Shetland Chronicles - Day 1

American Buff bellied Pipit, Eshaness Shetland Isles

Buff bellied Pipit

Buff bellied Pipit

The cliffs, Eshaness

Buff bellied Pipit

Buff bellied Pipit

Buff breasted Sandpiper, Eshaness

Buff breasted Sandpiper

Buff breasted Sandpiper

Buff breasted Sandpiper

Buff breasted Sandpiper

Buff breasted Sandpiper

Snow Bunting, Eshaness

Saturday 2nd October - Part 1

I travelled up to the Shetland Isles with Julian Allen for a week's birding based at Gord just outside Cunningsburgh, South Mainland. We touched down at midday and headed off to Eshaness on the North west tip of the Mainland where a tick awaited Julian in the form of an American Buff bellied Pipit. We faffed about looking through fields full of Meadow pipits until we noticed a guy 50 yards behind us taking photos. He eventually drove up to us to say the pipit we were looking for was on its own right next to the road. Sure enough there it was, tick 1 for JA. I took a few shots from the car before we stretched our legs and had a wander around near the Lighthouse. It wasn't long before we came across a couple of very confiding Buff breasted Sandpipers, a photo opportunity not to be missed. There was also a flock of 19 Snow Buntings in the vicinity and a lone House Martin flew around the nearby cliffs. We also saw a Whinchat.