Shetland - third time lucky?

My upcoming trip to Shetland will be my third visit; I thought it might be interesting (on the offchance any geeky birders read this) to go through what I saw on the first two visits. So a pretty nerdy post then. I had to think long and hard to remember what it was I saw; I definitely didn't just go to a really really cool spreadsheet and lift out all the relevant records....

Bluethroat, Noss of Spiggie, 2010

My first visit was in 2010, and was amazing. I landed at around midday, and by close of play that day had two new ticks. Here's a list of birds:

Sykes's Warbler		02/10/2010		Channerwick, Shetland
Barred Warbler		02/10/2010		Channerwick, Shetland
Yellow-browed Warbler		02/10/2010		Channerwick, Shetland
Swainson's Thrush		02/10/2010		Levenwick, Shetland
Radde's Warbler		03/10/2010		Sumburgh, Shetland
Citrine Wagtail		03/10/2010		Out Skerries, Shetland
Black-headed Bunting		03/10/2010		Out Skerries, Shetland
Short-toed Lark		03/10/2010		Out Skerries, Shetland
Buff-bellied Pipit		04/10/2010		Eshaness, Shetland
Buff-breasted Sandpiper	2	04/10/2010		Eshaness, Shetland
Yellow-browed Warbler		04/10/2010		Sullom, Shetland
Yellow-browed Warbler		05/10/2010		Quendale, Shetland
Yellow-browed Warbler		06/10/2010		Northdale, Unst, Shetland
Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll		06/10/2010		Norwick, Unst, Shetland
Little Bunting		06/10/2010		Norwick, Unst, Shetland
Lanceolated Warbler		07/10/2010		Skaw, Unst, Shetland
Red-flanked Bluetail		08/10/2010		Geosetter, Shetland
Yellow-browed Warbler	2	08/10/2010		Geosetter, Shetland
Yellow-browed Warbler		08/10/2010		Channerwick, Shetland
Yellow-browed Warbler		08/10/2010		Sumburgh, Shetland
Pallas's Warbler		09/10/2010		Sumburgh, Shetland
Yellow-browed Warbler		09/10/2010		Sumburgh, Shetland
Yellow-browed Warbler		09/10/2010		Fladdibister, Shetland
Yellow-browed Warbler		09/10/2010		Noss of Spiggie, Shetland
Bluethroat		09/10/2010		Noss of Spiggie, Shetland
Pallas's Warbler		09/10/2010		Geosetter, Shetland
Red-breasted Flycatcher		09/10/2010		Channerwick, Shetland

Quite impressive for a week isn't it. Six lifers, including a simply brilliant Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll. I had high hopes therefore for 2011, but it turned out to be the difficult second album. Here's another list of birds - admit it, the inner nerd within you is coming out.

Yellow-browed Warbler		25/09/2011		Brake, Mainland, Shetland
Pallid Harrier		25/09/2011		Brake, Mainland, Shetland
Yellow-browed Warbler		25/09/2011		Quendale, Shetland
Bluethroat		25/09/2011		Quendale, Shetland
Lesser Grey Shrike		25/09/2011		Laxo, Mainland, Shetland
Icelandic Arctic Redpoll		26/09/2011		Voe, Mainland, Shetland
Barred Warbler		26/09/2011		Voe, Mainland, Shetland
Red-breasted Flycatcher		26/09/2011		Eswick, Mainland, Shetland
Yellow-browed Warbler		27/09/2011		Kergord, Mainland, Shetland
Little Bunting		28/09/2011		Whalsay, Shetland
Common Rosefinch		28/09/2011		Whalsay, Shetland
Surf Scoter		28/09/2011		Ronas Voe, Mainland, Shetland
Black-headed Bunting		29/09/2011		Belmont, Unst, Shetland
Desert Lesser Whitethroat		29/09/2011		Uyeasound, Unst, Shetland
Bluethroat		29/09/2011		Northdale, Unst, Shetland
Yellow-browed Warbler		29/09/2011		Northdale, Unst, Shetland
Barred Warbler		29/09/2011		Northdale, Unst, Shetland
Barred Warbler		30/09/2011		Busta House, Mainland, Shetland
Yellow-browed Warbler		30/09/2011		Kergord, Mainland, Shetland

No ticks. Disaster. Even the Sandhill Crane that I snaffled on the way up there had the nerve to remain all week and then "conveniently" relocate to Suffolk where the world and his wife saw it. It's still an impressive list of birds, just not quite as impressive as 2010. Anywhere else in the country with the exception of Scilly your hands would have fallen off due to the amount of high-fiving. As I type this, the first easterly breeze of the autumn has delivered Lancy, Pechora Pipit, Blyth's Reed Warbler, Citrine Wag and a smattering of other bits to the islands. Two of those would be new, and I still have seven days to wait - wish I was off tomorrow! Still, it's promising, very promising indeed. Is the big one out there? Third time lucky?