Friday 21 September 2012

Shetland - third time lucky?

My upcoming trip to Shetland will be my third visit; I thought it might be interesting (on the offchance any geeky birders read this) to go through what I saw on the first two visits. So a pretty nerdy post then. I had to think long and hard to remember what it was I saw; I definitely didn't just go to a really really cool spreadsheet and lift out all the relevant records....

Bluethroat, Noss of Spiggie, 2010


My first visit was in 2010, and was amazing. I landed at around midday, and by close of play that day had two new ticks. Here's a list of birds:

Sykes's Warbler 02/10/2010
Channerwick, Shetland
Barred Warbler 02/10/2010
Channerwick, Shetland
Yellow-browed Warbler 02/10/2010
Channerwick, Shetland
Swainson's Thrush 02/10/2010
Levenwick, Shetland
Radde's Warbler 03/10/2010
Sumburgh, Shetland
Citrine Wagtail 03/10/2010
Out Skerries, Shetland
Black-headed Bunting 03/10/2010
Out Skerries, Shetland
Short-toed Lark 03/10/2010
Out Skerries, Shetland
Buff-bellied Pipit 04/10/2010
Eshaness, Shetland
Buff-breasted Sandpiper 2 04/10/2010
Eshaness, Shetland
Yellow-browed Warbler 04/10/2010
Sullom, Shetland
Yellow-browed Warbler 05/10/2010
Quendale, Shetland
Yellow-browed Warbler 06/10/2010
Northdale, Unst, Shetland
Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll 06/10/2010
Norwick, Unst, Shetland
Little Bunting 06/10/2010
Norwick, Unst, Shetland
Lanceolated Warbler 07/10/2010
Skaw, Unst, Shetland
Red-flanked Bluetail 08/10/2010
Geosetter, Shetland
Yellow-browed Warbler 2 08/10/2010
Geosetter, Shetland
Yellow-browed Warbler 08/10/2010
Channerwick, Shetland
Yellow-browed Warbler 08/10/2010
Sumburgh, Shetland
Pallas's Warbler 09/10/2010
Sumburgh, Shetland
Yellow-browed Warbler 09/10/2010
Sumburgh, Shetland
Yellow-browed Warbler 09/10/2010
Fladdibister, Shetland
Yellow-browed Warbler 09/10/2010
Noss of Spiggie, Shetland
Bluethroat 09/10/2010
Noss of Spiggie, Shetland
Pallas's Warbler 09/10/2010
Geosetter, Shetland
Red-breasted Flycatcher 09/10/2010
Channerwick, Shetland

Quite impressive for a week isn't it. Six lifers, including a simply brilliant Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll. I had high hopes therefore for 2011, but it turned out to be the difficult second album. Here's another list of birds - admit it, the inner nerd within you is coming out.


Yellow-browed Warbler 25/09/2011
Brake, Mainland, Shetland
Pallid Harrier 25/09/2011
Brake, Mainland, Shetland
Yellow-browed Warbler 25/09/2011
Quendale, Shetland
Bluethroat 25/09/2011
Quendale, Shetland
Lesser Grey Shrike 25/09/2011
Laxo, Mainland, Shetland
Icelandic Arctic Redpoll 26/09/2011
Voe, Mainland, Shetland
Barred Warbler 26/09/2011
Voe, Mainland, Shetland
Red-breasted Flycatcher 26/09/2011
Eswick, Mainland, Shetland
Yellow-browed Warbler 27/09/2011
Kergord, Mainland, Shetland
Little Bunting 28/09/2011
Whalsay, Shetland
Common Rosefinch 28/09/2011
Whalsay, Shetland
Surf Scoter 28/09/2011
Ronas Voe, Mainland, Shetland
Black-headed Bunting 29/09/2011
Belmont, Unst, Shetland
Desert Lesser Whitethroat 29/09/2011
Uyeasound, Unst, Shetland
Bluethroat 29/09/2011
Northdale, Unst, Shetland
Yellow-browed Warbler 29/09/2011
Northdale, Unst, Shetland
Barred Warbler 29/09/2011
Northdale, Unst, Shetland
Barred Warbler 30/09/2011
Busta House, Mainland, Shetland
Yellow-browed Warbler 30/09/2011
Kergord, Mainland, Shetland

No ticks. Disaster. Even the Sandhill Crane that I snaffled on the way up there had the nerve to remain all week and then "conveniently" relocate to Suffolk where the world and his wife saw it. It's still an impressive list of birds, just not quite as impressive as 2010. Anywhere else in the country with the exception of Scilly your hands would have fallen off due to the amount of high-fiving. As I type this, the first easterly breeze of the autumn has delivered Lancy, Pechora Pipit, Blyth's Reed Warbler, Citrine Wag and a smattering of other bits to the islands. Two of those would be new, and I still have seven days to wait - wish I was off tomorrow! Still, it's promising, very promising indeed. Is the big one out there? Third time lucky?

1 comment:

  1. Are you there at the same time as one Mr Bagnell? Could be an interesting partnership.

    ReplyDelete