Small scale Shetland - Skerries September 2015 (1 Viewer)

Given the forecast looks to hold a few birds I will try and blog daily whilst I am there. For those who haven't seen the ones I have done in the past it will hopefully give some insight into what birding a small island is like compared with moving between sites on mainland.

The recently revamped page on Visit Shetland gives a good feel for the place:-

http://www.shetland.org/plan/areas/skerries

As in its way does the music video to Ghost by Kensington, which was filmed entirely on the island.

https://vimeo.com/69365037

South easterlies forecast tomorrow and I will have a couple of hours before dusk to see if anything has dropped in.

Stephen

Best of luck.

Thanks Paul, same to you over the autumn on Orkney.

Day 1

Set off from Blackpool and made it to my digs on Skerries via the following:-

- replacement bus to Preston
- train to Manchester Airport
- plane to Aberdeen
- plane to Sumburgh
- lift to Lerwick from landlady
- ferry to Skerries
- lift to digs from island resident

Before leaving Lerwick I called in on Rebecca Nason and collected copies of the book of Shetland birds Paul Harvey and she have just published.

Like any ferry journey on Shetland the run from Lerwick to Skerries can produce interesting sightings. I have seen Minke Whale and Sooty Shearwater in previous autumns, and Killer Whales have been seen before now. This crossing was relatively uneventful, a dolphin was seen briefly, a Red-throated Diver flew past and a couple of Bonxies were harrying Gannets.

I had a couple of hours of light to play with and walking the areas around the habitation produced a few migrants, including Willow Warblers, White Wagtails, Meadow Pipits and a Blackcap. Better was yet to come though, a Pied Flycatcher and a Whinchat were followed by a Yellow-browed Warbler on the ground at point blank range. The forecast still looks good for bringing in more migrants in the next few days.

Stephen Dunstan said:

The forecast still looks good for bringing in more migrants in the next few days.

Click to expand...

Here's hoping. Looking forward to an exciting read. Good luck.

James

Can't wait to read future installments Stephen - had you already pre-booked these dates or are you responding to the conditions?

Phil Andrews said:

Can't wait to read future installments Stephen - had you already pre-booked these dates or are you responding to the conditions?

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Hi Phil,

The airline pricing strategy and work commitments stop me responding to conditions, it's just coincidence I have arrived when things look promising.

After I leave there is a crew on for three weeks so coverage on here should be very good during the 'Scillies v Shetland' scoring period...

Stephen

JWN Andrewes said:

Here's hoping. Looking forward to an exciting read. Good luck.

James

Click to expand...

Thanks James.

Stephen Dunstan said:

Hi Phil,

The airline pricing strategy and work commitments stop me responding to conditions, it's just coincidence I have arrived when things look promising.

After I leave there is a crew on for three weeks so coverage on here should be very good during the 'Scillies v Shetland' scoring period...

Stephen

Click to expand...

Scilly AND Shetland

Day 2

With southeasterly winds it was an early start this morning, but it was anti-climactic to begin with. It took ages to find a migrant, a White Wagtail, and the Yellow-browed Warbler was the only bird of note before I compared notes after an hour with Edwin who lives on the island.

Returning towards the digs for a coffee I picked up a bird at some distance which could have been anything, but proved to be a Common Rosefinch. Good to see something presumably new in, and record shots were obtained which confirmed it was a juvenile.

Post coffee I got brief views of a bird in flight that looked interesting. It was mid morning before I finally pinned it down, a Red-backed Shrike. Clearly new in it was very nervy and I again only saw it briefly.

Long walks away from the inhabited area to the ends of the islands were rewarded with two sandpipers – Common in one case and perhaps more notably Green in the latter.

During the afternoon the migrant tally continued to build, albeit very slowly. A second Yellow-browed Warbler came in, other migrant birds seen included Pied Flycatcher, Whinchat, Lesser Whitethroat and Garden Warbler whilst at least one Snow Bunting flew over. Nearing the digs at the end of the final walk of the day a Kestrel was seen well, the first raptor of the trip although I apparently just missed a Short-eared Owl seen on Tuesday by Edwin.

A very pleasant day, mostly spent in unseasonal sunshine. A change in the weather wouldn’t be a problem however as it was probably too nice to ground many migrants.

Day 3

The pattern of good looking winds and not so good looking sunny skies continued.

An unstreaked acro in the iris bed near where I stay early morning looked potentially interesting, but after the initial view it was uncooperative before disappearing completely. Ironically the only two acros I have managed decent photos of on here were a Great Reed Warbler and a Blyth's Reed Warbler respectively!

One Yellow-browed Warbler was soon found to be present, and as the day developed it was confirmed that both were around with one on each island. A Sparrowhawk was seen on Bruray, and then two were seen on Housay in quick succession both giving the impression they had seen enough and were off. The Kestrel however looks quite settled.

As well as Song Thrushes a Fieldfare was new in. There were at least four Whinchats, with a cluster of birds together at the airstrip.

The Red-backed Shrike was seen all day and eventually record shots were obtained. The last circuit of the day produced a Rosefinch, not the bird from yesterday and offering hope of more stuff coming in tomorrow.

Been very,very quiet on South Ronaldsay. Spotted Flycatcher the best of a very poor bunch. However, rain overnight has stopped, wind dropping = expectations rocketing.

Half an hour til dawn - we live in hope.

Unfortunately my laptop has fallen out with the broadband in the digs and I can't really do this by touch typing on the phone. The birds are everywhere else in Shetland anyway!!

Stephen