Sibe Sunday at Quendale - 2nd November . . .

Birding at Quendale on Sunday gave us some great views of 3 Siberian (Tristis) Chiffchaff which showed well for photos.  After catching up with Roger R who was also at Quendale & had been grilling the Sibe Chiffs earlier that morning, we headed back to Toab & then out for a late lunch with Helen at Bonhoga Gallery at Weisdale Mill. The evening was spent packing as our Autumn on Shetland has come to an end! This blog will now be 'Southern Exposure' until the Spring when we return!

Farewell Fair Isle . . . last day & promised birds in!

Our last day on Fair Isle proved to be a very enjoyable one! An increasingly fresh North-easterly wind & sunshine throughout most of the day made birding the Island a pleasure. A Waxwing made a brief appearance in the New Obs Plantation first thing & later in the morning Phil trapped a Siberian Chiffchaff (Tristis) in the Obs heligoland. Deryk took all the necessary  biometrics & I photographed it (see more pics in The Ringer Blog). In the afternoon I approached a group of Shag which were busy fishing in the Havens.  The Shags were a mix of adult & 1st year birds & showed well for photographs in the shallows. Dusk came too early (around 3.30) as I headed south to catch up with a Bluethroat at Quoy. In the half light I re-found the bird which was very well marked & managed a few record shots before darkness set in. Other birds noted today included Woodcock, Greenfinch, several Chiffchaff (including Abietinus) & Blackcaps but notably less Thrushes about. Looking forward to a weekend on Shetland with good friends before heading south again (temporarily) . . .