Tuesday 30 May 2017

Winding Down

Spring is not far off coming to an end, with only a week or so to go. And so it is on the patch, with only 1 Reed Warbler, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Shoveler, 5 Swallow and 2 Golden Plover being seen today. Put the moth trap out last night for the first time this year - 2 Angle Shades, 2 Netted Pugs and a Shears.
Chiffchaff
Angle Shades
Shears

Monday 29 May 2017

Shove

At long last, finally managed to get Shoveler on the patch yearlist (2 on the Loch), not only that but a fly over Grey Wagtail as a bonus, I'm not sure quite why a Grey Wag would be passing through this late as all my previous records at Scatness have been in either April or October. Elsewhere on the patch - 2 Swallow (around Loch), Reed Warbler (still in the garden) and male Scaup and male Velvet Scoter (West Voe).
Shoveler

Sunday 28 May 2017

Reed Warbler

An extremely pale Reed Warbler in the garden caused a bit of a headache, but it is just a Reed albeit a very pale one. Also on the patch today were 2 Spotted Flycatchers and a Chiffchaff. The Velvet Scoter in West Voe was showing a bit closer.
Reed Warbler
Spotted Flycatcher
Velvet Scoter

Saturday 27 May 2017

Sandwich Tern

A Sandwich Tern on the Loch was an overdue addition to the patch yearlist, elsewhere around the patch there was 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Swallow, 1 House Martin and a calling fly-over Tree Pipit.
Sandwich Tern

Thursday 25 May 2017

V Scot

A male Velvet Scoter was in West Voe this evening, managed to get a record shot before the fog rolled in, it's about time West Voe produced something as throughout the winter it was pretty well birdless.

Wednesday 24 May 2017

Sedgie

A Sedge Warbler in the garden this afternoon was a most welcome addition to the patch year list.

Saturday 20 May 2017

Little Stint

A fine summer plumaged Little Stint on the Loch this afternoon, elsewhere just 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 4 Swallows, 1 Whimbrel, 1 Goldeneye and a Brent Goose.
Little Stint

Thursday 18 May 2017

Shortie

Definitely a clear out on the patch with just 2 Whimbrel, 4 Swallows, 20 Purple Sandpiper, 33 Sanderling, 1 Brent Goose, 1 Short-eared Owl and a Chiffchaff.
Purple Sandpiper
Short-eared Owl

Sunday 14 May 2017

Bluethroat

Still a good few birds on the patch - 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 7 Chiffchaff, 4 Whimbrel, 30 Swallow, 4 Reed Buntings, 4 Gadwall, 1 Willow Warbler, 2 Whitethroat, 2 Swifts, 1 Brent Goose and a female Bluethroat - could have been yesterday's bird as it was only 300 yards away, but today's bird looked more well marked, so on balance is probably a different bird. Amazingly a bird race team today saw an adult male in the same place a few hours earlier!
Bluethroat
Swift

Saturday 13 May 2017

Rain

A bit of rain in the morning and the patch was covered with migrants by late afternoon - 4 Lesser Whitethroat, 12 Chiffchaffs, 1 Willow Warbler, 8 Swallow, 2 Grey Heron, 1 Whitethroat, 2 Song Thrush, 1 Brent Goose, 1 Spotted Flycatcher, 1 Garden Warbler, 4 House Martin, 3 Reed Bunting, 1 Whimbrel, 1 Wood Sandpiper, 2 White Wagtail, 1 Short-eared Owl and, bird of the day, a female Bluethroat - not showing very well at all as it was on the cliffs.
Lesser Whitethroat
Short-eared Owl
Wood Sandpiper

Friday 12 May 2017

Still coming in

Still more migrants coming in to the patch - 10 Swallow, 1 House Martin, 8 Chiffchaffs, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Grey Heron, 4 Whimbrel, 1 Brent Goose, 1 Whitethroat and a Reed Bunting. A Buff-tailed Bumblebee was a first for the patch.
Buff-tailed Bumblebee
Swallow and House Martin
Whitethroat

Thursday 11 May 2017

More Migrants

Quite a few more migrants on the patch today, though there was no sign of yesterday's Subalp. Totals for the day - 7 Whimbrel, 16 Knot, 5 Sanderling, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 1 Brent Goose, 2 Gadwall, 1 Grey Heron, 19 Arctic Tern, 1 Willow Warbler, 2 Chiffchaffs, 1 Whinchat, 1 Robin and 1 Reed Bunting.
Bar-tailed Godwit (with Oycs)
Brent Goose
Knot
Whinchat
Swallow

Wednesday 10 May 2017

Eastern Subalp number two!

A few migrants around the patch today - 4 White Wagtails,1 Grey Heron, 2 Gadwall, 3 Pintail and 7 Barnacle Geese around the Loch, 6 Sanderling and a Whimbrel on Moast Beach, 6 Chiffchaffs in the docks, and then it all kicked off in the garden, starting with a Robin, 2 Chiffchaffs and a brief Wood Warbler, trhen, in trying to re-find the Wood Warbler, stumbled across a female Subalpine Warbler which turned out to be another eastern when eventually trapped and ringed.
Eastern Subalpine Warbler
Barnacle Geese
Grey Heron

Friday 5 May 2017

Wood Sand

The first Arctic Terns of the year appeared on the patch today with 12 in West Voe and 18 off Moast Beach. Elsewhere there was a Kestrel over the house, 3 Reed Buntings by the Loch, 5 Swallow and 4 willow Warbler by Moast Beach and 5 Whimbrel and 4 Black-tailed Godwit headed North in the evening, and a Wood Sandpiper was on the marsh at the back of the Loch.
Arctic Terns
Reed Bunting
Wood Sandpiper

Thursday 4 May 2017

Sub Alp Still

The male Eastern Subalp was back in the docks by Moast Beach again this morning, also on the patch - 1 Blackcap, 1 Robin, 7 Willow Warbler, 2 Chiffchaff, 1 House Martin, 9 Swallow, 2 Gadwall and a Common Tern.
Eastern Subalpine Warbler
House Martin

Wednesday 3 May 2017

Still Birds

Still a few birds kicking around - the Eastern Subalp is still in the dock and has been seen up by the road, 6 Willow Warblers still in the docks, Blackcap, Robin and Lesser Whitethroat in the garden and 5 Pintail, 4 Gadwall and a Swallow at Loch of Gards.
Blackcap

Tuesday 2 May 2017

Eastern Subalp

Lots more migrants on the patch - Lesser Whitethroat and Robin in the garden, Redstart at the end of the road, Swallow, Common Tern, Whimbrel and 6 Pintail at the Loch, 2 Collared Doves around Colonial Place. But it was the docks that attracted most birds with 2 Chiffchaff, 4 Willow Warblers and a stunning male Eastern Subalpine Warbler - a most welcome self-found year tick.
Eastern Subalpine Warbler
Redstart
Another Shetland sunset
Eastern Subalp Twitch

Monday 1 May 2017

Snob

Quite a few migrants around the patch today - 1 Fieldfare, 4 Gadwall, 9 Pintail, 3 Chiffchaffs, 5 Willow Warbler, 2 Common Tern, a 1s Iceland Gull and a rather smart Snow Bunting.
Snow Bunting