19th-21st September
Following the influx of birds into the island during the previous day, there were plenty of leftovers on 19th. The Icterine Warbler remained at Senness and the Blyth's Reed Warbler was still at Gretchen. New in were four Yellow Wagtails, with two each at Brigg and Bewan, a Common Buzzard which flew off south (first of the year), Rosefinch at the Shooting Gallery and a Barred Warbler at Bewan. Other migrant totals included five Yellow-browed Warblers, 11 Blackcaps, four Garden Warblers, a Whitethroat, eight Willow Warblers, two Goldcrests, two Spotted Flycatchers, four Song Thrushes, three Whinchats, four Redstarts, seven Robins, 103 'Alba' Wagtails, six Tree Pipits, three Chaffinches and a Lapland Bunting.
20th began with a mobile Turtle Dove at the Broch (first of the year) and Little Buntings at Doo Geo (same as 18th) and Inglis Geo. The Rosefinch was still at the Shooting Gallery, the Icterine Warbler was again at Senness and Lapland Buntings were at Sandar and Bridesness. Other totals included a Corncrake at North Gravity, Reed Warbler at Westness (with another elusive unstreaked Acrocephalus warbler near Hooking), three Lesser Whitethroats (all blythi-types), a Barred Warbler, three Yellow-browed Warblers, 13 Willow Warblers, two Spotted Flycatchers, three Goldcrests, five Garden Warblers, nine Blackcaps, two Song Thrushes, seven Redstarts, two Whinchats, 17 Robins and five Tree Pipits. Bird of the day went to a smart Greenish Warbler at Cursitter, found in the afternoon - a species well overdue with this being the first record since 2019.
Persistent strong southerlies meant that new arrivals were slowing down by 21st. Nevertheless, there were still some nice highlights with a new Little Bunting at Twingness Pund (the Doo Geo bird was still present), the lingering Blyth's Reed Warbler at Gretchen, Pale-bellied Brent Goose over Trinley, 10 Snow Buntings (first of the autumn), two Yellow-browed Warblers, a Corncrake at Peckhole and a Spotted Crake was seen briefly by the Hooking track.
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