Scilly

 A challenging first three days on Scilly. The Scillonian crossing was very rough and wet, seabirding action curtailed by covid restrictions and weather, but I did manage to pick up a Sooty Shearwater. On land I shamelessly twitched the two Greylag for my first Scilly tick of the trip. Distant scope views of the Red-backed Shrike at Longstone were had, but little more of note until a Turtle Dove on the way back to town. There was still time for late dips of Common Rosefinch and Nightingale.

Greylag

Turtle Dove

The 1st started with a walk out to Penninis where a Yellow Wagtail was feeding amongst Cattle and a roaming flock of Meadow Pipit. All were scattered by a hunting Merlin.

Yellow Wagtail

News that the Nightingale was showing got me down to the Dump Clump and after a 15 min wait the bird popped out to give fantastic views, sitting out in the open on the incinerator bank.

Nightingale

On to Tresco, where despite some very wet rain and a bit of wind we notched up some good birds. A good selection of waders including 8 Bar-tailed Godwit and a Grey Plover, 13 Pale-bellied Brent and 2 Mediterranean Gull were all seen within minutes of landing. Two Pochard were on Abbey Pool and a very vocal Yellow-browed Warbler showed nearby. The Spotted Crake took a few minutes from the David Hunt hide. but then showed well, feeding out in the open on the mud.

After sheltering from some torrential rain we headed up to the north of the island in fairly grim conditions, kicking up a Lapland Bunting from the path.

Lapland Bunting

We did fruitless circles of the wind-swept north with no sign of the two Dotterel, only for them to turn up just outside New Grimsby. A fresh young bird and a very pale adult.

Dotterel

A quick dash before the boat got us brief views of a skulking Wryneck. A bit of Barred Warbler dipping followed back on St Mary's.

Today has mostly been dominated by 50+ knot wind from the north and heavy rain this afternoon. Difficult birding all day and only saved by 5+ Balearic Shearwater from Porthellick Down. Roll on tomorrow...