Hard work!

Birding is getting tougher up here on Shetland; a combination of strong wind and limited cover makes it difficult to pin down any passerines. At least the wind is coming from a vaguely favourable direction, and it feels as though birds are arriving, so it's worth plugging away.

We spent the morning down south, turning up Yellow-browed Warbler at Sandwick, an obvious arrival of Song Thrush and exhausted Goldcrests at Sumburgh, and a Common Redstart at Quendale.

This afternoon, I momentarily thought we'd hit the jackpot when a soft clicking call came from the sheltered edge of Catfirth plantation and something flicked down the fence line. Spotted Flycatcher - that call always catches me out in the autumn! A ringtail Hen Harrier was hunting nearby.

Finally we crept around Kergord again. Another Yellow-browed showed briefly, 2 woodpigeon made it onto the trip list, and a few Robins behaved like they should've been rarer...