 6 Blackcaps, 9 Brambling and 122 Snow Buntings. Highlights on the sea were a Little Auk and Puffin.

9^th October: Flat calm conditions on the sea made ideal sea-watching weather and a Grey Phalarope flew past Buness in the morning (over a Basking Shark!). Over and on land, 3 Whooper Swans, 4 Woodcock, Tree Pipit, 4 Robins, the 2 Bluethroats, 11 Blackbirds, 10 Fieldfare, 18 Song Thrushes, 38 Redwings, 2 Blackcaps and 21 Goldcrests were counted.

8^th October: The Waxwing and Red-backed Shrike remain. New birds included a ring-tail Hen Harrier, a first-winter Glaucous Gull, 2 Sedge Warblers, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Garden Warbler and a Willow Warbler. Over-flying migrants included 7 Whooper Swans, 80 Barnacle Geese and a Great Northern Diver. Counts included 2 Wood Pigeons, 7 Robins, 2 Bluethroats, 2 Dunnocks, 14 Blackbirds, 13 Fieldfare, 30 Song Thrushes, 61 Redwing, Grasshopper Warbler, 25 Goldcrests, a Lesser Redpoll, 2 Mealy Redpolls, 4 ‘rostrata/islandica’ Redpolls and 13 Lapland Buntings.

7^th October: Today’s highlights were a Waxwing at the Shop and a juvenile Red-backed Shrike on the Skadan crop. Visible migration over land and sea included 9 Whooper Swans, 4 White-fronted Geese, 2 Common Scoter, 3 Red-throated Divers and a Great Northern Diver. Census counts included 3 Peregrines, a Tree Pipit, 2 Bluethroats, 2 Stonechats, Ring Ouzel, 51 Song Thrushes, 2 Grasshopper Warblers, 9 Blackcaps and 25 Goldcrests.

6^th October: A day for wildfowl with 3 White-fronted Geese being the highlight. Forty-five Pink-footed Geese, 80 Greylags, 51 Barnacles, 66 Wigeon and 6 Red-breasted Mergansers were also seen. Twenty-two Jack Snipe, 7 Short-eared Owls, the 2 Bluethroats, a late Grasshopper Warbler, 10 Blackcaps, 20 Goldcrests, a Crossbill, 4 Common Rosefinches, 10 Lapland Buntings and 125 Snow Buntings were also found.

5^th October: A Booted Warbler was trapped on the early morning trap round. The Corncrake was seen again and there are now two Bluethroats. Sanderling, 17 Jack Snipe, 3 Short-eared Owls, 3 Redstarts, another Reed Warbler, 24 Bramblings, 8 Linnets, 3 Common Rosefinches, 5 Lapland Buntings, the Ortolan and 4 Reed Buntings were also seen.

Booted Warbler Photos Deryk Shaw

Lanceolated Warbler Ortolan Bunting Photos Deryk Shaw

4^th October: Despite westerly winds, a Lanceolated Warbler was found and trapped in the Gully! A Spotted Crake was in Meadow Burn. Much the same otherwise with 3 Long-tailed Ducks, 2 Red-breasted Mergansers, 3 Merlins, 2 Water Rails, 3 Wood Pigeons, a Reed Warbler and 14 Lapland Buntings.

3^rd October: A Grey Plover was a nice addition to the year list. A Pintail, juv Arctic Tern and Crossbill were also new. Otherwise, the 2 Long-tailed Ducks, 3 Sparrowhawks, Knot, Ruff, 3 Short-eared Owls, the Richard’s Pipit, Tree Pipit, 2 Bluethroats, 6 Redstarts and 2 Yellow-browed Warblers were notable.

2^nd October: Most birds seen today were from yesterday, with the Richard’s Pipit, 2 Bluethroats and 2 Yellow-browed Warblers found. Otherwise, 2 Long-tailed Ducks, a Quail, 2 Woodcock, 20 Jack Snipe, 3 Short-eared Owls, 2 Grasshopper Warblers and a Lesser Redpoll were seen.

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Last modified: 15 August, 2008   Further information about Fair Isle at: www.fairisle.org.uk