Three fine mice

A fun morning nest box checking with the Surrey Dormouse Group earlier today, in beautiful, sunny autumn conditions in a local woodland. The highlight was a first-year male Hazel Dormouse – one of Britain's more iconic mammals that has suffered a long-term decline.

Hazel Dormouse being weighed.

Also cool to see were two Yellow-necked Mice. Although doubtless under recorded, they aren't a common species in Britain and this pair represented a (live) mammal first for me. They are very similar to Wood Mouse, but are larger, have bulgier eyes and bigger ears and, diagnostically, a continuous yellow band across the chest.

Yellow-necked Mouse.

For good measure we also had a few Wood Mice – three fine mouse species (well, two and a dormouse).

Wood Mouse.

Four Hawfinches flew over as well, as the mini-influx begins to show signs of being something larger. Two Marsh Tits and a cronking Raven were also noted.

Scandinavian Herring Gulls

A loaf-chucking session at Gremista harbour, Shetland, during my recent visit produced some close encounters with three argentatus Herring Gulls – and seemingly birds from the northern part of their range to boot. 'Scandinavian Herring Gulls' are genuinely quite scarce in southern England. In a typical winter I may see one or two along the Sussex coast, and I've only ever had a handful locally. Indeed, in some South-West counties they are description birds.

First-winter

With much retained juvenile plumage (the scapular moult is most notable), this was a truly eye-catching beast and stood out from the local birds of the same age. Swarthy, dark and serious-looking, with dark underparts and pale undertail coverts.

Third-winter

A really striking bird with a very mean expression, heavily built and lots of streaking on the head and neck. Brutish, with the mantle shade a notably darker grey, and rather bright pink legs. Lots of white in the primary tips and broad white tips to the tertials and secondaries.

Adult (female?)

This bird stood out the most, with bright pink legs, a very dark mantle and limited streaking in the head (likely due to the time of year). It gave slight Vega Gull vibes! This bird was especially dainty, for argentatus, with a rather cute head and slighter size – maybe it was a female. As with the third-winter, there is a lot of white in the primary tips and broad white tips to the tertials and secondaries.

Shetland stuff

I recently spent a week on Shetland – my first visit to the archipelago since the epic Sibe autumn of 2016. The birding was pretty slow, but the company good and it was nice to get away. However, the trip reaffirmed that I much prefer visiting the lesser birded Scottish islands in the autumn.

Pechora Pipit at Quendale.

Below are some photos and video from the trip, the eBird report of which is here.

Female Hawfinch at Scousburgh.

First-winter male 'continental' Blackbird.

Yellow-browed and Wood Warblers being ringed at Geosetter.

Twite at Scousburgh.

Pallas's Warbler at Cunnisburgh.

One of an extraordinary 'superpod' of c 250 White-beaked Dolphins off Sumburgh Head. Below, a distant pod of Orca at the same site.

Siberian Chiffchaff at Scousburgh.

Little Bunting at Sound.

Eastern Crowned Warbler at Sandness.

Juvenile Glaucous Gull at Loch of Spiggie.

Eurasian Otter at Scatness.