Last weekend, now this....

Well I meant to post, but the week has gone by in a bit of a blur, and somehow I never got around to it. I can't remember much about it now either, oh yes now I recall I went to see the Western Bonelli's Warbler, polled up and got excellent views within a few minutes, nice one BH. As I was east I decided to go hunting on Tankerness, actually a bit of a trek from Burray but a favourite place, Surf Scoter was in mind as it's the time of year. Well it took me a couple of hours but a drake Surfie eventually gave himself up. Not the world's greatest views but I'm not complaining. Also off north Tankerness were good numbers of Slavonian Grebes and Velvet Scoters and five GNDs, all species that can be a tad tricky from West Mainland.

 Howaback, last weekend

On the home patch during the week Redwings started to be more common until on Friday pm a large lump of them dumped into the garden and surrounds and started eating all the berries on the whitebeams. The first Fieldfares of the autumn also put in a show with 30 Brambling and a Chaffinch or two. Most frustrating on Friday was a warbler in the sycamores that just did not give itself up, looked like a small Phyllosc. Also through Friday a fair bit of Woodpig movement was noted.

 There won't be any berries left soon

 Skaill kirkyard, the larger of the two sycamore clumps

Today was a bit of a repeat of yesterday evening at home except just two Brambling and no elusive warbler, and no Woodpigs. The Turtle Dove gave a slightly closer, but very brief view on the The Links at Palace, a Curlew Sand was at Skaill where the lockside and loch held a Blackwit and 9 Whoopers. Tomorrow I will be on a Turtle Dove hunt am as I really ought to get a close view of this thing, so no dog and a cuatious approach is called for.

 Plenty of these in the garden and 7 at Palace, clearly a bit of a drop

 35 of these on Skaill beach, where have they come from? I fancy these are of a northern origin myself