Our last day on the Isles of Scilly today. The anticipated rain arrived at dawn but then unexpectedly cleared up after about two hours and it quickly became very warm and sunny with extensive blue skies.
The strong southerly wind produced plenty of new butterflies to the islands with a small invasion of Painted Ladies joining the still plentiful Red Admirals, Clouded Yellows and others. A Hummingbird Hawk-moth was probably associated with the same movement. It seemed that Chiffchaffs had also increased in number with small flocks in lots of places on St Mary's.
A final wander up to Borough Farm was worth it with one small field there holding four Black Redstarts, what was probably the same long-staying Wryneck and plenty of Meadow Pipits, White Wagtails and Redwings. Nearby Newford Duck Pond continued to host a couple of Yellow-browed Warblers plus several Chiffchaffs and at least one late Willow Warbler. Watermill Cove hosted more common warblers and a hunting Merlin. Small numbers of late Swallows and a couple of House Martins had arrived by early afternoon.
Carrying on our birding circuit we looked in at Content Farm, the wooded track still attracting a Yellow-browed Warbler and more common migrants. Our final venue was Lower Moors which still held two Yellow-browed Warblers in the ancient sallows.
Then it was time to board the Scillonian III and we left Hugh Town at the early time of 3pm in a successful bid to beat a ferocious weather storm coming in from the south-west. Plenty of Gannets were fishing the waters between the isles and Land's End but other birds were restricted to a couple of Bonxies and small numbers of Razorbill, Guillemot and Kittiwake. Never mind, the frequent pods of Common Dolphins on intercept mode with the Scillonian III delighted the passengers!
Regards
Eleanor and Neil
Common Dolphin
Gannet
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