Shetland. Day 5. Wagtails & pipits.

News that a Buf-bellied Pipit had been seen the previous day by some of the tea mwho'd elected t ostay out later rather than retrun to the apartment galvanised us into searching Quendale. For three hours we searched with the only reward being a brief Olive-backed Pipit in the company of Meadow Pipits that flew towards the quarry beofre anyt reocrd shots could be taken. A further search of the quarry revealed nothing so we left and went to Sumburgh Farm where the rest of the team had seen a possible Eastern Yellow Wagtail the day before found by Martin Garner who'd recored its call.. Sure enough we relocated the bird and noted the distinctive raspy call as it fed amongst cattle near the farm.

Once again we returned early as Big Al had a migraine and needed to rest before hitting the town on a a Saturday night. No sooner had we arrived back at the accomodation when news filtered through that the Buff-bellied Pipit had been seen again at Quendale in a Kale field above the dam. Arse. Having only seen one before I was keen to catch up with this bird - especially as we'd missed the bird on Shetland last year by one day! Mark & I headed down to Quendale in fading light to find Roy Hargreaves standing forlornly looking into an empty field. Deciding to check out a couple of other areas the pipit flew calling over our heads back towards the Kale field. Trudging back we located it and watched as the light faded and the bird got closer and closer......................

With the rest of the lads electing to go into Lerwick and have an Indian Matt, Mark & I ate at 'home' before catching a taxi into town where the International Fiddle Festival was in full swing. Oh dear. The Indian was forgotten as a racous crew caroused the night away. Next day there were going to be some sore heads.

You can't take Utd fans anywhere without them disgacing themselves.

Shetland. Day 4. Shrikes.

After breakfast the team split up with Mark, Pod & me electing to go to Levenswick to see a juvenile Isabelline Shrike that had been frequenting a local garden. The very friendly house owner welcomed us into his garden with the news the shrike hadn't been seen! Knowing Shrikes can be late risers we gave it an hour before giving up - not before we were entertained by another two Yellow- browed Warblers though.

Unbelievably it appeared the shrike had relocated to Quendale where the other car fad just arrived. Imagjne our surprise when we arrived to find an adult female impaling it's prey on a varied wire fence. A different bird!

With Al deciding he needed his beauty treatment more than spending more time in the skin battering wind we headed back to the apartment to drop him & Mike off before the rest of us headed back to for a search for a juvenile Pallid Harriet that had been 'oiled' by a spitting Fulmar and was regularly coming into roost. Staking out Loch Hillwell and Brake it was Pod, returning on foot from Quendale Mill who found the Harrier sat on a post behind us!

Eventually everyone got good views if it perched up & in flight. Our efforts were doubly rewarded when an American Golden Plover was located with the Golden Plover flock on the opposite side of the road!

Shetland. Day 3. Pallid Harrier.

Once again the weather was dull and wet but we decided to concentrate our efforts into finding a Pallid Harrier for those that needed it.

First stop on the journey south though was Geosetter where we found a Little Bunting feeding alongside the road. Unfortunately a car coming down from the farm spooked it and jf flew off just as the other half of the team arrived. It soon returned though chasing two Redwings. A search of the burn revealed yet another two Y B Warblers.

With a Pallid Harrier being reported regularly from around Sandwick & Channerwick we drove to the highest point we could find at Rompa & scanned the hills. Within minutes Mark picked up a distant ring- tailed Harrier that ticked all the right boxes as far as computation & wing shape was concerned but we couldn't get the 'scope on it before if drifted over a ridge and into the next valley. Ringing the lads in the other car we headed west towards to check the hillsides there whilst they staked out our original spot.

Funding some good cover along the way we soon picked up another Y B Warbler. The other lads reported they'd seen the Harrier again so with a couple of hours daylight we returned to scan the hills from a lay-by on the A970. No sign of the Pallid but we did find a stonking adult male Hen Harrier.

Next stop was Fleck where a juvenile Citrine Wagtail showed well in poor light.

A quick search of Channerwick was rewarded with two more Yellow-broweds before we headed for Tesco's for Mark to pick up the necessary ingredients for our dinner. Chicken breasts stuffed with black kidding and wrapped in bacon, roast spuds, parsnips, carrots and broccoli washed down with a couple of beers and a malt whisky nightcap.

Shetland. Day 2. Unst

Everyone was up bright and early for the trip to Unst. Bacon & egg batches fit breakfast went downmarket treat and we were on our way before it was light.

Firstly we had to get the ferry to the birdless vwastelands of Yell before driving to the northern end to get the Unst ferry.

Arriving in atrocious weather we met up with Paul & Vicky Wren who I hadn't seen since meeting on Tiree last September. The bunting was seen several times briefly in pouring rain and with the weather getting worse we decided to get a brew before heading north to ......... and the famous 'birders garden'. With B H Bunting being a lifer for four of the party we'd had a good start already.

The garden lived up to it's reputation and as well as the two reported Common Rosefinches we found a third bird. The first of many Yelkow-browed Warblers (2) and a Pied Flycatcher completed the sightings.

With rain still persistently pissing down we headed for Skaw where we found yet another Y B Warbler. An odd female Blackcap with White greater coverts on one side only caused some momentary confusion but was soon resolved.

An Olive-backed Pipit had been showing well in a marshy area adjacent to the school at Baltasound but birders were asked to stay away until the school closed at 15.35. Time for another brew and a trip to Ulyasound where yet another Yellow-browed Warbler was dismissed when we located a juvenile Barred Warbler.

With the sun breaking through at last we headed to the school where Matty first spotted the pipit on the wooden boardwalk. We watched this Siberian waif in silence down to 4 m before others joined us.

By now the weather had improved and we decided to try for better views of the bunting before heading home to dry out, get some tea, a couple of beers and an early night.

A great, albeit wet, day.

Shetland. Day 1.

Our now annual trip to Shetland began with me picking up first Al & then Pod & Mark before driving to Glasgow. Meeting up with Matt, Damon & Mike we boarded our Flybe plane for the flight to Sumburgh. First stop the car hire depot where we picked up our wheels for the week,

With Nark, Damon & Matt needing Pallid Harrier we spent most of the remaining daylight hours at Quendale looking fir the juvenile bird that had been regularly reported there. Unfortunately it failed to show so we headed first to Tesco's and then our accommodation in Lerwick where an Indian takeaway was ordered for all. Plans were made for a trip to Unst next day to try and locate a juvenile Black-headed Bunting that had been hanging around with House Sparrows around Belmont House.

Pied Flycatcher, Quendale

Another brief update.

The last few days have been spent on the mainland. Highlights being great views of Pallid Harrier at Quendale which also came up trumps with American Golden Plover and Buff-bellied Pipit. The same area has also hosted our 6th BBRC rarity of the trip in the sparrow murdering form of an adult Isabelline Shrike.

Weather gruesome at the moment so we're having a well earned rest and a late start. Everyone's so knackered we've not even been to the pub yet.

A taster from Shetland

First full day of our week on Shetland. Highlights so far juv Citrine Wagtail, 3 Common Rosefinches, Barred Warbler, 6 Yellow-browed Warblers, juv Black-headed Bunting and stunning views of Olive-backed Pipit.