Scillies update

Hello

On Friday (2nd Oct) we visited St Martins on the Isles of Scilly and spent the day trying to find interesting migrant birds, as well as taking in the sights of this probably our favourite island. During the morning we located three Yellow-browed Warblers and there were reasonable numbers of Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs and a scattering of other passerine migrants. The evening was spent checking the headland of Peninnis on St Marys, all this on a day of fabulous sunshine and blue skies.

Saturday morning (3rd Oct) saw us padding around St Mary's, yielding another Yellow-browed Warbler, common warblers and hirundines, White Wagtails, the three common chats and common waders and a Merlin. In the afternoon we took a three hour boat trip in search of dolphins on the flat sea off St Mary's and St Agnes. This proved to be very successful with a good view of a Minke Whale, a Basking Shark, Harbour Porpoises and Common Dolphins. Pelagic birds included Razorbill, Guillemot, Fulmar, Gannet, five Grey Phalaropes and two settled Storm Petrels.

Sunday (today) and a dramatic turn in the weather brought grey conditions and then rain this afternoon. However not before we located a Red-throated Pipit on the airfield with a supporting cast of a large flock of Meadow Pipits, three Lapland Buntings and their nemesis, a hunting Merlin. Other birds included Firecrest, Yellow-browed Warbler, Pied Flycatcher and Red-throated Diver.

Regards

Neil M

Herring Gull

Minke Whale

Guillemot

Grey Phalaropes

Common Dolphin

Gannet