Tails of the unexpected.

The wind stayed strongly from the east, the rain came (heavily at times) from late morning and more birds arrived. Census started well when a Barred Warbler was trapped in the Gully, with the rest of the morning’s exciting birding producing first a Common Rosefinch in Hjukni Geo, then another Barred Warbler at Steensi, a Citrine Wagtail was star bird of the morning when it was found on Utra scrape before a third Barred Warbler appeared at Midway. Not bad!

With over 65 records, Fair Isle is the best place in Britain to look for Citrine Wagtail, which is fitting given that the first for Britain was trapped here in 1954.

After lunch, the Wardening team headed down to try to get views of the Citrine Wagtail, but managed even better than that, when two were found together at Utra.

Although often seen together, they rarely posed well enough to get both in the same frame! Multiple records are not unprecedented on Fair Isle, but are still unusual - a 'flock' of BBRC rarities is always going to be special. In 2011 there were five Citrine Wagtails: one in August, 3 in September and one in October.

The census totals are likely to be undercounts given the rain and winds, but a good number of migrants included: 2 Wood Warbler, 28 Willow Warbler, 11 Garden Warbler, 3 Chiffchaff, 1 Grasshopper Warbler, 7 Pied Flycatcher, 2 Whinchat, 1 Siskin, 6 Ruff, 3 Sanderling, 3 Common Sandpiper and 335 Common Gulls.

More to come? Well, with the Shipping Forecast this afternoon reading 'Fair Isle: Easterly or southeasterly 4 or 5, increasing 6 at times. Rain or showers, fog patches' I wouldn't rule it out.