'Tristis'

I decided to try the top of Unst this morning, and by 'the top', I mean Hermaness Nature Reserve! certainly not for the feint hearted in this weather either. The rain was constant, and the visibility in the fog was negligible... It was a bloody hard job to find my way back to the car, never mind any wayward 'yank' Pipits or Waders!!!

After the soaking I received, my enthusiasm was a wee bit dampend, but I still decided to try working a few areas before heading home. Best I managed was Arctic Redpoll (BT's bird in Baltasound), 3 Sibe Chiffchaffs, 4 Lapland Buntings, 1 Merlin, lots of Mealy Redpolls and a couple of North-western Redpolls and strangest of all.... A Dunnock on Hermaness NR!

Sibe Chiff;

And of course a sonogram of the distinctive call. For anyone interested in calls... (The actual recording is a bit 'pants', so I've just included the sonogram instead)

My 'bogey' bites the dust

Every birder has their 'bogey' bird, but I reckon mine was taking the piss 'big time'. I've dipped Rustic Bunting on at least a dozen attempts so far, and I didn't think this afternoon was going to be any different. How wrong I was.... thankfully!

The total of today's sightings were made up of; Rustic Bunting, Arctic Redpoll, Melodious Warbler, Common Rosefinch, 2 Yellow-browed Warblers, Turtle Dove, Wood Warbler, Merlin, Kestrel, 5 Bramblings and a Song Thrush.

A ridiculously tame Turtle Dove;

A 'snowball' of an Arctic Redpoll

and a 'stripey' NW Redpoll;

24 hours...

The last 24 hours in South Yell have been quite enjoyable! Before I describe it, I must apologise to anyone who is hoping for good photos... this is not the right website for you!

Got a call late last night about a 'horny' Arctic Redpoll in West Yell, so a mad car dash, seen me catch a few minutes with this lovely bird just as it was getting dark. The pics were taken at iso 1600 and 100th sec, so basically crap!

Arctic Redpoll (looking more 'sleepy' than 'horny')

This morning seen me out before 7 o'clock, and by 7am I had a Barred Warbler on my 'patch', and it wasn't even fully light yet! Then within 15 minuites I flushed a Citrine Wagtail from a muddy pool at the local farm yard. This bird called a few times as it flew across the road and into some muddy tractor tracks. This is where I managed a few really crap record shots, before it decided to fly to the other side of Burravoe and vanish!.... Only to turn up again very briefly this evening!

Lack of light, and distance were never a good combination for photos!

The rest of the birds seen today include; Yellow-browed Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Whinchat and a poss Jack Snipe flushed while looking for the Cit Wag again!

Yellow-browed Warbler trying to hide;

Why can't all birds 'pose' like this Whinchat?