28th September - 3rd October

 Finally we saw the winds switch into the east, and with it some migrants. However, it wasn't all plain sailing and at one point it felt like the best of the birds had fallen elsewhere, how wrong we were! 

The 28th saw the start of the south-easterlies we'd been waiting for, but we knew it had been clear overnight and that often isn't what we look for in forecasts. The day started well though as a Red-breasted Flycatcher was the first bird out of the heligoland traps, the omens felt good! Things quickly fell flat though and we realised there wasn't quite as many birds as we'd been hoping for. The Baird's Sandpiper and Little Gull remained on the island, a Tree Pipit was at the Old Mill and Buff-breasted Sandpipers were in the Standing Stone field and at Westness. The bird of the day was a Red-throated Pipit at Westness that sat up on the dyke briefly before bombing off south calling never to be seen again! 

A bit more overnight easterly wind meant there were a few more migrants on the ground, however the rain and wind picked up as the day went on and that showed in the general lack of goodies, anything that was present seemed to be hiding! The first Redwings of the autumns were seen dotted around the island often keeping close company with Song Thrushes, that appeared to be in the ascendency, which felt a bit unusual. The day did produce massive Pink-footed Goose numbers as 1422 were counted throughout the day as they swept south, always a great sight. The Red-breasted Flycatcher remained and the Long-billed Dowitcher popped up again, this time on Trolla, where it's remained pretty much since. Various other common migrants were present, with Grey Wagtail, Redstart, Black Redstart, Lapland Bunting and various common warblers all making the evening log. The Buff-bellied Pipit also re-appeared at Lenswick. The theme of interesting vanishing pipits continued too, this time a Richard's Pipit on the track at Lenswick, but like the previous days Red-throated Pipit it tanked off towards Snettan 'shreeping' away and wasn't seen again until the following day. 

Pink-footed Geese - GG

The final day in September also promised much with rain setting in from dawn. The early signs were good, with a clear arrival of more thrushes along with Bramblings and Chaffinches. However the day once again tapered off into anonymity, the pick of the birds was a rather sodden Dusky Warbler in Holland, it sat out for all of 20 seconds before vanishing into the cover of the garden. As previously mentioned the Richard's Pipit re-appeared as it skied its way over Upper Linnay. A Yellow-browed Warbler was in Holland, the day ended with a male Ring Ouzel at Trebb.

October started very slowly in comparison to events on mainland Shetland, the first Dunnock of the autumn was trapped at Holland along with a Yellow-browed Warbler, a Barred Warbler was at Nether Linnay and two Yellow Wagtails, one of which seemed quite interesting but evaded attempts to photograph and record audio of it. A Shorelark between the sea-watch hide and foghorn looked like being the days highlight, however a Rustic Bunting at Trebb stole the lime-light late in the day, it appears the building site around Trebb is especially attractive to birds at the moment with the area also holding a Yellow-browed Warbler, several Redpoll and some other commoner migrants.

Rustic Bunting - GG

Yellow-browed Warbler - GG

The 2nd is a day that often produces a big bird on the island, with the date holding Lanceolated Warbler (2022), Eyebrowed Thrush (2020), Siberian Blue Robin (2001) and Rufous-tailed Robin (2010) to its name! The day started with the long-staying Baird's Sandpiper still on the Links. The previous days Rustic Bunting was now in East Loch Park but otherwise the day had been quiet, this all changed around tea-time... A very secretive phyllosc around T3 just before lunch didn't raise too many eyebrows, it appeared to show white tips to its tertials in some photos and we dutifully put it down as a Yellow-browed Warbler, this all changed at about 17:30, while taking the dog out to the toilet I decided that it might be worth pushing T3 on my way back to the observatory, in hope of colour-ringing another Yellow-browed Warbler, I caught it without much effort and wandered back to the obs with the bird and handed it over to be ringed by another member of staff. This could have been a disaster, but thankfully at the point we noted something was off... this bird didn't have any pale tips to its tertials, it also lacked yellow-tones... it wasn't a Yellow-browed at all, it was a TWO-BARRED WARBLER!!! The bird was quickly whisked away to the ringing hut, and duly checked over and its identity confirmed. As was obvious now, Maddy's earlier suspicions as she was photographing it were spot on, a good reminder that photo's can be misleading! A superb find for Maddy and new bird on the island list. Beers all round!

The final day in the post was marked by horrifically windy conditions and vile squalls coming from the south, seeing them coming doesn't make them easier to avoid as most the staff were sodden by lunchtime. The Two-barred Warbler remained around the obs trapping area, giving occasional good views but for the most part pinging from bush to bush in the wind and being a menace to pin down! A Yellow-browed Warbler at Holland and a Barred Warbler at Upper Linnay were the only other notable birds. 

We look set for a week of crap weather, I'm sat writing this having got back from a very wet and largely bird-less census, the order of the week seems be lots of rain and 35-50mph winds... again.

Two-barred Warbler - MEH

Two-barred Warbler - MEH

Finally the offending photo showing what appeared to be pale tertial tips... Things aren't always what they seem! - MEH