Monday 24 October 2016

24th October 2016 Unst SE1 Clear

There was a Merlin, 2 Common Rosefinches and 3 Waxwings at Norwick today and a ringtail Hen Harrier was seen hunting over the slopes. As we were driving to Lund I noticed a Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll sat on a fence alongside the road near the junction with Baliasta. On getting out of the car it was apparent there was a small flock of Redpolls that appeared to also consist of at least 3 Coue's Arctic Redpolls, a Greenland Redpoll and 6 Mealy Redpolls. The Wood Sandpiper was also present on a small pool at the junction. Lund produced the Little Bunting and 3 Lapland Buntings and superb views of the Siberian Accentor in the evening sunshine.

  
Merlin with a sycamore leaf at Norwick

Two Common Rosefinches at Norwick

 

 

Ringtail Hen Harrier at Norwick
A well-marked head pattern and a dark boa are oft-quoted characters of Northern Harrier but the pattern of the underside of the primaries (including 4 dark bars on p9) and its streaked underparts are characters of Hen Harrier

Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll
dwarfing a Mealy Redpoll



Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll

Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll alongside a Greenland Redpoll

Coue's Arctic Redpoll with Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll



 Coue's Arctic Redpoll (note tail)




Coue's Arctic Repoll (probably same based on tail)


Coue's Arctic Redpoll (full tail)


Coue's Arctic Redpoll

Possible Coue's Arctic Redpoll?

Wood Sandpiper


Siberian Accentor at Lund

 Lapland Bunting at Lund

Pink-footed Geese at Baltasound