Finders-in-the-Field: Eyebrowed Thrush, Brae, Shetland, October 2020
Burravoe Wigwams in Brae Shetland is a fantastic plantation with two chalets inside run as holiday lets by a local couple. Glen Tyler and I have had permission to ring in the plantation when the chalets are unoccupied for the past 2 years. We decided to run a ringing session on the morning of 7th October and attempt to catch Redwings arriving in. We set the nets the evening prior and ringed for a couple of hours up to dusk resulting in a single Redwing, 2 Hawfinch and a Yellow-browed Warbler of note.
We arrived early on the morning of the 7th prior to dawn and set the nets etc. We had a redwing tape playing to attract then into the plantation and from first light Redwings began to drop in in flocks from a few birds up to 60-70. As is always the case the number of birds actually caught is a very small percentage of the birds present and after a couple of hours, we had caught 9 Redwings amongst some other common migrants. Most of the Redwings that dropped in were quickly moving on however some were dropping down from the canopy to feed in the leaf litter and on rose hips.
Towards the end of a net round I said to Glen we should take a different path through the plantation to flush birds through towards the nets. As we came out of the plantation into the net ride there were three small thrushes in the net just in front of me, I approached the first bird and noticed the reddish flanks but the red continued onto the breast, the next few seconds were a blur but I shouted “Eyebrowed Thrush“, I’ve left out the first word as it’s not publishable!
I extracted the bird and after a brief second of staring at it in disbelief I placed it into a bird bag and took it to the van (ringing station ) and hung it inside in the quiet. The euphoria quickly turns into a bit of a panic as its going to be a popular bird and lots of birders are going to want to see it. We quickly put a message out to friends etc who’s contact numbers we had so that they could immediately set off and make it in time before release following processing.
One of the owners works night shifts and had only been home a short time and gone to bed, the other owner was at work so contact was made to ask about access, he was happy for us to invite a few friends but news not to be put out generally as visitors would be arriving to let the chalets at lunchtime. Myself and Glen then processed the rest of the birds saving the thrush till last. We ringed and processed it and it was aged as a 1st winter.
Once everyone who was contacted had gathered we formed socially distant circle and I showed the bird from the centre of the circle, after a few minutes the bird was released back into the plantation where it flew of strongly and was not seen again.
Phil Harris
12 October 2020
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