Shetland 2022: Part 1

I was due to fly to Shetland for a fortnight on Saturday 8th, staying with Andy on Unst. The first time I'd stopped on the most northerly of islands and I was looking forward to it. Karen had spent a few days in New York with her daughter, returning early on Friday 7th, so we had a few hours together. I'd hung back going to Shetland initially to be around for Karen's birthday (6th October), and would have normally gone earlier. But events forced her long planned trip to the same week as her birthday. I had thought about changing the trip, but in the end limited accommodation and travel options made me stick with the later dates. Saturday 8th it was, and I was hoping for a late season biggie to prove the point. How wrong I was. On Friday 7th, as I sat in the lounge with Karen, news of Britains first Least Bittern came through. It quickly came out that it was moribund and unlikely to survive, and also that Paul B (my employee and friend) had co-found it with his missus Charlie. Ouch.  As I was already booked on flights there was nothing to do but hope for the best, but within an hour or so the bird was taken in to care. Sad all round. So my trip started off badly.

News of the bitterns inevitable demise came through before it was even light the next day. No surprise there. Flights to Sumburgh on Saturday 8th were all as planned, and I'd be joined by Sam Viles (speculatively in the hope the bittern might make the night and be released). We arrived early afternoon and collected a car. First stop, Bigton for a Myrtle Warbler. Nice to kick-off with an American warbler - my third of this species in the UK. This was a particularly bright and showy individual, and one of two within a few hundred meters, remarkably both found by Graham Etherington. 

After that it was time for a quick Tesco trip, then north over Yell and on to meet Andy on Unst. It had been too long, so we may have had a couple of beers. All we needed now was a relaxing, bird-filled holiday...

On our first evening on Unst news came through of a White's Thrush on Mainland at Lerwick, and it even showed well (eventually) to a few folk at dusk. Just two years ago this had been my all time most wanted bird, but Shetland delivered me one beautifully in 2020. I was keen to see another, and Andy needed it, but then we were keen to start birding properly on Unst rather than head all the way back down. We elected to stay on the island and see what happened. 

Next morning we tried to catch up with birds already present. In no time we'd seen a superb HORNEMANN'S ARCTIC REDPOLL, had poor but acceptable views of an ORTOLAN and seen a distant Glossy Ibis. 

But news that the WHITE'S THRUSH was showing well persuaded us to make the journey south, and we teamed up with old friend Alan Curry and his mate Mike Carr. We were soon back in Lerwick, where the bird had chosen the remarkable location of a young shelter belt by the high school (luckily it was half term). Naturally it could disappear amongst the saplings, but it showed for long periods and gave what can only be described as breathtakingly good views. Two in three years, and both absolute showers. I enjoyed this bird every bit as much as the last one (well almost). 

Photo by Sam Viles 

Photo by Steve Wilson

                           

Photo by Jim Nicolson

Back home to the digs, very happy so far (tiny heron aside....)

Next day the highlight was a Bluethroat, but migrant wise it remained quiet for days. Small numbers of Bramblings and Common Redpolls, an occasional Chiffchaff or Blackcap and a single Lesser Whitethroat.