Come Crane or Shine.

A day of moderate easterly winds, showers and promising (if somewhat autumnal) conditions brought an interesting selection of birds. It was clear that the weather was making a lot of birds keep their heads down, so it was tough going at times and there were not a lot of migrants about, but we did manage to turn up three Icterine Warblers (one singing at Chalet and others at Schoolton and Stackhoull), a cracking male Lapland Bunting at the Airstrip, Short-eared Owl and there was a Common Rosefinch at Haa. Best of the day though was in the evening, when a Crane was picked up flying north over the island. Thanks to quick calls from a few folk down the island, most people at FIBO managed to get out and see it as it went north over the Obs, before deciding not to risk the journey to Sumburgh and heading south again. It was seen again a few times drifting around and may well still be on the island tomorrow. Hopefully there’ll be a few other birds as well as the easterly wind continues.

One of the few times the Crane managed to free itself of an angry entourage of Bonxies, Gulls and even Oystercatchers.

Sammy the Ranger's talk last night was on the Great Crane Project, so we're hoping that Hatty's talk tomorrow night on Siberia has a similar prophetic effect. Siberian Accentor on Friday anyone?