Shetland Isles 2011 - still sunny

Citrine Wagtail
Yellow browed warbler
Yellow browed warbler, Quendale
Yellow browed warbler

Yellow browed warbler

Olive backed Pipit, Brake

Alpine Swift with Merlin in hot persuit!

Alpine Swift

Alpine Swift

Pallid Harrier mobbed by Hooded Crow

Pallid Harrier

Pallid Harrier

Pallid Harrier

Pallid Harrier

1st October 2011

It was a late start, watching the first half of England v Scotland. No comment! When we did get out it was clear there had been a significant fall of birds with large numbers of Redwing and Yellow browed warblers at most sites we visited during the morning. There were 3 at Wester Quarff for example, and 4 at Hoswick. At Geosetter we picked up an obliging Little Bunting. After a visit to Sumburgh the pace started to hot up. A Citrine wagtail was seen briefly in the farmyard at Quendale and then an Olive backed pipit was found at Brake, with the Pallid Harrier still performing in the background but getting little attention. A message that there was an Alpine Swift at Cunningsburgh led to a speedy evacuation and a short drive north to watch this rare visitor so far North. The swift flew low around farm buildings until 'attacked' by a Merlin. A sight you dont see every day!
2nd October 2011

We started where we left off the previous day, with news of an Isabelline Shrike at Levenwick. The bird was always difficult to get at and only gave very distant views. Nearby the Alpine Swift was still performing well, watched from the main road. We moved back to the Quendale area where Julian picked out a juvenile Citrine wagtail in a farmyard overlooking the Loch of Hillwell. At Virkie it was my turn to come up with something, a Curlew Sandpiper. At Toab Tom and I had the briefest of views of our one and only Barred warbler of the trip while I struggled to get to grips with Common Rosefinch.