Avez-Vous un Cuppa?

Here is a few photos from my annual trip to Shetland this Autumn. Fulmar at Sumburgh Head White's Thrush at Daligarth, Boddam. White's Thrush at Daligarth, Boddam. Harbour Seal at Sandwick. Yellow-rumped Warbler at Grutness. Barred Warbler at Halligarth,Unst. Red-breasted Flycatcher at Cunningsburgh. RB Fly at Cunningsburgh again! Red-backed Shrike at Hestingott, Toab. RB Fly at Mossbank. And bird of the trip: Siberian Rubythroat at Levenwick!! (photo copyright of Paul Hawkins).  

This bird showed very well for most of the morning we spent the day on Whalsay and was a tick for Colin, Steve and John! This was my fourth time I had seen Western Bonelli's Warbler in the UK, but my first for the Shetland Islands. Most of photos were taken by Colin Green.      

Here is a few photos of an interesting looking "Northern-type" Willow Warbler I saw in Cunningsburgh , Shetland a couple of weeks ago. Overall structure was quite normal for Willow Warbler but it looked very pale in the field and maybe the photos don't give it justice of how pale this bird looked. Also before you jump on the bandwagon and say you talking bollocks again Dave! It's just an interesting bird and just to say to people Willow Warbler do occur in October in the UK and it might worth looking at them a little bit closer?! ;-)  

Here is a few digishots of the gulls we saw in Shetland on the 22nd! These included 3 Glaucous Gulls at Shetland Fish Catch in Lerwick and the 1st winter Ring-billed Gull in Scalloway . One of the 2w Glaucous Gulls at Shetland Fish Catch .       1st w Ring-billed Gull at Scalloway.        

Here is a few photos of the Redpolls we saw in Shetland! NW Redpoll sp at Cunningsburgh   Another shot of the "Greenland type" Redpoll in Cunningsburgh Hornemann's Arctic Redoll at Norwick, Unst   Another shot of the Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll!   Another NW Redpoll sp at Norwick, Unst!?! ...and finally an "Interesting" NW Redpoll sp at Levenwick.              

Here is a few more photos of the stuff we saw in Shetland! First up the Siberian Stonechat at Hoswick. Also here is an interesting link from Martin Garner's Birding frontier's website about the ageing and splitting of the races of Siberian Stonechat: http://birdingfrontiers.com/2012/10/17/siberian-stonechat-age-and-race/

Here is a few record shots of the Buff-bellied Pipit on Rerwick beach , South Mainland , Shetland .    

  Here is a few more photos of the Harrier Sp at Levenwick.