It’s that time of the year when we birder check the weather forecasts to an almost obsessive level. Not to see whether it’s going to be nice or not outside, but to check the weather systems on a much larger scale. Atlantic charts and various apps now allow us to see what will conditions can even deliver from both longitudes at the same time.
Over recent days systems had favoured American arrivals. After the Tiree flycatcher, news of American birds in Norway and Iceland showed the storms had delivered, but nothing was found in the UK. Given that finding a tiny number of American waifs makes searching haystacks for needles look easy, that doesn’t mean there wasn’t anything, just that it may not have been found.
Meanwhile, the forecast of a deep low pressure sitting over France and drawing winds from the east looked more than a little promising for a bit of a Sibe-fest up north. On Monday 30th September I sat at work, half concentrating on a report and half watching the Windy app (a birders addiction). The latter part of the week and weekend looked so good that I began to consider a long weekend on Shetland. But given the cost and logistics of work and personal life it seemed fanciful. Still I floated the idea to Karen in the evening and all was good. Work was clear-ish too. I checked flight options. But still, it’s a long way for a few days on spec.
Then at 10.59 a WhatsApp message on the Mega Chasers group made the decision for me. Despite the forecast turning thoughts to eastern birds, It was a mega Yank. Dougie Preston had found a Tennessee Warbler on his patch at Burravoe, on Yell. Shetland then! With commitments for Wednesday I booked Thursday to Sunday flights from Glasgow, bringing my previously fanciful plan to life. It would be a nervous couple of days - American wood warblers on Shetland have a habit of short stays. And this bird had been found on easterlies, suggesting it may have made initial landfall elsewhere before arriving on Shetland.
There was no early news on Wednesday 1st October and so it seemed the kid from Tennessee had moved on. But around 9.30 it was reported; news was patchy and it soon was apparent most people hadn’t seen it. The sighting was very brief and the weather was reportedly atrocious. The day ticked on with no further news. Many doubted, some had only seen it in flight and could add little to the required certainty. Only Paul Ellis stuck to his guns. He’d seen it and was fully confident. I know Paul well. He’s a great birder and a good bloke, I didn’t for a moment think he would string or persist with his confidence if there was any doubt in his mind. Still it was bizarre how it wasn’t seen again by anyone else. Many dipped and had to fly home on pre-booked flights.
I did briefly consider cancelling my Shetland weekend. It felt rather self indulgent. Yet the weather still looked so so good for eastern birds. How would I ever dismiss my (almost) 30 year nemesis Mr White if I didn’t ever chase the weather? I was booked, so I was going.
Thursday 1st October
Up early and drove to Glasgow, with enough time to call in and see Andy and Caroline for a brew (in the garden and socially distanced of course). I had a pre-arranged work Teams call at 10, so sat in the car outside Andy’s house readying myself to speak to clients. Five minutes before the allotted time news of the Tennessee showing back on Yell took me by surprise and didn’t help me concentrate on work. Just a couple of minutes later, just as I needed to log-in to the call, news of a White’s Thrush showing on Mainland Shetland appeared on my screen. Holy crap. The work call was a bit of a blur (something to do with hen harriers and wind turbines), but I think it went well enough. Call done, I drove the last 40 minutes to Glasgow airport, parked-up and checked-in. I wasn’t due on Shetland until 14.40 and it is an hours drive to the Yell ferry. I couldn’t possibly get to both birds before dark, and the weather was forecast to deteriorate to 45mph winds and rain. I reckoned I would have about 1.5 hours on Yell before dark. The warbler was the much rarer bird, but the thrush was the one I really wanted to see. I initially resolved to go for the thrush, banking on the weather keeping the warbler in situ overnight and allowing me more time to connect. But the thrush disappeared mid morning and seemed to have done what White’s Thrushes normally do - disappeared. Ok Yell then. But the plane was delayed, and we spent an infuriating half hour on Kirkwall airport runway. I couldn’t now make the 4pm Yell ferry and so lost a valuable 30 minutes.
Eventually, at 3.25, I was on Shetland and mobile. Well just about in mobile in a Fiat 500. The weather followed the forecast and it was lashing it down and blowing a gale. I nearly bailed on Yell given the weather, surely it was pointless? I called Mike Edgecombe and Gregsy, who had offered to wait on Yell. They had been watching the bird regularly but had understandably wandered off for a while. They would head back soon and have another look as I sped to Toft for the 4.30 ferry. I arrived with about 15 minutes to spare and waited. Gregsy called me - the warbler was still there and conditions weren’t as bad as earlier. Hope! The wait for the ferry and subsequent journey was agonisingly slow. I was acutely aware that the bird had eluded 50 people all day yesterday in better weather than this.
I arrived around 4.50pm and Mike and John were waiting in their car. At least the rain had eased. We set about searching but it was tough in the high winds. Then a shout from Mike at around 5.15. He’d found it in the next garden and moments later it was in front of me, low in a rose bush.
TENNESSEE WARBLER OML. It remained for only a few seconds before flying back to its favoured sycamore where it perched up for another 30 seconds or so. Massive relief, and huge thanks to Mike and John who left at that point after being there all day. I lingered for another hour or so but only saw it once, albeit nice and close. Hopefully I would have a chance to return for photos and more prolonged views. A couple of Yellow-browed Warblers, a Spotted Flycatcher and a Willow Warbler were the only other migrants, but always a pleasure to see your first YBW of the season.
Time to return to my Lerwick Airbnb for a curry and a celebratory beer. Now for that White’s...
Friday 2nd October
There was only one option - Quendale. The thrush had not been seen since mid morning yesterday and most are famously short stayers. But the weather overnight had been appalling and it seemed unlikely to have gone too far. It was certainly worth a check in the original garden at dawn, and I felt reasonably optimistic for once (no doubt buoyed by yesterday's American addition).
I woke early and drove the half-hour south in the murk. It was still blowing hard, and there were frequent heavy showers. By the time I got out of the car the rain had abated, temporarily at least. I was the only birder there, which felt encouraging. I peered in to the tiny sunken garden that I’ve visited so many times. Nothing, although a cassowary could probably hide in there so it was far from certain. As it hadn’t been seen for so long I decided to try walking the Quendale Burn. This only revealed a few Redwings and Siskins, so I headed back to the garden. The rain set in again and I made for the shelter if the barn wall next to the sunken garden. For no reason in particular l leaned over the wall and immediately flushed a giant thrush. It was like a small rhino with wings. It had to be the bird, but it made straight away from me up the burn, and the combination of rain and misted bins meant I saw absolutely nothing on it before it veered left behind a hillside. Shit! I immediately headed back up the burn and made several sweeps without seeing anything. Knowing how skulking they can be I decided that I needed help to flush the burns properly, but thought it may head back to the garden. It was time to alert others and ask for help, which I did via WhatsApp before returning to the garden to wait. I again positioned myself by the barn and waited, before being joined by Kev Kelly who’d found the bird yesterday. I told him that I’d flushed it from the garden and he too was confident that it would return. We chatted for a few minutes before Chris Bell arrived and joined me. The wind and rain had mercifully abated. Kev headed off round the other side of the garden. Minutes later, there was a sudden flash of black and white, and quite suddenly there was the WHITE’S THRUSH, sat on the wall not 30 feet in front of me. It was brief, dropping immediately back in to the cover of the garden, but it was glorious. I was in shock. A joyous moment. Finally, my most wanted bird, my nemesis, bogey bird and tart’s tick (what will I do now?!). But more importantly, a fantastic beast of a bird. The giant spangles of joy thrush. The sort of bird and moment that I'd dreamed of as a kid.
 |
| Mike Edgecombe's stunning image. |
Naturally I wanted more views. Shortly after we flushed it from the garden and it landed on a gate for about a minute, although a little distant. Soon it returned to the garden and hid. We managed a few glimpses before it flushed again, this time landing on a wall at about 50m range. It then settled in to a routine, mostly in the garden. Over the next 3 hours I saw it regularly and managed spectacular views both on the ground and in flight. It spent a good 20 minutes feeding in view, giving crippling views as it performed it’s strange body shake. At one point it flew up to the farm, landed on the gutter and sat in the open before dropping under a lone sycamore. A couple of us made our way up there but couldn’t see in to the dense undergrowth, so I edged forward. It popped up into the tree about 10 feet from me and paused for around 30 seconds before flying along the barn and landing, perched in full view for well over a minute. It really could not have performed better and I made to leave, but then couldn’t resist a little longer. One last look as it fed briefly in the open.
The long wait was over, and this was turning in to one heck of a trip and my grin reflected my home county.
Around that point Dan got in touch. He was birding on foot just up the road, so we decided to team up. He’d found a Red-backed Shrike earlier, so we called in so I could see it. Just as we’d refound it, news came through of a rare Locustella at Sumburgh. Whist keen to go birding, it was impossible to ignore and we headed south. We arrived at the head and there were birds all over, mostly Goldcrests and Robins, but undoubtedly freshly arrived. After a brief disappearance, the LANCEOLATED WARBLER appeared on the cliff rocks and sat out in the open. What a backdrop to see such a cracking bird. It was my fifth Shetland lancie, and I’ve seen them all well (one in the hand only though), but this one was truly exceptional. It soon returned to the base of a stone wall and gave what can only be described as ridiculous views.
Time to move on. Dan and I searched a few gardens and there was a steady trickle of common migrants. Mainly Yellow-broweds, Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs, with the odd Willow Warbler. Five Brambling were splendid, as ever. Late in the day we headed to burn and nettle field by Scousburgh, a favourite of Dans. It was getting late now, but there were loads of birds in there. In addition to the usual suspects a Reed Warbler appeared, but having checked it we were confident it was a Eurasian. A few more steps and a pipit exploded out of the nettles at our feet and called a loud and familiar ‘spizz’. Maybe a little hastily but I called “OLIVE-BACKED PIPIT” as it landed on a post and thankfully stayed for a couple of minutes. Dan was initially and correctly cautious in ruling out Tree Pipit, but it was really never anything but an OBP. A nice find to end the day on, and maybe the fifth I’ve found on Shetland (would be nice to find something else, but today wasn’t a day for complaint).
It had been a superb day. Moreover, it seems I'd been very lucky with the Tennessee as it was seen only briefly by a few people in the morning. Most had dipped and there was an air of accusation. After a mass dip for the first day twitchers on Wednesday, it was proving to be a very tough bird to catch up with so far.
We headed back to the digs via Tesco. Time for a beer and a catch up with Dan and John Bell before passing out into blissful slumber.
Saturday 3rd October
Enthused by the numbers of birds and incredibly promising conditions, Dan, John Bell and I set off early and worked various villages and burns. The weather switched between grim and atrocious, but we kept at it. There were decent numbers of birds, although our own highlights were restricted to a Common Rosefinch, Redstart, Whinchat, Tree Pipit and Bramblings. We decided to head out West for the afternoon, but whilst in the cars news that the Tennessee was again showing came through, so I headed north back to Yell instead, arriving mid afternoon as part of a convoy of birders.
It was still blowing hard and the bird proved elusive at first, but after maybe 30 minutes it came in to a relatively open tree and showed at close range for around 5 minutes. Photos were tough in the conditions, but I managed a few and the views were excellent. It soon moved back to the original garden where it showed a couple more times, then back again and calling as it flew.
Ex Cheshire birder Rich Bonser was in need of a place to crash after his second trip up from London, so I offered him a floor. Chippy and a couple of beers, and it was good to catch up.
Sunday 4th
Given I was flying off in the afternoon, it made sense to stick to the southern part of Mainland. There were some willows just along the road from the digs on the outskirts of Lerwick that seemed worth a look. First bird was a Great-spotted Woodpecker (a Shetland rarity I think), then one each of YBW and Chiffchaff, then (yet again) that familiar ‘spizz’ call - another OLIVE-BACKED PIPIT exploded from the trees. FFS.
After that I tried various spots as I slowly headed south. Nothing new of my own, but I also called in to see a Red-breasted Flycatcher and a showy Bluethroat before it was time to head home. That was some trip!
No comments:
Post a Comment