Scarborough Birders do Out Skerries, 24th - 25th update.

From the 24th, with the strengthening southeast wind, common migrants began to arrive on cue and in turn filled us all with optimism for the coming few days of east winds.

Highlights included a fine looking Flava (presumably a Grey-headed), two Whinchat, seven Song Thrush, three Redwing, the Siberian Lesser Whitethroat, six Willow Warbler, two Yellow-browed Warbler, a Goldcrest, three Brambling and an amazing 16 Chaffinch!

Of course the real highlight of the day was the Blades slamming four past the Pigs at Hillsborough! Magic!

The 25th saw many more common migrants arrive with our first taste of scarce for a few days (a Little Bunting seen by Nick and Steve).
The morning began well with a slight drop in wind speed which tempted several migrants out to feed in exposed areas. Several Willow Warbler were seen and then a brief few moments of excitement with an Acro in the Irises!
It did, with some patience, turn out to be just a Reed Warbler.

Shortly after, whilst thrashing round the long, rank grass near Rocklea, a Locustella got up giving me only very brief views. A repeat of the same made me realise it wouldn't just be nice and sit up so backup was called in via radios.
A short while later six of us were on site and working the area, and finding a second Locustella in the process, surely one wold be the one, wouldn't it?

To cut a long story short the pursuits of both Locustella warblers ended with more than a few expletives as both turned out to be f*cking Grasshopper Warblers!!!

Grasshopper Warbler.

Despite the downer it was an enjoyable day with personal migrant totals coming in at singles of Ruff and Jack Snipe, two Whinchat, three Redstart, two Flava, 17 Song Thrush, ten Redwing, six Blackcap, three Garden Warbler, Siberian Lesser Whitethroat, Reed Warbler, five Yellow-browed Warbler, three Goldcrest, two Spotted Flycatcher, 14 Chaffinch, Brambling and Reed Bunting.

Song Thrush sheltering in a Geo.

Spotted Flycatcher.

Yellow-browed Warbler

Redstart.

Flava.

Scarborough Birders do Out Skerries, 21st - 23rd update.

Fairly steady over the last few days.
The 21st and 22nd were two very different days, rainy all day on the 21st and nice, clear and sunny on the 22nd. The Yellow-breasted Bunting remained throughout allowing a few boat-loads time to get on and see it, and it played ball, for the most part.

Yellow-breasted Bunting still preforming well - Out Skerries - 22nd September.

It was still loosly hanging round with the Little Bunting.

Elsewhere it was largely the same with only the odd new in migrant, a Redstart and a few Blackcap etc with the Siberian Lesser Whitethroat remaining along with most Phlloscs.

Yellow-browed Warbler - Out Skerries - 22nd September.

The 23rd brought with it strong southeast winds, the beginning of a weeks worth! What would it bring? Surely something.
Well the strong wind made it difficult but several new birds were found during the day (although a Whinchat was the only one I came across). Flava, Sand Martin, Chaffinch, Spotted Flycatcher and a Corncrake were contributions made by others.

Yellow skip in position at the ferry terminal, bring on that Accentor!

Scarborough Birders do Out Skerries, 20th.

WOW, is the word that describes the day!

Although my pics aren't of any major quality (again) they do pretty much all the talking!

From early on (20th) it was clear the drop, and slight change, in wind had done the trick as a Yellow-browed Warbler (the first for a few days) and a Brambling appeared.
Shortly afterwards, a ticking Bunting, of small size, gave its self up and not surprisingly turned out to be a fine Little Bunting, a great start to the day.
Several Yellow-browed Warblers later, Steve, Dave and myself were working the Iris beds on Housay when a Bunting flew over giving a tick call.
Call seemed louder that that of the Little and size wise it was rather chunky!
We were quickly heading in the direction of where it appeared to drop but there was know sign.

Little Bunting #1 - Out Skerries - 20th September

Thinking along the lines of Rustic Bunt we all split and worked the area. Time passed and it wasn't looking good until the radio crackled into life as Dave announced he had got the bird and that it was looking like a Yellow-breasted!

Out of breath after running it flew a few yards along the deck revealing yellowish underparts! Fuck!

A few minutes later still it eventually pitched up on some overhead wires and showed off like the absolute beast it was - a bleeding YELLOW-BREASTED BUNTING!!!!!!!!!!!

Handshakes all round and a selfie or two followed!

It showed on and off during the rest of the day and was joined by a Little Bunting, the second of the day. Luckily it did the decent thing and stuck around until Nick arrived on and connected!

Little Bunting #2 - Out Skerries - 20th September

A brilliant day, does it get much better?

At least 12 Yellow-browed Warbler were logged as well as a thin scattering of other migrants, the totals of which I currently don't care about as I am currently downing loads of Gin!

Scarborough Birders do Out Skerries, 16th - 19th update.

We left Scarborough early on the 15th September, and arrived in at Lerwick on the morning of the 16th after a rather long 24 hours of travel and a rather rough night at sea.

Mainland was pretty dead, a few old favourites were hit, Levenwick and Fladdabister, but struggled to find any migrants, a single Wheatear the lot!
Sumburgh was next up, and despite the views, it was a wasted walk.
A few showers moved through and possibly did the trick with a Garden Warbler and a Willow Warbler materialising in Grutness!

The Crane was seen by Loch of Hillwell along with a load of Ruff and a few Whooper Swans while a single Lesser Whitethroat by the Mill at Quendale was the only bird of note there!

That concluded our day on Mainland, the next morning we headed over to the Skerries on the 10.00hrs ferry from Vidlin, but not before a stop at Loch of Voe where a Yellow-browed Warbler was a welcome sight.
A Yellow-browed Warbler greeted us on arrival to the Skerries, and within a few minutes Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff and Blackcap were all added, seemingly the place seemed birdier than the whole of Mainland!
That assumption didn't last long though as after the rest of the day working the islands we added very little in the way of additional migrants.

Yellow-browed Warbler - Out Skerries - 17th September

Yellow-browed Warbler - Out Skerries - 17th September

Our first full day yielded a similar number of warblers (minus the YBW) while new were Lapland Bunting, Common Redpoll and Fieldfare, while a 'Skerries tick' in the shape of two Wren in the Iris Beds on Housay were welcome.

Common Redpoll - Out Skerries - 17th September

By the 18th the Wren count had reached five, yes FIVE! A good count for here so I'm told.
Migrant numbers remained the same, with slight decrease noted in Chiffchaff (down to just two).
A Wigeon flew south, the Common Redpoll remained, as did the Lapland Bunting. New were a Snow Bunting on North Hill and a blythi type Lesser Whitethroat that popped up out the Roses as I was taking a quick look out the bedroom window!

blythi Lesser Whitethroat - Out Skerries - 18th September

blythi Lesser Whitethroat - Out Skerries - 18th September

The 19th saw the blythi Lesser Whitethroat remain which showed rather well at times around Rocklea.
Again migrant numbers were low, if anything they had decreased again slightly, although Dave dropped on a fresh in Rosefinch down the end of Mioness and a nice juvenile Glaucous Gull flew round between Bruray and Housay.

Some better views of the blythi Lesser Whitethroat - Out Skerries - 19th September

At least eight Risso's Dolphins were off Housay on the 18th.