9th October. Manyana

Well the wind did its bit, we did ours but the birds just didn't want to play. It was clear within an hour of first light that nothing was happening, south east winds in October surely we weren't trying hard enough. Several laps of several crop fields, Sumburgh Head twice, Scatness to Voe beach, Toab twice, Sumburgh Farm and Grutness all to no avail. There were a few new birds but where were the thrushes and the goldcrests? They certainly weren't here.

Our spies in Toab informed us of a gathering of tour birders behind the Post Office, we were walking that way so had a quick look. From a distance they were clearly on to something, as they were all gazing into the grass at their feet, perhaps one of them had dropped their bus pass or a Murray Mint or something so we left them to it. However thirty minutes later an RBA message informed us of a Lanceolated Warbler at Toab - goodness me what a jolly good find they had had. Surely this would be the Scatness bird relocating - sadly not as that was a Lanceolated Warbler and this was a Gropper. Never mind the finders would have learned a valuable lesson and most of the tour would have gained a lifer anyway - so all was not lost.

Disheartened we retired early -maybe tomorrow.

A few of these to cheer us up