Shetland bits and bobs from today: Shetland Wren, Raven, Golden Plover, Yellow-browed Warbler - with Dr Phil Saunders 🇬🇧 🇪🇺 🌈 James Lowen David Bradnum's gone to Bluesky...

Reprising my ‘best fed birders’ theme of a few years ago, tonight’s Shetland home-cooked special was a turkey fricassee by yours truly - also featuring the only carrot left in Lerwick #sendveg Dr Phil Saunders 🇬🇧 🇪🇺 🌈 James Lowen David Bradnum's gone to Bluesky...

Bird of the day on Shetland day 3 was a Great Tit - rare in these parts - at Gluss, to where we were spirited by David Bradnum's gone to Bluesky... so he could add it to his archipelago list James Lowen Dr Phil Saunders 🇬🇧 🇪🇺 🌈

Yellow-browed Warbler at Trondavoe, Shetland - one of the commoner species on the islands at the moment David Bradnum's gone to Bluesky... James Lowen Dr Phil Saunders 🇬🇧 🇪🇺 🌈

Redpoll at Bardister, Shetland today David Bradnum's gone to Bluesky... Dr Phil Saunders 🇬🇧 🇪🇺 🌈 James Lowen

Shetland migrants today pondering their life choices: Blackcap and Spotted Flycatcher David Bradnum's gone to Bluesky... Dr Phil Saunders 🇬🇧 🇪🇺 🌈 James Lowen

The trip north to Shetland usually involves a detour - this year we went via Suffolk to see this immaculate Red-tailed Shrike Dr Phil Saunders 🇬🇧 🇪🇺 🌈 David Bradnum's gone to Bluesky... James Lowen

Our accommodation on Mainland has a slow cooker so James Lowen was up early to prepare a mostly red wine casserole with a splash of venison and the last bit of vit C on Shetland (from the Tesco freezer aisle), served in a crater of mash #mostlywine Dr Phil Saunders 🇬🇧 🇪🇺 🌈 David Bradnum's gone to Bluesky...

A few more of the Siberian Thrush at Loch of Asta on Monday - a bit dark, but that's the way I'll remember it! David Bradnum's gone to Bluesky... Dr Phil Saunders 🇬🇧 🇪🇺 🌈 James Lowen

Folk saying Shetland has been 'tough going' or 'hard work' this week. Pah! We laughed in the face of 50mph winds, saw Glossy Ibises from bus stops, Short-toed Larks in the road and had to peel many Redpolls off our lenses #pieceofpish Dr Phil Saunders 🇬🇧 🇪🇺 🌈 James Lowen David Bradnum's gone to Bluesky...

Shortly before leaving for Shetland I saw a flock of 5 Glossy Ibis on the south coast near home in Wareham, Dorset - yesterday we watched a group of 3 at Norwick on Unst - about as far north as you can get and still be in the UK James Lowen Dr Phil Saunders 🇬🇧 🇪🇺 🌈 David Bradnum's gone to Bluesky...

A recently arrived Redwing at Burrafirth on Unst yesterday James Lowen Dr Phil Saunders 🇬🇧 🇪🇺 🌈 David Bradnum's gone to Bluesky...

‘Tough going’ on Shetland this morning with Nigella’s American breakfast pancakes, bacon and maple syrup (home cooked of course) #bestfedbirders Dr Phil Saunders 🇬🇧 🇪🇺 🌈 David Bradnum's gone to Bluesky... James Lowen

You can always tell the direction of the prevailing winds on Shetland by checking which way the trampoline poles lean #windyas Dr Phil Saunders 🇬🇧 🇪🇺 🌈 David Bradnum's gone to Bluesky... James Lowen

Last supper of our Shetland trip for Dr Phil Saunders 🇬🇧 🇪🇺 🌈 David Bradnum's gone to Bluesky... James Lowen and I: being the Sabbath, it had to be slow-cooked leg of lamb, home-made Yorkshire pudding, roast potatoes and 3 veg. Birding has been a bit slow the last few days - but we dined well #bestfedbirders

A bit out of shape after Shetland fine dining so a 50 mile ride to Abbotsbury for Baikal Teal (a Dorset tick and a bike tick) y'day was a tonic - many thanks Steve Groves for relocating this v distant bird which was best photographed in flight Dorset Bird Club

A couple of nice close waders from a wind-lashed hide at Abbotsbury Swannery yesterday: Common Sandpiper and Common Snipe Dorset Bird Club

Abbotsbury ducks: who doesn't like to see vermiculations up close, even if this drake Teal is in eclipse plumage (Pintail and Shoveler also pictured) Dorset Bird Club

Swineham is the place to be for scarce herons at the moment with Bittern, Great White Egret, Cattle Egret and a small flock of Glossy Ibis seen on recent dusk visits Dorset Bird Club Birds of Poole Harbour

Brambling at Arne today was species no. 212 on the non-motorised year list. Need another 12 to equal my 2021 record - Merlin, Woodcock, Scaup, Velvet Scoter the last 'easy' ones, any shrike would do, but can't see where the rest are coming from! Birds of Poole Harbour Dorset Bird Club