2007 - SEPTEMBER SIGHTINGS

September 30^th: The day started well with a Blyths Reed Warbler trapped at Barkland, followed by a Marsh Warbler in Homisdale. The Pund Lanceolated Warbler was still present as were two Bluethroats, Common Rosefinch and Richards Pipit. A Barred Warbler may have been new and counts of 12 Jack Snipe, 3 Woodcock, 70 Wheatear, 3 Ring Ouzel and 60 Goldcrest were made. The best however was discovered mid-afternoon near the west end of Hill Dyke……a GREY-CHEEKED THRUSH. It showed well until dusk, when it dropped into Gunnawark. It is the third island record – the previous two were the 1^st & 2^nd British records, back in the 1950s!

Lanceolated warbler Photograph by Rebecca Nason
		Grey-cheeked Thrush Four photographs by Rebecca Nason

September 29th: The superb birding continues…..A new Lanceolated Warbler was discovered at Pund. A Red-throated Pipit flew over Barkland but could not be refound whilst two Richards Pipits showed well but distantly. There were also two Bluethroats, two Barred Warblers, 11 Yellow-browed Warblers and a Common Rosefinch. A Hen Harrier drifted through whilst a Corncrake was flushed from ditches at Pund. Other counts and sightings included the Pintail and Pochard, Moorhen, 9 Jack Snipe, 96 Common Snipe, a Woodcock, two Short-eared Owl, Tree Pipit, 85 Thrushes (54 Redwing), 85 Goldcrest, 10 Lapland Bunting and 58 Snow Bunting.

Lanceolated warbler Photograph by Rebecca Nason

Lanceolated Warbler Photograph by Mark Breaks		Yellow-browed Warbler Photograph by Mark Breaks
Bluethroat Photographs by Mark Breaks		Grey-cheeked Thrush Photograph by Deryk Shaw
Grey-cheeked Thrush Photograph by Deryk Shaw		Grey-cheeked Thrush Photograph by Deryk Shaw

September 28^th: Another cracking days birding!! The day started well with an Icterine Warbler trapped after breakfast. One Lanceolated Warbler remains in the Skadan crop and nearby a Thrush Nightingale was discovered at Utra. Another fine scattering of common migrants with totals of one Woodcock, 3 Wood Pigeon, single Long-eared and Short-eared owls, 2 Tree Pipits, 25 Robins, 3 Bluethroat, 4 Common Redstart, 5 Whinchat, 6 Blackbird, 44 Fieldfare, 56 Song Thrush, 280 Redwing, 2 Grasshopper Warbler, 2 Sedge Warbler, 3 Barred Warbler, 16 Lesser Whitethroat, 8 Garden Warbler, 9 Blackcap, 12 Yellow-browed Warbler, 9 Chiffchaff, 9 Willow warbler, 210 Goldcrest, 3 Pied Flycatcher, 16 Chaffinch, 46 Brambling, 6 Linnet, 8 Greenland Redpoll, 2 Common Rosefinch, 19 Lapland Bunting, 43 Snow Bunting and 3 Reed Bunting. Phew!

The best waited until late afternoon when a PALLAS’S GRASSHOPPER WARBLER was trapped in the Plantation by Will Miles, Lachlan Shaw & Rebecca Nason. SUPERB!!

Thrush Nightingale Photograph by Mark Breaks (Right & below) Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler Photograph by Deryk Shaw		Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler Photograph by Deryk Shaw

September 27^th: A cracking days birding!! There was a good scattering of common migrants plus a few scarcies and rarities. Top of the pile were two Lanceolated Warblers, with birds in the Skadan crop and another trapped in the Plantation. There were also two Citrine Wagtails together at Da Water. The first Barnacle Geese (10) went through with 7 Pinkfeet and 21 Greylags. The wet grassy areas and ditches were well covered and turned up totals of 77 Common Snipe and 12 Jack Snipe plus a Corncrake. A Turtle Dove was a good find. However, it was passerines that seemed to be popping everywhere with a great variety logged; Skylarks (240) and Meadow Pipits (291) dominated but there were also 3 Dunnock, 12 Robins, a Bluethroat, 5 Common Redstart, 4 Whinchat, 5 Ring Ouzel, 6 Blackbird, 8 Fieldfare, 50 Song Thrush, 100 Redwing, 5 Barred Warbler, 18 Lesser Whitethroat, 4 Garden Warbler, 2 Blackcap, 2 Yellow-browed Warbler, 7 Chiffchaff, 6 Willow warbler, 18 Goldcrest, Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Pied Flycatcher, 2 Chaffinch, 18 Brambling, a Siskin, 8 Linnet, 10 Greenland Redpoll, 2 Common Rosefinch, 12 Lapland Bunting, 57 Snow Bunting and a Reed Bunting. Phew!

Another highlight was a treat for the gathered congregation at the Lancy twitch – magnificent views of a pod of 5 Orcas as they cruised past South Harbour and South Lighthouse.

September 26^th: Four Whooper Swans flew past and there were 20 Pink-footed and 22 Greylag Geese. Duck highlights were a Pintail and the Pochard. On the passerine front it was quiet with a Tree Pipit, Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Common Rosefinch, 7 Common (Greenland) Redpoll and 38 Snow Bunting.

September 25th: The Buff-bellied Pipit was missing for a lot of the day but turned up back in Suka Mire in the afternoon. A variety of wildfowl were on show today with 15 Pink-footed Geese, 45 Greylag Geese, 51 Wigeon, 30 Teal plus singles of Shoveler, Pochard, Goldeneye and Red-breasted Merganser. The sea produced two Red-throated Diver and 9 Sooty Shearwater. The Moorhen was seen again at the scrape and a Stock Dove at Springfield. Single Fieldfare and Redwing were logged plus a few warblers; single Sedge Warbler, 3 Barred Warbler, 3 Blackcap, 2 Garden Warbler and finches included 2 Linnet, 10 Common Redpoll and a Common Rosefinch. Snow Buntings totalled 40 and Lapland Bunting 8. A Rissos Dolphin and 3 Harbour Porpoise were spotted off Buness.		Above and below, five more pictures of the Buff-bellied Pipit Photographs by Deryk Shaw
		Buff-bellied Pipit with Meadow Pipit Photograph by Deryk Shaw

Photograph by Mark Breaks		Photograph by Deryk Shaw
September 24th: The Buff-bellied Pipit was still present in Suka Mire for most of the day but ranged further in the afternoon and, in poor conditions, could not be found late on. Wildfowl dominated other sightings with 50 Pink-footed Geese, 47 Wigeon and 35 Teal logged. A Sooty Shearwater and an adult Pomarie Skua were seen from the Good Shepherd. An adult Glaucous Gull was seen. Passerine arrivals included singles of Tree Pipit, Song Thrush, Goldcrest, Spotted Flycatcher and Linnet. Oher sightings were Barred Warbler, 6 Common Redpolls and 2 Lapland Bunting. Above, right and below 5 images of the Buff-bellied Pipit (Photographer as credited)		Photograph by Deryk Shaw

Buff-bellied PipitPhotograph by Deryk Shaw

Photograph by Mark Breaks

September 23^rd: The constant W/NW winds finally paid dividends today. A BUFF-BELLIED PIPIT was found late afternoon in Suka Mire! It showed reasonably well to all Obs visitors in the fading light and was even heard to call. This is the second Fair Isle record, but the first was as long ago as September 1953!

Elsewhere ther were 5 Pinkfooted Geese, a Common Scoter, 2 Swallow, Grey Wagtail, Redwing, 2 Barred Warbler, 5 Common Redpoll, Common Rosefinch, 6 Lapland Bunting and 27 Snow Bunting.

September 22^nd: A better day today kicked off with a Moorhen near the scrape! Other new birds included eight Greylag Geese, two Jack Snipe, a Redwing, two Barred Warblers, a Garden Warbler, four Linnets and 40 Snow Buntings. Other increased counts included 219 Skylark, 364 Meadow Pipits, 36 Wheatear and ten Lapland Buntings. Also seen were a Puffin, Grey Wagtail, two Lesser Whitethroat, 118 Twite and the Common Rosefinch.

September 21^st: Still pretty quiet although a juvenile Dotterel was discovered on Hoini and a Jack Snipe at Pund. Barred Warbler, Red-backed Shrike and Common Rosefinch all remain as do at least four ‘northwestern’ Common Redpolls with nine Lapland Buntings.

September 20^th: The westerly winds and rarity drought continues! A Grey Wagtail was new but everything else was the same with 2 Peregrine, Barred Warbler, Red-backed Shrike, Common Rosefinch, 6 ‘northwestern’ Redpoll, 11 Lapland Bunting and 13 Snow Bunting counted.

September 19^th: A little movement today dominated by 159 Pink-footed Geese passing through plus 6 Teal, Red-breasted Merganser, a new Barred Warbler (plus yesterday’s bird) and 36 Snow Bunting. Seven each of Common ‘northwestern’ Redpoll and Lapland Bunting were logged.

September 18^th: Similar fare to yesterday with 4 Pink-footed Geese, the adult Glaucous Gull, the Red-backed Shrike, Barred Warbler and 5 ‘northwestern’ Redpolls, 6 Lapland Bunting and 3 Snow Bunting. New in however were the first Jack Snipe of the autumn plus a pair of Peregrine and 2 Common Rosefinch. Skylarks were up to 208.

September 17^th: A bit of excitement today with a few nice arrivals. A Barred Warbler was found at Pund after breakfast. This was followed shortly after by 2 Common Rosefinch ant Barkland. Then, an unstreaked ‘acro’ at Skadan mid-morning was trapped and discovered to be just a Reed Warbler. In the afternoon, a Corncrake was flushed at Midway and a wader flushed first from Rippack and later Mire o’ Vatnagard was re-found at the latter site and confirmed as a Pectoral Sandpiper. Other sightings and counts included 24 Pink-footed and a single Greylag Goose, an adult Glaucous Gull, the Red-backed Shrike and 5 ‘northwestern’ Redpolls, 10 Lapland Bunting and 12 Snow Bunting.

Pectoral Sandpiper Photo by Mark Breaks		Barred Warbler Photo by Deryk Shaw

September 16^th: A Slavonian Grebe was off Buness and a Tufted Duck in the Havens. Single Peregrine and Kestrel were seen and 2 Lesser Whitethroat may be new. Other than that it was the same stuff with Red-backed Shrike, 6 Lapland Bunting, 12 Snow Bunting, 4+ ‘northwestern’ Redpolls.

September 15th: Best arrivals today were 5 ‘northwestern’ Redpolls. Four were considered rostrata whilst a paler individual may have been islandica but there is much confusion and debate about the origins and taxonomy of the Redpolls visiting Shetland in recent autumns (hence the ‘northwestern’ title that has been adopted) that we should be cautious about ‘(sub)specific’ labels. Other arrivals and sightings included a Collared Dove, 35 Cormorant, Common Tern, Red-backed Shrike, 8 Lapland Bunting and 15 Snow Bunting. Higher counts included 202 Skylark and 288 Meadow Pipit plus 16 Hooded Crow and 6 Carrion Crow.
'northwestern' Redpolls by Mark Breaks

September 14^th: Galeforce westerly winds meant that seawatching was once again the order of the day with totals of just 11 Sooty Shearwater, one Manx Shearwater and one Storm Petrel. In-land there were a Kestrel, 98 Turnstone, eight Swallow, a Sedge Warbler, a Goldcrest, the Common Rosefinch, the Snow Bunting and six Lapland Bunting.

September 13^th: New migrants were a Common Redstart, Sedge Warbler, six Swallow, Greylag Goose and up to eight Lapland Buntings. A seawatch produced seven Sooty Shearwater, two Storm Petrel, one Arctic Tern, 14 Cormorant and a Red-breasted Merganser. The Glaucous Gull, Red-backed Shrike and Common Rosefinch all remain.

September 12^th: Many hours were spent sea-watching today with the highlight being two distant ‘large’ Shearwaters. Totals were five Red-throated Diver, 38 Sooty Shearwater, three Storm Petrel, 79 Cormorant (a record count), two Arctic Skua, 35 Kittiwake, four Arctic Tern and a Puffin. Census produced an increase in Skylark (132), Meadow Pipits (330) and new arrivals were a Snow Bunting, Red-backed Shrike and an adult Glaucous Gull whilst the Common Rosefinch remains.

September 11^th: Both Citrine Wagtails were seen today plus one Sooty Shearwater and a Lesser Whitethroat and a Common Rosefinch was new in.

September 10^th: Citrine Wagtail was only thing of note on another very misty day today!

September 9^th: Wet and misty! A Red-throated Diver and three Arctic Skuas were offshore. A Garden Warbler was trapped and five Lapland Buntings were counted.

September 8^th: A very slight improvement with one Citrine Wagtail seen again today plus 3 Lapland Buntings, a Lesser Whitethroat and Kestrel, Merlin and Peregrine all present. At sea were a Pomarine Skua, four Storm Petrels and a couple of Sooty Shearwaters – all seen from the Good Shepherd crossing.

September 7^th: Still quiet. A couple of Sooty Shearwaters, a ‘mealy’ Common Redpoll and two Lapland Buntings to report.

September 6^th: Two Citrine Wagtails again today and 3 Lapland Buntings.

September 5^th: The Citrine Wagtail remains at the scrape and the ringed Easter Lother bird has re-appeared! A Kestrel and Common Sandpiper were the only new arrivals.

September 4^th: Another quiet day with the Citrine Wagtail still at the scrape but a first-winter Iceland Gull in North Haven provided a bit of interest. An increase in Meadow Pipits (162) was noted.

September 3^rd: The Citrine Wagtail remains at the scrape.

September 2^nd: The only thing of note in continuing strong NW’ly winds is the Citrine Wagtail at the scrape.

September 1^st: The month started very quietly with the only new birds being a Jackdaw and an increase in Turnstones to 120. A Manx Shearwater flew past South Light and 11 Cormorants were counted. The only warblers were three Willow Warbler. The Citrine Wagtail remains at the scrape.