Saturday 5 October 2019

Unst 2019 #3: Siberian Lesser Whitethroat




We saw several presumed Siberian Lesser Whitethroats (Sylvia curruca blythi) on Unst during the week, including one or two around our 'patch' in Norwick, plus a couple more in the village nearby. The birds frequented thistle patches, nettle beds and other ground-vegetation, only moving into the shrubs and trees when flushed. Generally, the birds were approachable and could be very showy. The nape was brown, being the most obvious feature, plus the white outer web on the outer tail feather (T6) was relatively easy to see with prolonged views. I didn't hear any of the birds call. This bird was phonescoped as it hunted moths in the grass at Valyie.

 

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