Shetland day 8. Lanceolated Warbler.

We were all up early around 06.00 to pack  our belongings and clean the apartment before heading back to Quendale via a quick stop off at Hoswick where we found a Shetland rarity - Great Tit!
. Before we arrived at Quendale the news had come out that our Lanceolated Warbler was still there and with a beautiful sunny day and a distinct lack of wind we headed off in the hope it would show much better. It did!!!!! Job done.

In better light with no rain and with a dry bird all the features could be seen and there were congratulations all round from the small group of assembled birders. It even had the decency to pose out in the open for a few minutes basking in the sun.

Happy Lanceolated Warbler watchers - the bird was in the irises just below the bank and there were a similar number of people my side.

With time pressing we decided to go back to Levenwick for a last view of the Siberain Rubythroat before heading towards Sumburgh and the airport for the journey home.

Due to a technical fault our pane from Sumburgh got cancelled so we missed our connection in Aberdeen to Manchester. We ended up getting diverted to Birmingham and then getting a taxi back to Manchester to collect my car at  gone midnight! Despite this the whole trip was fantastic with good company, a few laughs, a few more beers and some superb birds. It was also great to meet up with local bird watchers such as Rebecca Nason, Phil Harris, Hugh Harrop, Jim Nicholson, Rob fray, Paul Harvey and Roger Riddington again. The roll of the birding dice meant I'd got to see two of the Shetland big four specialities this year despite not seeing any of them in the last eight years!