2nd October – Shetland Day 5

After breakfast we drove to Lerwick where a Barred Warbler was present in the middle of the town, we arrived at the spot and were on the bird straight away as it fed in the sycamores on the edge of a bowling green.

Next we headed for Sandwick where we were unsuccessful in locating a Purple Sandpiper. We then drove to Quendale where the only bird of note was a Fieldfare – which would be the only one of the week.

We were on the verge of returning to the chalet for a coffee when news broke of a Greenish Warbler at Cunningburgh,. We drove straight there and fifteen minutes later we were standing with a small group admiring this stunning little bird. Just 50 yards away was a Red-backed Shrike which proved elusive and we only had a couple of brief views.

Greenish Warbler, Cunningburgh

News of a pod of Orca off the coast at Bigton saw us heading in that direction, but a chance encounter with some birders driving the other way, saw us abandon our Whale hunt – for a while, later the same pod were relocated off Wester Quarff so we headed north again arriving there at the same time as a birding group from Heatherlea.

The Ocra had been seen heading north and it was assumed that they would turn around when they arrived at the bridge that crossed from the Mainland to Tronda so we waited in the rain for them to appear, but it would appear the bridge didn’t discourage them and they must have passed under it.

With the light fading and the rain falling incessantly it was a visit to the chippy in Lerwick and then back to the digs for an early night.