2007 - AUGUST SIGHTINGS

August 31st: The Hudsonian Whimbrel remained settled in North Haven/Finniequoy Bay for much of the day before flying north along the east cliffs. May we find it again? The Short-eared Owl, Robin and Barred Warbler were all seen again whilst a Common Sandpiper, Tree Pipit and the first Lapland Bunting of the autumn were all new. Lapland Bunting Photo by Mark Breaks

August 30^th: The Hudsonian Whimbrel was (thankfully) re-found when it flew over the shop calling! It settled along the east coast of the isle but kept very much to the rocky cliff face or small offshore skerries, so could be hard to find. A single Sooty Shearwater was seen offshore and the Shetland twitchers reported another from the Good Shepherd. Arrivals today consisted of Short-eared Owl and House Martin. A Barred Warbler was trapped at Barkland.

Barred Warbler Photo by Mark Breaks

Citrine Wagtail Photo by Mark Breaks

Hudsonian Whimbrel Photo by Deryk Shaw		Hudsonian Whimbrel Photo by Deryk Shaw
Hudsonian Whimbrel Photo by Mark Breaks		Hudsonian Whimbrel Photo by Deryk Shaw
		Hudsonian Whimbrel Photo by Mark Breaks

August 29^th: A few waders around included a couple of Ruff and up to two Spotted Redshank. One Citrine Wagtail remains with c 45 alba wagtails. A Barred Warbler, two Garden Warblers, mealy Redpoll and two Common Rosefinch are all lingerers. Another attempt at a shearwater seawatch before tea actually paid off (but not with any shearwaters) when a pale Whimbrel with a striking head pattern and dark rump was spotted flying along Buness – a HUDSONIAN WHIMBREL. This is the North American race of our Whimbrel, but a good candidate to be given full species status. It is our second record – Ken Williamson and Valerie Thom discovered the first British record here in 1955. Unfortunately it could not be refound after tea but a search tomorrow will hopefully relocate it.

August 28th: An attempt to cash-in on the movement of large shearwaters past North Ronaldsay was made. It produced 6 Sooty Shearwaters, 28 Cormorant and a few Arctic Terns and Kittiwakes. Rubbish! Highlight was in fact 9 White-beaked Dolphins. In-land we had a few bird of note; a Barred Warbler (at last!), 2+ Citrine Wagtails, the Marsh Warbler again, a Song Thrush and a mealy Redpoll. On the warbler front were 3 each of Lesser Whitethroat and Garden Warbler plus 4 Willow Warbler and the 2 summering Chiffchaffs. A Merlin and Peregrine were seen and a late-nesting Puffin carrying fish at North Light. In the evening one of the Citrine Wagtails was trapped when it came in to roost at the Obs with c40 alba wagtails.

Citrine Wagtail Photo by Deryk Shaw

August 27^th: There now appears to be at least two (possibly three) Citrine Wagtails with birds at Setter, Utra Scrape and Easter Lother. Photos show that at least two are different. A mealy Redpoll is new, a Merlin was trapped in Vaadal and 3 Common Rosefinch were seen. A seawatch produced a couple of Sooty Shearwaters, 5 Arctic Skua and 26 Arctic Tern.

August 26^th : A strong NNW wind (and reports of Great Shearwaters from a fishing boat 17m west of here) encouraged us to try sea-watching! Several hours of this gave a combined total of 4 Sooty and one Manx Shearwater plus a handful of Puffins, single Razorbill and Arctic Skua and a dozen Kittiwakes. Little of note on land but 13 Wigeon arrived on the scrape whilst Red-backed Shrike and at least one Common Rosefinch remain.

August 25^th: A pleasant day with a few new birds in but nothing oustanding…..A Marsh Warbler was at Utra and the Citrine Wagtail moved to easter Lother. Counts included 15 Cormorant, 3 Peregrine and a Kestrel, 13 Willow Warbler, two each of Lesser Whitethroat and Common Rosefinch and singles of Ruff, Whinchat, Sedge Warbler, Pied Flycatcher and Red-backed Shrike.

August 24^th: A fairly quiet day. The Citrine Wagtail remains at Setter. Meadow Pipits increased to 116. Eight Cormorants flew by and a Redwing arrived with two Pied Flycatcher, two Common Rosefinch and the Red-backed Shrike also seen.

Eight Harbour Porpoise were spotted off Buness.

August 23^rd: New in today were a Tree Pipit, a flava Wagtail, a Wood Warbler and two Common Rosefinches (joining the bird still present). A Redstart and Pied Flycatcher may be birds from previous days. One Red-backed Shrike remains, as does the Citrine Wagtail.

August 22nd: Highlights today were a flyover Wood Sandpiper and the arrival of a second Red-backed Shrike. Other fly-throughs included 5 Greylag Geese, 17 Cormorant and 61 Golden Plover. Waders were in evidence today with 23 Curlew, 38 Redshank, 42 Turnstone, 4 Ruff and a Common Sandpiper. Other passerines of note included 11 Swallow, 2 Whinchat, 7 Garden Warbler, 17 Willow Warbler, a Grasshopper Warbler and a Spotted Flycatcher whilst the Citrine Wagtail and Common Rosefinch remain. Three distant Dolphins were spotted offshore. August 21st: The Greenish Warbler was roosted overnight and released early this morning. The Citrine Wagtail was still in the Setter area whilst the Red-backed Shrike and Common Rosefinch also remain. Arrivals included the first Redstart and Whinchat of the autumn with two Ruff, single Common Sandpiper and counts of 19 Knot and 18 Willow Warbler also of note. A Sooty Shearwater and three Storm Petrels were seen in Fair Isle waters from the Good Shepherd. Eleven ‘Stormies’ were trapped later that night.

Greenish Warbler Photo by Mark Breaks

August 20^th: Arrivals today included a Pied Flycatcher and a Red-backed Shrike with Willow Warblers up to nine and alba wagtails to 60 (with the Citrine Wagtail). An increase in waders was also noted with 40 Ringed Plover, 8 Knot, 3 Sanderling, 10 Dunlin, 4 Ruff, 37 Turnstone and a Common Sandpiper. Best waited til last with a Greenish Warbler trapped in the Plantation last thing.

August 19th: A Merlin, 3 Ruff and a Common Sandpiper were new whilst Wheatears increased to 130 and Willow Warblers to eight. The Common Rosefinch remains. August 18th: The Lesser Grey Shrike is hanging on and the Citrine Wagtail put in a re-appearance. A small arrival today included a couple of Greylag Geese, a Sparrowhawk, 98 Wheatear and a scattering of warblers (Sedge, Lesser Whitethroat, Garden (40) and Willow (3)) plus the summering Willow and Chiffchaff. The Common Rosefinch was seen again. August 17th: The Lesser Grey Shrike, following two wet & windy days, is now looking decidedly worse for wear. Two Goldeneye arrived, hinting that the summer is now over whilst 67 Wheatears were counted. August 16th: The Lesser Grey Shrike remains and a Common Rosefinch was trapped.

Common Rosefinch Photo by Mark Breaks

August 15^th: A Wigeon was the only new arrival on a blustery day. Lesser Grey Shrike, Citrine Wagtail and Wryneck all remain.

August 14th: The Lesser Grey Shrike is still present. The Citrine Wagtail is also still here and came in to roost at the Chalet with a dozen or so ‘alba’ wagtails (with another dozen at the Obs Plantation). The Icterine Warbler remains at Schoolton where there was also a Wryneck. A scattering of waders included the three godwits and the first Common Sandpiper of the autumn. Warblers are still thin on the ground with just 3 Willow, 3 Sedge and 2 Garden seen plus the summering Chiffchaff. August 13th: An early Citrine Wagtail was discovered at Setter and a distant calling (presumed) Spotted Redshank simultaneously flew over. The Icterine Warbler remains at Schoolton and the Fieldfare at Field. Single Sedge, Garden and Willow Warblers were the only migrants. August 12th: The Lesser Grey Shrike is still present. Still very few migrants but the Icterine Warbler remains at Schoolton and the Common Rosefinch was at Leogh. August 11th: The Lesser Grey Shrike is still present. Still very few migrants but scarcities are staring to appear with a male Common Rosefinch trapped at Barkland first thing, followed with a Wryneck at Leogh and an Icterine Warbler at Schoolton. A Wryneck was trapped at the Obs in the afternoon. August 10th: Single Sedge, Garden and Willow Warblers were noted plus a flock of 6 Grey Heron and 2 Cormorant. The Lesser Grey Shrike is still present.

Citrine Wagtail Photos by Mark Breaks

Common Rosefinch Photos Mark Breaks

August 9^th: The Lesser Grey Shrike is still present. Three Ruff, 5 Whimbrel and a Greenshank arrived. Wheatears reached 158 and the Fieldfare remains. Ten Storm Petrels were trapped at night.

August 8^th: The Lesser Grey Shrike is still present. The first warblers of the autumn appeared with single Grasshopper, Sedge and Garden seen. An early Fieldfare also arrived. Counts of 8 Teal, 4 Grey Heron, 100 Wheatear and 89 Twite were of note.

August 7th: Much the same as yesterday but with 5 Green Sandpipers and a Bar-tailed Godwit thrown in but a Sand Martin was new whilst gulls increased dramatically with 22 Black-headed Gulls and 830 Common Gulls counted. August 6th: Waders were the main features with 34 Golden Plover, 11 Sanderling, 4 Ruff and 2 Black-tailed Godwit. An increase in Common Gulls (82) was noted whilst the Lesser Grey Shrike is still present.

Bar-tailed and Black-tailed Godwits Photo Mark Breaks

August 5^th: An afternoon seawatch off Buness produced 3 Manx Shearwaters and 50 Dunlin. Other new arrivals recorded included a male Peregrine, 4 Grey Herons and now up to three Green Sandpipers.

August 4^th: The winds changed from westerly to south easterly over night and resulted in a Sedge Warbler on morning trap round and Swift over plantation 

Pectoral Sandpiper Photos Mark Breaks

August 3^rd : Very similar to yesterdays totals with the addition of a Whimbrel, 4 Swallows and a very showy adult Pectoral Sandpiper found on small pools at Mire o’ Vatnagard. 36 Storm Petrels were trapped in the evening.

August 1^st-2^nd: First day of the autumn census proper produced only one new arrival in the form of a Kestrel. Wader numbers remained similar with 4 Ruff, Greenshank, Green Sand, 21 Redshank and 9 Golden Plover. Green Sandpipers increased to two on the 2^nd and 4 Dunlin were recorded.