Scillies Day 13 (10th Oct)

Hello

Today was dominated by strong northerly winds which seemingly affected the whole of the UK.  However it was sunny and dry and 10 species of butterfly were still on the wing in sheltered areas.

An initial walk around St Mary's failed to find a great deal and we went to the island of Tresco for the day.

After a bit of an effort we managed to see the Sora Rail which had been found on the Great Pool the day before.  With no appropriate recent appropriate weather conditions, it is likely this bird first arrived from the USA sea-board a couple of weeks ago at a time when there were direct westerlies and other American birds were located in Scotland and Ireland.  Surprisingly this bird sported a good deal of black around the base of the bill and around the eye, albeit that the overall plumage indicated that it was a juvenile.  The Great Pool also hosted a variety of waterfowl and a good flock of 20+ Greenshank as well as plenty of Water Rails which seemed to enjoy bullying the Sora.

A wander to the café at Tresco Abbey was worthwhile as we espied the recently-released Red Squirrels.  Apparently the first ten were released in March and further animals have been released since and seem to be doing okay.  There are no Grey Squirrels on the islands and no Badgers, Foxes or any mustelid species (just plenty of rats), so they should hopefully flourish.

Other birds noted included a couple of Common Scoter, lots of Little Egrets, a female Merlin, Siskin, a local scarcity in the shape of an adult Common Gull, Whinchat, Stonechat, Wheatear and common waders.

We took a stroll to Old Grimsby and located a Yellow-browed Warbler in the elms at St Nicholas church which was the pre-cursor to then finding a juvenile Red-backed Shrike near to the Old Blockhouse.  It was then a brisk walk to Carn Near to catch our boat back to St Mary's and encouraging our shattered Collies to play just a few more games on beaches before they arrived back at our chalet at dusk.  Before that they had to endure a walk around another section of St Mary's which yielded a Wryneck and another Merlin.

Regards

Eleanor and Neil

 

Gadwall

 

Red Admiral

 

Red Squirrel

 

Red-backed Shrike

Scillies Day 12 (9th Oct)

Hello

Much cooler on this day with a north-west wind strengthening as the day went on.  The weather remained dry but mostly dull and cloudy.  These conditions really seemed to have thinned out the 'summer' migrants.

This was another day when I went on a pelagic trip for most of the day and Eleanor remained on St Mary's.  Eleanor's day list included the long-staying Purple Heron, three Yellow-browed Warblers, a Wryneck, a showy Red-breasted Flycatcher, three Lapland Buntings, a Jack Snipe, a Common Scoter and two Mediterranean Gulls.  The supporting cast included Sparrowhawk, Peregrine, Whitethroat, Yellow Wagtail, White Wagtails, a few Wheatears, many Water Rails, common coastal waders and resident passerines.

The pelagic trip was over prescribed with sixty or more observers on the Sapphire battling the elements to remain upright as we headed to the north of the islands.  There were more birds than last time but it was a tad tricky seeing everything such was the number of observers on the boat.  By way of example a Grey Phalarope flew up alongside the boat on two occasions and I failed to connect because there were just too many bodies in the way!  Thankfully I enjoyed more success with the other species which included a Sooty Shearwater, at least 3 Balearic Shearwaters, four or so Manx Shearwaters, other distant unidentified shearwaters and about 10 Bonxies which were regularly attacking the gulls behind the boat.  For the second trip running we failed to see a Fulmar and notched up just the one Kittiwake.  Auks included Puffin, Guillemot and Razorbill and again migrant Meadow Pipit flocks were seen flying low over the waves.  Up to four distant smaller skuas remained unidentified but moved liked Poms.  The constant array of gulls attracted to the fish thrown from the rear of the boat included a Yellow-legged Gull for a short time.

Other birds seen included a moulting adult Red-necked Grebe, a summer plumage Great Northern Diver, Mediterranean Gull, Common Scoters and Common and Sandwich Terns.  Plenty of Gannets came in to have a look at us and pods of Common Dolphins did likewise.

Regards

Neil M

 

Great Black-backed Gulls

 

Gannets

 

Lesser Black-backed Gull

 

Sooty Shearwater

 

Great Skua or Bonxie

 

Yellow-legged Gull

 

Grey Seals

 

Grey Wagtail

Scillies Day 11 (8th Oct)

Hello

Eleanor went for a early morning run around the island of St Marys and circumnavigated the whole island whilst keeping to the well-maintained coastal track.  After that it was another good hike around the island and the best birds located included six Yellow-browed Warblers, four Firecrests, a Ring Ouzel, a Wryneck, a probable Siberian Chiffchaff, a Spotted Flycatcher and still a good selection of chats, warblers and wagtails.  For some reason we are not seeing Merlins on the islands this year, the daily raptor total sticking at just Peregrine, Kestrel and Sparrowhawk.

A rather unusually-marked and very yellow Chiffchaff was trapped and ringed.

Still good numbers of late butterflies included Comma and Clouded Yellow.

Neil M

 

First year male Blackbird

 

Chiffchaff!

Scillies Day 10 (7th Oct)

Hello

Another warm and sunny day here on the Scilly Isles.  Some initial birding on St Marys in the morning produced a Wryneck again at Porthloo Beach, Common Scoter, Sandwich Tern, Whimbrel and a couple of Yellow-browed Warblers.

Off then to St Martins for the day, landing at Lower Town and being picked up again at 4.30pm from Higher Town.  Very few birders traditionally visit St Martins and it is probably the island where you are most likely to find you own birds.  It didn't take long to find a Yellow-browed Warbler and a Pied Flycatcher in elms near the redundant Seven Stones pub.  We then elected to take a wander along the wild west coast with its untamed beaches and bracken-strewn slopes and rocky outcrops.  The tide was low so we walked out on to White Island which held large numbers of passerines made up of Rock and Meadow Pipit, Wheatear, Stonechat, White Wagtail, Linnet and Greenfinch.  However nothing out of the ordinary was located so we then hiked up to the central ridge of the island and meandered our way to the Daymark situated at the northern end of the island.  Lots of Wheatears including birds making land-fall while we there, and Meadow Pipits coming in off the sea too.  The usual Lapland Buntings and Ring Ouzels were seemingly absent.

The afternoon was spent exploring Little Arthur Farm and the area by the cricket pitch which added another Yellow-browed Warbler, a Spotted Flycatcher, Peregrine and Whimbrel.

Regards

Eleanor and Neil

Scillies Day 9 (6th Oct)

Hello

A full day on St Marys again, with almost constant sunshine and particularly warm temperatures - almost idyllic birding weather.  Again the birds didn't disappoint with three different Wrynecks (two in the same bush), the Arctic Warbler again (hiding in the depths of a sallow), a Ring Ouzel, two Yellow-browed Warblers, a Red-breasted Flycatcher, a Pied Flycatcher, a Spotted Flycatcher, 3-4 Lapland Buntings, a Short-toed Lark on the airfield, a Spotted Crake at Shooters Pool, the Purple Heron in flight and a supporting cast which included several Peregrines, lots of chats and wagtails, hirundines and warblers, a male Lesser Redpoll, Kingfisher and further waves of butterflies including extraordinary numbers of Clouded Yellows.  No outstanding rarities but birding in the UK doesn't get much better than this!

E & N

 

Song Thrush.  The Scillies

provides excellent opportunities

to photograph common birds.

 

The canopy-loving

Arctic Warbler

 

Sun-kissed Meadow Pipit!

Scillies Day 8 (5th Oct)

Hello

Well after a week on St Marys we felt it was time for a day on another island.  So after notching up Yellow-browed Warbler, Mediterranean Gull, Purple Heron and Common Scoter we took a boat trip to the small island of St Agnes.  En-route Sandwich Terns showed well and a solitary Black Tern was espied.

A sunny and warm St Agnes was full of warblers, wagtails and chats and we quickly located Firecrest, Pied Flycatcher and a variety of common warblers.  We were fortunate to find a juvenile Barred Warbler and managed to hang on to it so that all the island birders saw it too.  A Red-breasted Flycatcher showed nearby and then it was time for a coffee break in the recently extended Coastguards Café.  Whilst supping and munching in their birder-friendly garden we saw Ring Ouzel, Lapland Bunting and Whinchat.  A Hummingbird Hawk-moth showed well feeding on some late-blooming flowers.

We wandered around Wingletang and Covean in the afternoon, pipits, wagtails and Wheatears dominating the passerines.  Butterflies included Clouded Yellow, Red Admiral, Peacock, Small Copper and Speckled Wood.

Back then to St Marys and after arriving at St Marys quay it was a rapid walk up to Newford Duck Pond where we managed to see an Arctic Warbler which had been found earlier in the day.

Regards

Eleanor and Neil

 

Hummingbird Hawk-moth

 

Wren

 

Alternative profile

of a Clouded Yellow!

 

Sandwich Tern

Scillies Day 7 (4th Oct)

Hello

Well today was all about splitting up and doing our own thing!

After a little land birding I then went on a six hour pelagic trip for sea-birds well to the north and east of the islands.

Eleanor spent the day touring pretty much all of St Marys and notched up plenty of good birds with four different Wrynecks, a fly-over Short-toed Lark, an adult Mediterranean Gull, 2 Ring Ouzels, a couple of Peregrines, a redpoll sp and still summer migrants in the shape of Pied and Spotted Flycatchers, lots of Whinchats, over a hundred Wheatear, Whitethroat and other common warblers.

The pelagic trip proved to be extremely quiet but we experienced a couple of pods of Common Dolphins riding the bows of the boat, Balearic Shearwater, Puffin, Guillemot, Great Skua, Sandwich, Common and Arctic Tern and of course hundreds of Gannets.  Flocks of Meadow Pipits could be seen regularly skimming low over the waves.

After finding my land-legs again I day-ticked Purple Heron, Bluethroat, Redstart, Pied and Spotted Flycatcher, a Wryneck (different bird to Eleanor's four), Turtle Dove, Kingfisher and Mediterranean Gull.

A Death Head's Hawk-moth was an awesome beast, on show from a moth trap the previous evening.

Neil M

 

Great Skua or Bonxie

 

Gannets

 

Common Dolphin

 

Balearic Shearwater

 

Spotted Flycatcher

Scillies Day 6 (3rd Oct)

Hello

The forecast was for heavy rain all day but this didn't materialise until dusk so another full day out in the field on St Marys!

Lower Moors is proving a hotspot on the island this year and today we saw Purple Heron, Bluethroat and 2 Jack Snipe from the hides there.  Other birds of note on the island included Firecrest, Pied Flycatcher, Lapland Bunting and still plenty of chats.  Off-shore, Common Scoter were located and the shallow waters continued to attract Sandwich Tern and Mediterranean Gull.  Nearly all the 'alba' wagtails were White Wagtails and small numbers of Yellow and Grey Wagtails persisted.

The rocky shorelines and sandy beaches provided a safe haven for Whimbrel and other more common waders and a couple of Golden Plovers arrived on the airfield.

Insects from more southern climes included plenty of Clouded Yellows and a Hummingbird Hawk-moth.

Regards

E & N

 

Turtle Dove

 

Purple Heron

 

Greenshank

 

Bluethroat

Scillies Day 5 (2nd Oct)

Hello

Back in the land of the Internet (temporarily)!

Wednesday 2nd October was a bright and sunny day with a strong south-easterly wind and another day dominated by late summer migrants.

Two Firecrests were located in a conifer belt at Longstones on St Marys and other birds noted on our wander around the island included numbers of Pied Flycatcher, Spotted Flycatcher, Whinchat, Wheatear, Ring Ouzel, Redstart and large numbers of hirundines.  Birds on the beaches included a couple of Mediterranean Gulls and plenty of waders including Whimbrel, Greenshank, Bar-tailed Godwit etc.  Raptors are not numerous on the isles but a number of Peregrines terrorise both resident and migrant birds alike.

Eleanor and Neil

 

Clouded Yellow - numerous

on the Scilly Isles

 

Small Copper

 

Snipe

 

Whimbrel

Scillies Day 4 (1st Oct)

Hello

A sunny pleasant day with some mist and still very mild temperatures.  Despite the gloomy forecast there was no rain.

We found a Wryneck at about lunch-time and spent a short time watching this before it disappeared and Eleanor bumped in to another Lapland Bunting, this time on Penninis Head.

Still plenty of in-coming migrants with four Redstarts, ten Whinchats, over a hundred Wheatears, six Pied Flycatchers, ten Spotted Flycatchers, forty White Wagtails, three Ring Ouzels and smaller numbers of common warblers.

Raptors included Kestrel, Sparrowhawk and Peregrine and coast-line birds included Mediterranean Gull, Sandwich Tern and Little Egret.  The high-light of the day however may have been the apple strudel and clotted cream treat in an island café!

Three Clouded Yellow butterflies put on a good performance and Small Tortoiseshell and Large White were further flutter-by additions.

A nice sun-tan and two exhausted border collies concluded a very enjoyable day!

E & N

Scillies Day 3 (Monday 30th Sept)

Hello

Dull and drizzly today with some rain.  Eleanor took the dogs for an excursion around the east side of the island and saw good birds in the shape of Wryneck, Lapland Bunting, Redstart and Little Gull.  I was a great deal more sedentary but notched up a fabulous Yellow-browed Warbler, one of the first to arrive here this autumn.

We joined forces again for lunch and explored other sites on the island.  One or two first winter Mediterranean Gull(s) were about, Sandwich Terns were in excess of twenty and the White Wagtails numbered a good hundred birds and included a single Yellow Wagtail.  Still plenty of flycatchers and chats were present in suitable habitat and 3 Ravens roamed the island.

Butterflies enjoyed the sunny periods and included Red Admiral, Comma, Small Copper, Peacock and Speckled Wood.

The rain set in during the afternoon so Eleanor returned to the chalet with the dogs and I went and sat in the hides at Lower Moors.  After the rain had passed there was plenty of pre-dusk activity with the male Bluethroat hopping about and good numbers of freshwater Eels active in the shallows.  White Wagtails and Swallows came in to the marsh to roost and a Greenshank flew in and posed in front of the hides.

Regards

Neil M

Scillies Day 2 (Sunday 29th Sept)

Hello

Our first full day on St Mary's and an opportunity for a good meander along the lanes and beaches.  The bird of the day was a juvenile Purple Heron, at one stage showing closely but in poor light at Lower Moors.

The fall conditions of migrants appeared to have particularly affected chats, wagtails and flycatchers as we saw excellent numbers of Spotted and Pied Flycatchers, Wheatears, Whinchats and White Wagtails all day.  Waders included Whimbrel, Jack Snipe, Golden Plover and a fly-over Wood Sandpiper and a Peregrine was observed hunting over the south side of the island.  Sandwich Terns were in good numbers.  Other passerines located included several Goldcrests, Stonechat, Grey Wagtail and plenty of Rock Pipits at the coastal edges.  Warblers included Sedge, Reed, Willow and Chiffchaff and plenty of insects were on the go presumably because it was so mild and muggy.

Unfortunately the signal strength is so poor here that we are unable to download images, but hopefully we will find somewhere better to accommodate this soon.

Regards

E & N

Scillies Day 1

Hello

Apologies for the lack of blog reports recently!  Apparently there is no such thing as a wireless Internet connection on The Scillies.

On Saturday 28th September we boarded the Scillonian III passenger ferry at Penzance and sailed to the Isles of Scilly.  Birds at Penzance included 3 Grey Wagtails, Rock Pipit, Sparrowhawk, Shag and an unruly mob of Turnstones flapped good-bye to us as we manoeuvred out of the harbour.

This was the first time we could remember sailing in a strong south-easterly wind and the conditions were exceptionally mild.  Passerine migrants included plenty of Swallows taking a look at us as they flitted southwards, together with smaller numbers of House Martins and Meadow Pipits.  Hundreds of Gannets were no surprise and I'll never tire of watching them plunge-diving in to the waves.  Surprisingly though no skua species at all and just small numbers of Kittiwakes.  Shearwaters were well represented with at least half a dozen Balearics showing well, three Manxies and a lone Sooty.  A couple of Yellow-legged Gulls followed the vessel for much of the journey providing good views.  Unfortunately the conditions were so murky and grey that all images were just that, grey and murky!

Wherever there was a concentration of Gannets, sure enough there was a pod of Common Dolphins crashing around below them, some four pods being seen.

Just under three hours of sailing and we made landfall, but it was a misty and dank looking nest of islands that greeted us!  After walking up to our accommodation and after a cup of tea though the weather began to improve.  The south-easterlies had done their stuff and there were migrants everywhere.  Around our chalet we espied a couple each of Spotted and Pied Flycatcher plus a few Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs.

The afternoon was spent visiting favourite places and we connected with a male Bluethroat at Lower Moors.  Large numbers of White Wagtails on the beaches and open grass areas were a treat and we notched up plenty of Wheatears, Whinchats, common warblers, Meadow Pipits and three Turtle Doves, all no doubt the result of the weather conditions.  Additional species before dusk included Sandwich Tern, two Jack Snipe, Water Rail, Whimbrel, Greenshank and other common waders.

Home from home, a Hedgehog fed outside our chalet in the evening!

Regards

Neil M

Hidden birds!

Hello

A change in the weather down here in Cornwall saw a very blustery ESE wind and milky sunshine.

A rather frustrating day inasmuch that it was obvious there were plenty of migrants about but with the bushes being tossed around most of the passerines kept a very low profile.

With the sunshine there were plenty of common butterflies about and still quite a number of the huge and loud Large Green Bush-Crickets.

An early morning wander around the leafy suburbs of Penzance provided only a Grey Wagtail or two.

The Hayle Estuary was a little disappointing as the high tide failed to push the estuary birds close enough for really good views.  Common waders and wildfowl were present in reasonable numbers and an assortment of gulls included at least nine Mediterraneans.  A couple of territorial Grey Wagtails were vying for the best part of the sluice gates.

A visit to Pendeen provided a walk to the hidden beach towards Zennor.  Birds included Raven, plenty of passing Gannets and the passerines included good numbers of Wheatear plus Stonechat, Rock Pipit, Chiffchaff and a couple of Spotted Flycatchers.

This afternoon was spent exploring Kenidjack Valley near St Just.  Four lee-ward feeding Spotted Flycatchers provided an indication of what might have been hiding in the wind-torn vegetation; Chiffchaffs could be heard calling but were keeping out of view!  A group of five Choughs overflew the valley a couple of times.

A re-visit to the Hayle Estuary this evening provided a distant and brief view of a Black-winged Stilt in a channel, apparently found just after we left this morning!

Regards

Eleanor and Neil

 

Mediterranean Gull

 

Grey Wagtail

 

Raven

 

Red Admiral

 

Chough

Heading South West

Hello

Early this morning we commenced the long drive to Penzance in Cornwall, the first leg of our journey to visit one of our favourite places, the Isles of Scilly.

To break the journey up we walked for a couple of hours in Great Haldon Forest near Exeter (Devon), before pushing on towards the Penzance area.

Low cloud, mist and a little rain persisted over much of the south west today and Great Haldon was a touch drippy and dank!  Nevertheless Goldcrests were calling from everywhere and a good number of shrill-sounding Chiffchaffs flicked up from the bracken or trailed tit flocks.  Small numbers of Nuthatch, Siskin and redpoll sp were about and the usual Crossbills were just heard today.  The raptor watch-point was redundant due to the weather!

Long Rock beach just east of Penzance is the local dog exercise beach, and that's where we were early this afternoon exercising the Collies!  Dogs of all shapes and sizes bounded up and away but our two remained fixated on their games in the sea and on the sand.  Birds included Rock Pipit, and several Wheatear and White Wagtail as well as a small flock of Bar-tailed Godwits and a Peregrine.

Less than a mile up the beach is Marazion.  The small RSPB reserve there held Pied Flycatcher, Whinchat, Stonechat, Wheatear, Rock Pipit, Cetti's Warbler, 2 Grey Wagtails, a Little Egret, a Raven and two Peregrines screaming about.  An evening scan at The Hayle was unproductive, the best birds being Little Egret, Green Sandpiper, Grey Wagtail and Kingfisher.

With luck we hope to bird some of the Cornish coves tomorrow before embarking on the Scillonian III on Saturday morning.

Regards

Eleanor and Neil

 

Bar-tailed Godwits in the mist!

 

A cameo shot of the Pied

Flycatcher when the sun

did come out!  Unfortunately

the bird remained in thick

vegetation.