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.