Stejneger's

Some decent seawatching with a northerly bringing Iceland and Glaucous Gulls past Whitburn on the 20th. Work the next day, but the light southwesterly on the 22nd brought Hen Harrier, Great White Egret, Little Auk, 3000+ Pink-footed Geese and 7 Whooper Swan, all in perfect light.

Glaucous Gull

Then down to Saltholme for a Durham tick in the form of an American Golden Plover. A bit distant, but showing well with a flock of Golden Plover.

American Golden Plover (phonescoped)

A very quiet seawatch on 23rd was happily interrupted by a Stejneger's Stonechat on Jackies Beach. The dark upperparts, orange, unstreaked rump, peach underparts with almost unstreaked flanks, pale supercilium (meeting over the eyes) and heavy bill all point to Stejneger's. Poo samples were taken for DNA analysis, but if it proves not to be Stejneger's I doubt that they can be identified in the field.

Stejneger's Stonechat

A Great Northern Diver dropped on the sea as the only highlight of the seawatch and a Merlin shot through as we watched the stonechat.

The next morning the stonechat was still present in poor light. A hunt inland for a Great Grey Shrike was fruitless, but did yield a roosting Long-eared Owl.

Long-eared Owl

A quiet seawatch at Whitburn this morning, but still 51 Whooper Swan, 151 Pink-footed Geese and 5 Mediterranean Gull.

At Lamesley the was one remaining Whooper Swan from the 10 yesterday, along with 34 Wigeon.

A bit of a run around at Cresswell, but the Long-billed Dowitcher eventually returned. Also here were a Little Stint, a Ruff, 3 Long-tailed Duck, 4 Scaup, 4 Bar-tailed Godwit and a Little Egret. 1000+ ink-footed Geese dropped in as I left.

Long-billed Dowitcher

Vagrant Emperor

An excellent find from Dave Foster behind the Shearwater Estate, Whitburn meant a pre-work twitch on the 17th. It flew off 10 mins after I arrived as the temperature rose.

Vagrant Emperor

Scilly Autumn Part 3

11th October 
An early start and back up to Carreg Dhu where there was again no sign of the Swainson's Thrush. There were two very showy Firecrest and a Blackcap.

Firecrest

The Short-toed Lark was feeding with Meadow Pipit at the top end of Pungies Lane. At Newford Duckpond the assumed female Green-winged Teal was showing it's credentials. Also here a calling Yellow-browed Warbler, 3 Chiffchaff and many Goldcrest.

Green-winged Teal

The Spotted Crake was showing ridiculously well at Lower Moors, only two feet away at times.

Spotted Crake

Up on Peninnis a Snow Bunting feeding along the track and a flock of about 40 Snipe were flashing back and forth.

Snow Bunting

Snipe

At the dump clump we had views of an elusive Red-breasted Flycatcher and two Spotted Flycatcher in pretty wet and miserable conditions. In the evening the Blue-winged Teal was still on Porthellick with two Kingfisher.

12th October
A Turtle Dove on the way to Porthellick, where the Blue-winged Teal was showing a bit better, but poor light for photos.

Blur-winged Teal

With good birds around, I assumed that no one had checked the airfield. This seemed to be true, as the first bird I saw was a Richard's Pipit.

Richard's Pipit

The Red-eyed Vireo was feeding and showing well along the track to Old Town church, a bit dull for photos.

Late news and a handy lift from Spider got me up to Bants Carn for a smart White-rumped Sandpiper at Tolls Porth.

White-Rumped Sandpiper

13th October

The White-rumped Sandpiper was an excellent Scilly-tick, but it was today that really made extending my stay by a couple of days worth while.

It started quietly with nothing much on the airfield and just two Yellow-browed, a Sedge and a Cetti's Warbler. Just as I was leaving a garbled message over the radio of Grosbeak and St Martin's got me running for the quay. An optimistic boat-ride was followed by four hours of dashing around the island in panic interspersed with bouts of dipping as the bird disappeared from widely spaced spots around the island. Eventual success was had by a final sprint to give stunning views in fields behind the cricket pitch. Once it was in the bag the Rose-breasted Grosbeak followed me back to the boat, calling overhead and landing in a quayside bush as I dived aboard.

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Back on St Mary's there was time for another look at the White-rumped Sandpiper.

White-rumped Sandpiper

14th October

Last day on St Mary's before the boat home. Finally managed a photo of the Yellow-billed Cuckoo. Too dull and distant, but you can see what it is.

Yellow-billed Cuckoo

The Blue Rock Thrush failed to show on the Garrison, but there was a fresh-in Pied Flycatcher.

Pied Flycatcher

A quiet boat home gave just 3 Bonxie to end a superb trip.

Scilly Autumn Part 2

7th October
After more running around decent scope views were had of the Yellow-billed Cuckoo from the road, looking into Lower Moors. Still no photos, but better than yesterday!

A 'real' red Red-throated Pipit spent just enough time in the pig fields on Peninnis for us to get there. It further obliged by popping up on to a shed roof to pose beside a Meadow Pipit.

Red-throated Pipit

8th October

The early boat to St Agnes following late news of the Blue-winged Teal. Unfortunately we arrived to no duck and the news came through that it had been relocated at Porthellick back on St Mary's. Stranded on St Agnes until the 14.30 boat it was sad to see the island so devoid of birds. All we had was Merlin, Spotted Flycatcher and a Blackcap. The unfairness was compounded by news of a Red-eyed Vireo by Old Town church.

The boat came and a quick cab ride got us to Porthellick for a quick look at the Blue-winged Teal from outside a full hide.

Blue-winged Teal

A jog along to Old Town meant we arrived just as the Red-eyed Vireo started to show. After it grabbed a huge caterpillar the Vireo sat out in the open, basking in the sun, obviously shattered from its marathon flight. 

Red-eyed Vireo

As we headed home the Red-backed Shrike was showing from the top of the field.

9th October

No sign of the Blue Rock Thrush around Peninnis, but we picked the Red-eyed Vireo again, looking recovered from the journey it was zipping around the hedge tops. Two Firecrests were also here.

Up on the air field the Dotterel was more lively, but too distant for photos. Two Yellow Wagtail flew overhead as we passed through Holyvale. 

A look over the gate just south of Borough Farm came up trumps. Just three pipits in the field, two obvious Meadow, while the third we concluded had to be Buff-bellied. The unstreaked, grey/brown back, delicate, pointed bill and pale lores all pointed to this species. A bit far for the DSLR, the following poor phonescoped shot confirms the identification. Unfortunately the three birds lifted and flew off west, not to be seen again.

Buff-bellied Pipit.

10th October

The day was spent in Carreg Dhu dipping Swainson's Thrush. All we saw were 2 Firecrest, 2 Blackcap and a Hummingbird Hawk-moth.

Scilly Autumn Part 1

30th September
The trip over on the Scillonian III was uneventful, with just 2 Bonxie and a few Meadow Pipit resting on the boat. Arrived to negative news on the Blue Rock Thrush, but a fresh-in Rustic Bunting got me jogging up to Longstone. Unpleasant weather and a long wait eventually gave flight views of the Bunting as it flew over calling. A tick, but not very satisfying. A jaunt up to Bants Carn gave views of the Short-toed Lark.

1st October
Up early the next morning got me up to the Garrison for a speculative look for the Blue Rock Thrush. Luckily just a 40 min search got the bird below the Steval. Initially distant brief views and then very close, ultra-brief views.

Blue Rock Thrush

Next was unfinished business with the Rustic Bunting. After a bit of a wait I picked the bird up on call as it dropped into the trees above its favoured feeding area. Fantastic close views in the trees and on the ground.

Rustic Bunting

Along to Carreg Dhu for a Firecrest, then down to Porthellick where a Jack Snipe was bobbing and a Scilly-tick Cetti's Warbler was singing.

On the air field some directions got us on the sleeping Dotterel. Also here were Lapland Bunting, Peregrine and 6 Golden Plover.

Dotterel

The Old Town area held Pied and Spotted Flycatcher, Whinchat and a Common Sandpiper.

2nd October
A warm sunny day started badly with no sign of the Blue Rock Thrush, then frustration dipping Yellow-billed Cuckoo.

Improvement with a distant, but obliging Melodious Warbler in the 1st field south of the churchyard at Old Town, feeding in the sun. In the churchyard there was a close Firecrest. A couple of Clouded Yellow and a Holly Blue were out in the sun.

Firecrest

Another look on the air field yielded 2 Lapland Bunting among large numbers of Meadow Pipit. A last look at the churchyard in fading light gave close views of a Wryneck feeding on a wall.

Wryneck

3rd October
A wet and very windy day spent on St Martin's dipping Black and White Warbler, just a Spotted Flycatcher and a Redstart to show for our efforts.

Redstart

4th October
Old Town church held a Firecrest, Spotted Flycatcher, Blackcap and 3 Chiffchaff. The Blue Rock Thrush briefly shoed on top of Carn Leh.

On the way up the island there were Whinchat at the pumping station and a Firecrest at Holyvale.

At Newford duckpond the assumed female Green-winged Teal was on the pond, while a Yellow-browed Warbler, Reed Warbler and 3 Chiffchaff were in the sallows.

Back to Old Town where two Little Egret were in the bay, a Spotted Flycatcher in the churchyard and a Red-backed Shrike in the field just to the south.

Red-backed Shrike

5th October
A dawn start with news of a possible Nighthawk on the Garrison. No joy, but there were Spotted Flycatcher, Whinchat, Blackcap and a Painted Lady.

Over to Tresco, passing 6 Spoonbill on the way. The Short-toed Lark was seen pretty quickly on the heliport, but the Ortolan required a bit of a wait. A woodpecker heard drumming was hopefully just Great Spotted.

Short-toed Lark

Back at Lower Moors I managed brief views of a Spotted Crake as it disappeared into cover.

6th October
The Spotted Crake gave a tremendous performance, feeding just a couple of feet from the path through Lower Moors.

Spotted Crake

All hell broke out with news of the Yellow-billed Cuckoo's reappearance. The next 6 hrs was spent running around Lower Moors in panic, before I eventually picked up the bird high in the canopy. No chance of a photo, but relief! A fly-over Merlin and a Yellow-browed Warbler were seen during the vigil.

To top the day off a Honey-buzzard did two laps of the island.

Honey-buzzard