The Clements on Tour !!

Last week, team members Kevin and son Gareth Clements went on a birding holiday to Shetland. At this time of year, the archipelago offers the prospect of finding rare birds from as far as Asia and North America.

The week didn't disappoint, with the duo identifying only the fifth North American Blackpoll Warbler to be found on Shetland, as well as finding an Arctic Redpoll (also from North America) and a Little Bunting (from northern Eurasia). 

With permission of our colleagues in the Shetland Ringing Group and the landowner, Gareth and Kevin were able to spend some time ringing birds in a garden and adjacent plantation on Bressay, one of the smaller islands lying to the east of Shetland mainland. 

The cottage and ringing site on Bressay

During the week, they ringed a total of 77 birds, as follows:

7 Siberian Chiffchaff 
1 Woodcock
9 Goldcrest
2 Common Chiffchaff
24 Wren
12 Robin
8 Blackcap
7 Blackbird
3 Redwing
1 Lesser Redpoll
1 Siskin
1 Song Thrush
1 Starling

Siberian Chiffchaff is regarded as a race ( called the 'tristis race) of Common Chiffchaff that breeds in Asia east of the Ural Mountains. Birds winter mainly in India, but several stray to western Europe each autumn. But 6 caught on one day must be something of a record!

The 'tristis' race of Chiffchaff is white and fawn/brown -with no green as found on the common race

The Woodcock no doubt had just arrived from Scandinavia following a nocturnal crossing of the North Sea, and appears to have been one of the first recorded on Shetland this autumn.

Shetland hosts different races of Starling and Wren to those found locally. Both are darker, heavier and longer-winged than their southern cousins, and they make an interesting comparison to those that we normally catch.

The 'zetlandica' race of Wren is bigger and darker than the ones in your garden

The dynamic duo are hoping to return to Shetland next summer and autumn, so be sure to look out for more updates of their travels.