Teeside

Louise was on an RSPB Phoenix practical conservation course centred around the RSPB Saltholme reserve on Teeside, so naturally I had to take her down and spend the weekend birding.

Since there was a strong North West wind blowing it seemed logical to spend Saturday morning at Hartlepool Headland. Initially the weather was horrendous and I spent periods sheltering in the car from the hail. Eventually it dried up sufficiently to allow a decent sea watch. Several large flocks of Common Scoter were present both on the sea and passing. 4 Velvet Scoter, 3 Long Tailed Duck and a Goldeneye were about the best but frustratingly I was unable to connect with any Little Auks.

By midday I headed for Saltholme. It was generally quiet with the best being 49 Barnacle Geese in with the many Canada Geese. Ducks included lots of Wigeon and a few Shoveler and Pintail. The Kestrel trail produced an obliging Kestrel:

Goldfinch were frequently seen:

By 4pm the light was excellent from the Saltholme Pools hide allowing some nice shots of various things:

Grey Heron

Little Egret



Golden Plover

Next morning I headed back to Hartlepool Headland and in a 1 hour seawatch connected with c30 Little Auks heading back North. This is only the 2nd time I have seen this species so I was chuffed.

There was also 1 Great Crested Grebe and 1 Red Throated Diver and still some Common Scoter. There was an adult Med Gull nearer the harbour and after a bit of searching I caught up with 2 Purple Sands:

Purple Sand - a year tick.

Eastern Olivaceous Warbler - 3rd Time Lucky.

After dipping an Eastern Olivaceous Warbler at Flamborough 3 or 4 years ago and then the one that turned out to be a Chiffchaff in Fife earlier this year, when one turned up in the same place in Fife at the beginning of the week I was keen to see it.

Being busy at work it did not seem likely that I would be able to go until Saturday. Looking at the weather forecast of continuing Easterlies I was hopeful that it might stay but the element of South Westerly looming for Friday night meant I could wait no longer and with good progress at work I left the office at midday.

I arrived at Kilminning at just after 2pm and as luck would have it there was a wee knot of birders on the bird and it was performing admirably & calling almost continually. It soon however hoped up over the bank and I did not see it again until it was nearly dark. I'm afraid the photos are rubbish, even more than usual:

Autumn Colours - with a blurred Eastern Olly

Autumn Colours - with a slightly more obvious Eastern Olly - note no yellowish tones !

Absolutely no yellow tones, longish bill, sloping head profile, dipped its tail & called "tek" almost constantly.

 

A Red Breasted Flycatcher was an added bonus:

 

RB Fly

Rounded off the day with a fish supper from the Anstruther Fish Bar.

Lerwick at Night

Shetland Day 8

I had passed Clickimin Loch every day but had not checked it until today. 2 Whooper Swan, 25 Wigeon and a few Tufted & Mallard were present.

Channerwick provided my first Redwings of the Autumn plus a male Blackcap. Quendale Mill had a nice view of a Merlin as well as Goldcrests, 3 Swallows and Raven.

In between showers I caught up with the Red Backed Shrike at Grutness and 2 Long Tailed Duck on the Pool of Virkie.

Overall it had been a good trip, bird wise the 1st 3 days were definitely best but once the wind turned into the North it became a bit of a slog. Nonetheless Shetland provides plenty of potential to find your own birds & maybe next time PG Tips & Lancy.

Shetland Day 7

Today was a beautiful day with light North Westerly winds. I spent it in West Mainland not seeing a great deal but in beautiful scenery. Some images from the day:

Great Northern Diver - Sandness

Shetland Wren

Twite - Muckle Roe

Birds of note today included Red Grouse at Sandness, 2 Slav Grebes, 2 Red Throated Divers and 1 male Crossbill at Lower Voe.

Shetland Day 6

By Day 6 the winds had turned into a North Westerly direction resulting in a clearance of any remaining birds. Birding was becoming very slow. Took to trying to photograph Fulmars in Sumburgh Quarry:

Shetland Day 5

Another day of South West winds but coupled with rain from 11am.

Started at Veensgarth where an American Golden Plover was showing well with c15 European Golden Plover:

AGP

From then on the day very much went down hill. I could not locate the drake Surf Scoter at Foula Wick nor the Spotted Sand at Lower Voe although the scenery was nice:

Lower Voe

From there I checked Brae and Busta House in increasingly poor weather and saw nothing.

Shetland Day 4

The journey to Unst from Lerwick is about 60 miles and is essentially done in 4 parts:

1. Drive from Lerwick to Toft.
2. Ferry from Toft on to Yell (Ulsta)
3. Drive straight across Yell to Gutcher.
4. Ferry from Gutcher to Unst (Belmont).

The whole journey takes about 2 hours and the ferry (one passenger and a small car) for the very reasonable price of £ 10 (return). This is extremely good value when you consider what Scilly boatmen charge.

Anyway, the Pipit was at Norwick which is almost at the top of Unst and so nearly at the last outpost of Scotland. Last reputedly having flown into a weedy field and unlikely to show itself any time soon. Myself and another couple of birders waited and watched but it quickly became apparent that the only way to see this bird was to flush it. Trouble was that the owner of the field had 'banned' birders from entering it. What about Scotland's Right to Roam ? The trouble had apparently been caused the previous day when up to 20 birders had entered the field without permission and this had resulted in an injury to one of the owners sheep.

So we waited and waited and saw nothing of the Pipit, the mood only being enlivened by several Greenland type Redpolls and Snow Buntings. I had had enough and wandered away in search of the other star of Norwick an awesome Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll that showed at times to a few feet and appeared completely unconcerned by human presence. Unfortunately, I did not have the DSLR so had to make do with a digiscoped image:

Arctic 'Snowflake'

Events turned for the better in the mid afternoon when access for 2 birders to enter the field was negotiated with the owner. As such a flush was organised and sure enough the Pechora Pipit was seen briefly in flight and even more briefly on the fence. Not the most satisfying of twitches but I'm having it anyway !

Shetland Day 3

Another day of South Westerlies started at Hoswick for another look at the Siberian Stonechat.

News that the Buff Bellied Pipit had been refound at Scousburgh Sands was the next obvious place to go and sure enough:

Buff Bellied Pipit

A Lifer - Wohoo

Distinctive bird wth pale lores and eyering.

The bay also held 4 Great Northern Diver as well as Bonxie and Kittiwake. Being sheltered from the wind it was also quite photogenic:

Loch of Spiggie was also close by and held 2 Whooper Swan and Barnacle Goose.

 

Loch of Spiggie

 Onwards to Quendale I spent quite a time unsucessfully trying to photograph a Yellow Browed Warbler, a Spot Fly was a bit more obliging:

 

With confirmation of a Pechora Pipit on Unst, it was off to Scotland's most Northerly outpost tomorrow.