Cream Tea Birding: A sack full of Vagrants!

Wednesday, 13 October 2010

A sack full of Vagrants!

SHETLAND : UNST 2nd - 9th October 2010
The island of Unst, is the most northerly isle in Britain and an amazing place both for birds and scenery. I have always been a staunch fan of the Scillies in autumn since my first visit in 1989 and I have usually made at least one visit in Spring or Autumn every year since. However, with the seemingly recent northerly shift in our more exciting weather systems, I decided to head north with two mates and throw the rarity dice!

We arrived at Lerwick after 12hrs of pain on the ship from Aberdeen in a force 8 South-Easterly, to the news that Britain's 2nd Rufous-tailed Robin had been found on North Ronladsay, but unfortunately dead. It was surely going to be a good week?

Well, the list was impressive and included many minor scarcities and major rarities as well as a few finds for our team too including 4+ YBWs, 2 Little Buntings, a Pallas's Warbler and a Dusky Warbler.

Scilly has received a bashing for its lack of rare birds in recent years, but it is a place that will always produce rarities despite what others might say and it is a place I shall certainly return to - but shall I return to Unst? See the week's tally below and I'll let you decide.........

Lapland Bunting - 10 - 50 daily

Snow Bunting - 100+
Greenland White-fronted Goose - 2
Barnacle Goose
Long-tailed Duck
Whooper Swan
Little Gull

Bluethroat - 1
Common Rosefinch - 1

Yellow-browed Warbler - 9+
Little Bunting - 3
Black Tern - a rare bird in Shetland and despite checking for American Black Tern, we had to settle for the commoner!
Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll - 1
Buff-bellied Pipit - 1
Buff-breasted Sandpiper - 1
Sykes's Warbler - down to 3 metres!
Blyth's Reed Warbler - 1 finally seen well
Dusky Warbler -1
Pallas's Warbler -1
Lanceolated Warbler -1 watched with just 4 other people!
Otter - 1

Some highlights below - Thanks to Mr Stanbury for letting me use his cracking photos of Lancy,Pallas's warblers and Lapland Bunting.

Lamba Ness looking towards Norwick