Friday 12 September 2008

September 12th 2008. Great Snipe and Lancy !

The day it all went nuts !!!
Started off the day around Ward Hill - 5 Redstarts, a Tree Pipit and a Pied Flycatcher, then walked down into Quendale Dunes to do the Eel Burn, kicked up a large Pipit from the stubble field next to the Burn and watched as it flew for miles over towards Fleck - the bird never called. 450 Golden Plover and 6 Knot in fields next to the burn.
Got up around Quendale Mill and Valley - 1 Turtle Dove, 1 Spotted Flycatcher, 8 Redstart, 5 Garden Warbler, 2 Pied Flycatcher, 7 Whinchat and 1 Tree Pipit.
Then walked back through the Dunes with the intention of checking Toab on the way home, however, at the eastern end of Quendale Dunes, whilst checking the thistle patches, flushed a Great Snipe from right next to me !!! Watched it as it flew low for about 100 yards before landing in some rough grass, 5 minutes later i flushed it again, this time it seemed to land behind a large dune - I then waited for other birders to arrive before trying again, but despite 4 people searching, we couldn't re-locate it. 4 Redstart and 2 Whinchat in the Dunes.
Went home for some lunch, then news came of Lanceolated Warbler at Sumburgh Head - dashed out and managed to see it before rain finally stopped play.
3 Song Thrush, 1 Robin, 1 Pied Flycatcher, 1 Spotted Flycatcher, 3 Redstart and a Garden Warbler in the garden.


Redstart (taken through the living room window) & Lanceolated Warbler.

Knots.

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