Last day on Scillies

Hello

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

Scillies Day 21 (Friday 18th Oct)

Hello

A rather wet day today with some heavy showers and strong southerly winds.  Remarkably mild though.  Another day on St Marys, and the wettest day of the trip to date.

The birds were mostly repeats of previous days with three Firecrests, five Yellow-browed Warblers and singles of Snow Bunting, Lapland Bunting, Jack Snipe and Peregrine.  A couple of Ravens put in an appearance in the afternoon and the high tide at Porthellick provided counts of ten Greenshanks and ten Snipe.  A Little Grebe was a local rarity for the island!  One or two Kingfisher(s) added some colour to the day.

Regards

E & N

Scillies Day 20 (Thursday 17th Oct)

Hello

We aimed to visit the island of Bryher today but the tides didn't permit an early boat.  So after a few hours birding on St Mary's, we travelled over to the private island of Tresco on the 10.15am boat and then caught a boat from there at 12.30pm to make landfall on the small island of Bryher.

A Yellow-browed Warbler called continually again around our chalet first thing.  A quick walk around the Great Pool at Tresco yielded another Yellow-browed Warbler, this time showing itself well in Sycamores, a Jack Snipe was flushed from the track and other birds included Stonechat, Wheatear, an apparent migrant flock of 9 Blue Tits, Reed Warbler and common waders and wildfowl.

On to Bryher and a good walk around the north-west end of the island produced a couple of Ring Ouzels, half a dozen Wheatears and a Black Redstart.  Plenty of Rock Pipits inhabited the beaches and a small flock of waders included a rather oddly-plumaged Little Stint.  A further wander around other areas of the island provided a Whinchat and another Black Redstart but not much else.

Scanning the waters and island just off Bryher provided plenty of gulls including a Mediterranean, common waders, plenty of Little Egrets and the usual Grey Seals.  The very warm conditions and strong sunshine made we wish I hadn't bothered with a coat!

On our return to St Mary's we walked around the Garrison and saw a stunning adult male Back Redstart, which interestingly was ringed on its right leg.

After a fish and chip supper on Porthcressa Beach it was time to retire to our chalet and bed down two very tired collies!

Neil M

 

Beware!  Female birder

and Bazra the collie

on Bryher!

 

Bryn - still full of

energy as always!

 

Little Stint

Scillies Day 19 (Wednesday 16th Oct)

Hello

Today saw a shift in the wind to a strong south-westerly, the typical wind direction for this part of the world.  Wall to wall sunshine ensured there were many insects on the wing and the butterflies still included Red Admiral, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Large White, Clouded Yellow, Speckled Wood, Comma and Small Copper.

I tried an early morning sea-watch session from Peninnis Head but apart from plenty of  Gannets, a few Lesser Black-backed Gulls and a hunting Merlin didn't see much of note.  I then took yet more photos of the long-staying Snow and Lapland Buntings and wandered in to Old Town Churchyard to yet again not see the Grey-cheeked Thrush!

Meeting up with Eleanor and the two collies for brunch at the Old Town Café; Eleanor had managed to see a couple of Black Redstarts on her travels.

We then meandered around St Mary's and managed to notch up at least five Yellow-browed Warblers, a Jack Snipe, a Sparrowhawk, a Merlin, a Peregrine, 3-4 Grey Wagtails, 10 Greenshank, a Whimbrel, another Black Redstart, a Siskin, a Kingfisher and still a few Swallows and a House Martin.  Small numbers of Wheatear, Chiffchaff and Blackcap persisted.

Regards

Neil M

 

Another 'headstone'

Robin!

 

Song Thrushes.  The first

bird was consuming 

Palm Tree flowers/buds.

 

Adult male of the

local Scillonian race of

Blackbird (minor plumage

and vocal differences to

the mainland birds).

 

First year male

Blackbird.

 

Yummy Blackberries.

Just need some apple

crumble to add to the

mix!

Scillies Day 18 (Tuesday 15th Oct)

Hello

Another full day on the island of St Mary's down here on the Scilly Isles.  A strong easterly wind persisted all day but luckily the rain concluded at dawn.  Nevertheless the day remained grey and photography was challenging.

Two Yellow-browed Warblers were vocal around our chalet first thing but proved difficult to spot.  A couple more at Lower Moors proved a little easier.  A Wryneck showed briefly but well near Buzza and a long-staying and very confiding Snow Bunting continued to pull in many admirers.  For those that wandered around Pulpit Rock on Peninnis Head, a Lapland Bunting was similarly allowing close approach.  A wandering juvenile Rose-coloured Starling finally gave itself up, after touring St Agnes and Bryher on its travels.  Moving around with Starlings it is probably now learning to identify and consume the broad range of food that its common companions eat here on The Scillies.  Here they consume Blackberries with relish, then probe for leatherjackets, then tour the beaches picking off sand-hoppers as well as fitting in some garden feeders and taking the nectar from the Palm Tree flowers, probably the only place in the UK where resident and migrant birds regularly do this!

Repeats from previous days' sightings included a couple of Jack Snipe, Merlin, Mediterranean Gull, Sandwich Terns, Kingfisher, Grey Wagtail and a good local record of 16 Skylarks together.

Regards

Eleanor and Neil

 

Wryneck.  Stunning birds and

a typical bird of the Scillies

scene in the autumn.

 

Rock Pipit

 

A very good autumn

for Jack Snipe on the

islands this autumn.

Scillies Day 17 (Monday 14th Oct)

Hello

An early morning start today in an effort to try and see the Grey-cheeked Thrush at first light.  Two and a half hours later and Eleanor had managed a fleeting glimpse as the bird flew through Old Town churchyard just after 9am.  Despite two more visitations during the day, we failed to connect with the bird as did the majority of waiting birders!

Jack Snipe continue to pop up at Lower Moors, probably six birds being present today.  Several Yellow-browed Warblers adorn elms and sycamores around the island, their far-carrying 'sueeet' call often the first indication of their presence.  Good numbers of Goldcrests again today and winter thrushes continue to roam the islands in pursuit of autumn fruit and invertebrates.  Wheatears and Swallows are still present in reasonable numbers and there was a small increase in Stonechats today with a couple of Black Redstarts to add to the mix.  Merlin, Peregrine, Short-eared Owl and Ring Ouzel continued the theme and the hedges and trees still support good numbers of Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps.

Regards

Eleanor and Neil

 

Wheatears

 

Old Town Churchyard

Robin!

 

A more typical view

of a Jack Snipe, and if

you are lucky the sight

you see just before

flushing one up!

 

I know it's only

a Starling but I

couldn't resist those

colours and markings!

Scillies Day 16 (Sunday 13th Oct)

Hello

Another full day on St Mary's which was quite dull and cloudy in the morning but feeling warm and almost sultry.  Broken sunshine in the afternoon made it even warmer.

Eleanor started the day with another lengthy run all around the coastal track of the island, seeing a Wryneck, two Lapland Buntings, a Snow Bunting, two Ring Ouzels and two Yellow-browed Warblers as she went!  I did some ringing and caught a few migrants in the shape of Meadow Pipit and Chiffchaff as well as some resident birds which I doubt will ever leave the islands during their short lives.

After a lunchtime rendezvous with a café that provide wonderful home-baked Bavarian apple strudel, we explored the north of the island notching up some Siskins, a Firecrest and a couple more Yellow-browed Warblers and a Merlin.  We then sauntered down to Old Town which has hosted a particularly difficult-to-see Grey-cheeked Thrush for some time now.  A couple of hours searching not surprisingly drew a blank in trying to locate this furtive and retiring species.

Other birds seen included four Jack Snipes, Water Rails, plenty of Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs, a Whimbrel still and Wheatears and 'alba' and Grey Wagtails.

Regards

Eleanor and Neil

Scillies Day 15 (Saturday 12th Oct)

Hello

On this day we took the early boat to St Martin's and spent the day there.  The award-winning fish and chip shop was opening specially for birders so that was a sufficient lure for us!

A strong and cool northerly wind met us at the quay as we embarked on the Meridian but the gorgeous warm sunshine easily overpowered the cool wind temperature.  Eight Common Scoters, a Razorbill and plenty of Shags and even a couple of in-shore feeding Gannets were seen en-route.

We landed at Higher Town and spent time watching the elms and other vegetation for any avian activity around the cricket pitch, nearby fields and Little Arthurs Farm.  Then the coast walk up to the most northerly part of the island and a zig-zag course back to the fish and chip shop for the all-important 12.30pm rendezvous.  Bits and pieces included a Short-eared Owl, a Snow Bunting, a Pied Flycatcher, a Ring Ouzel, a Merlin, a Raven and a Turtle Dove.

With bellies full and two rather already tired collies we birded the east shore and fields to the east of Middle Town and finished by circumnavigating the southern tip of the island and Lower Town.  Additional birds included a Red-breasted Merganser, a Spotted Flycatcher, a Redstart, possibly another Ring Ouzel, Siskin, common shore-line waders and the usual chats.  The sun still shone and it was yet another particularly pleasant St Martin's memory to add to the archives. 

Plenty of Redwings, Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps and Goldcrests throughout the island duplicated recent experiences on St Mary's.

Back on St Mary's by late afternoon and another build-up Swallows was evident with a few House Martins and Redwings roosted in good numbers.

Regards

Eleanor and Neil

 

Gannet honing in on

breakfast!  He/she was

successful but I wasn't

quick enough to capture

the contact with the water

and subsequent consumption!

 

Collared Dove

 

Probably the last

Redstart I see this

year?

 

One of many Goldcrests

currently on the islands.

Scillies Day 14 (11th Oct)

Hello

A day spent entirely on St Mary's with strong winds which had veered around so that they were originating now from the north-east.  Not surprisingly the bird of the day was Redwing with hundreds arriving during the day, with smaller numbers of Fieldfare and an increase in the numbers of Goldcrests and Blackcaps.  By mid-afternoon a good number of Swallows had also arrived, presumably the last of the birds from Scandanavia and northern Europe.  Chiffchaffs also increased, in all probability exiting countries similar to those of the Swallow.

An hour in the morning with one mist net open was good enough to catch and ring singles of Grey Wagtail and Yellow-browed Warbler.

A walk around the Garrison also provided a Lapland Bunting and very brief views of Wryneck and Ring Ouzel.  Next was Peninnis Head which hosted a confiding Snow Bunting and a couple of Lapland Buntings.  The strong sunshine was incredibly warm out of the wind and yet another totally dry day was enjoyed by all.

The Lower Moors area continues to be good and provided close views of Grey Wagtail and two Jack Snipe.   A wander around to Porthellick increased the day total of Jack Snipe to four plus another Yellow-browed Warbler.  Two Redwings were caught and ringed in the evening.

Regards

Eleanor and Neil

 

Snow Bunting

 

Kestrel with Scilly Mouse!

 

Lapland Bunting

 

Singing Starling

 

Cock House Sparrow

 

Jack Snipe

 

 

Yellow-browed Warbler

 

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!