Gulberwick - Cott (again!) - 2.10.15

Shetland Ponies!

 

We spent the first couple of hours exploring what our village had to offer. As it turned out it wasn't much! 20+ Golden Plover, Redwing and 3 Snipe was all that we turned up.

Male Siskin

 

We then decided to have another crack at finding Otter by heading to Vidlin. Luckily the rain stopped but unluckily we didn't find any Otter. 4 Whooper Swan (3 adult + 1 Juv) on a nearby loch were nice but the highlight near the ferry terminal was a flock of 5 Siskin feeding on thistles.

Our next stop was Swining. Apparently the last house here is owned by Simon King but whether that's true I don't know! It was a beautiful little spot though with a small stream and a few mature trees at the end of a small track adjacent to a Voe. Expecting to see another YB Warbler when I spied a bird fly out of tree and back in I was pleased to find it was the first Pied Flycatcher of the trip. But other than a Willow Warbler and a dead Hedgehog that was it!

Despite not being masochists we then headed back to Cott for the 3rd time in as many days for the Arctic Warbler. Again early signs weren't good. Everyone left as we arrived as they had just seen it and I picked out the/another YB Warbler. But just as I was walking down to view its favoured tree Brendon said there it is. Thankfully I got back to them just in time to see the bird as it crept up a tree before it disappeared again. 5+ hours of searching for a 5 second view but it was worth the wait in the end and it was duly added to the notebook! 3rd time lucky I guess?