Home Time

Yesterday was my last day on Scilly for the year. The previous day's storms hadn't dropped any new birds, so had to make do with better views of yesterday's male Black Redstart.

Black Redstart

 

The only new migrants were butterflies with at least 6 Painted Ladies powering around the Garrison.

 

Painted Lady

 

The boat back to Penzance was a bit bumpy and gave 2 Bonxie and 2 Sooty Shearwater.

 

Today was a 9 hour train journey with Fallow Deer and Little Egret seen on the way.

 

Back home now and will hopefully mop up some of the rares that are still hanging around.



Black Red

Wild weather today, with high winds and frequent heavy showers the waterproofs came out. Sadly, the birds didn't. A cracking male Black Redstart from Morning Point was a great start, but a look over the heaving sea yielded nothing more than a passing Porpoise.

Black Redstart

 

A soggy stroll to Old Town café gave Firecrest, Yellow-browed Warbler and a couple of Water Rail at Lower Moors.

 

Another walk around the Garrison gave little more than a Common Gull.

 

We need another rare to show before the boat home tomorrow afternoon.

Mullet

Dead

 



Missed breakfast and got the 8 am boat to St. Agnes, trotted over the sandbar (now 10 feet above sea level) to Gugh and again saw no Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler.

Under a brilliant blue sky I plodded around St.Agnes. The Short-toed Lark again showed well with a couple of Skylark. 7 Clouded Yellow fluttered around in the sun as I circumnavigated the island. With a lack of birds I managed a bit of rockpooling, finding a shoal of small Grey Mullet cut off by the tide.

Clouded Yellow

 

Short-toed Lark

 

Grey Mullet

 

After a spot of pub lunch at the Turk's Head I basked in the sun waiting for the boat back to St. Mary's.

 

Old Town bay held a superb close range Whimbrel and a Peregrine powered overhead.

 

Whimbrel

 

Peregrine

 

After coffee at the café there was time to twitch a Common Gull (Scilly scarcity) at Porth Thomas.

 



 



 

 

PG Tipless

As we sat down for a well earned cuppa the pager beeped with news of a Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler on Gugh. Running like headless chickens, we lucked in as we dived into a mini-bus half full of birders. The generous local dropped us at the quay and tumbled onto the boat, which swiftly left port for St. Agnes. On a rising tide the news from Gugh was not the best. The connecting sandbar was covered and the water deepening. At St. Agnes we leapt ashore and hurtled over the hill. We plunged into water like demented wildebeest, undeterred by waves rolling in from both sides the end was in sight.

Sadly the happy tale ends here and 3 hours later we retreated battered, bruised and shredded by brambles with only Whinchat and Reed Warbler to show for it. Still the fun is in the chase and you've got to be in it to win it. Next time!!!

Before the adrenaline rush the morning was spent on the Garrison under clear blue sky. Starting with Black Redstart, a Yellow-browed Warbler quickly followed.

Yellow-browed Warbler

 Around the shelter of the tennis court a host of warblers were feeding in the sun. Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Whitethroat and the first Lesser Whitethroat of the trip. A Hummingbird Hawkmoth also zipped through.

The next new bird was a Brambling drinking from a small puddle on the path.

Brambling

 

It was now to Lower Moors where we quickly got the Little Grebe (rare on Scilly) and also had Kingfisher, Grey Wagtail and Water Rail. A Clouded Yellow fluttered over a nearby field.

 

Grey Wagtail

 

It was then off to Old Town Café where the adventure began.



Sunset From the boat on the way home

 

 



Pottering About

With no new birds arriving, today was just a general potter around St. Mary's.

The Rose-coloured Starling from St. Agnes visited, giving good, but distant views as it joined the local Starlings. A Merlin had several passes through the day around the Porthcressa area.

Very distant Merlin

 

Up on Peninnis the Snow Bunting was running around our feet and 3 Common Dolphin passed offshore.

 

Snow Bunting

 

Wheatear

 

Black Redstart on Town Beach was new for the trip and a Firecrest on the Garrison was fresh in.

 

A quiet day on Scilly, but I would be happy with a day like this at home. Hopefully new rares tomorrow.

 



 



Not Pretty or Pink

Started the day at a deserted Shooters Pool. The Spotted Crake showed briefly while there were also 2 Jack Snipe, Grey Wagtail, Water Rail and Reed Warbler.

With the thrush safely in the bag yesterday, I was determined to get across to St. Agnes and jumped on the boat. A swift stroll from the quay and the Short-toed Lark was quickly bagged as it fed with Meadow Pipits.

Short-toed Lark

 

The next target was the Rose-coloured Starling. A frustrating couple of hours checking every Starling on the island was brightened by cracking views of a Pied Flycatcher and a distant Ring Ouzel.

 

Pied Flycatcher

 

Our lack of success was explained when the Starling was found feeding on its own on rocks below the cliffs. Great views out in the open. 4  Blackcap were also feeding in a sheltered bush here.

 

Rose-coloured Starling

 

A wander further along the coast gave distant views of 3-4 Common Dolphin and 2 super close Snow Bunting.

 

A last look at the Lark and a sit in the sun to wait for the boat as 3 Raven idled over Gugh,

 







Raven

 





Seven Hours Six Minutes

I arrived at Old Town church at 07.10 to try for the Grey-cheeked Thrush. At 14.16 I got it. Seven hours and six minutes leaning against a gate with a couple of unsuccessful, lung bursting sprints to break the monotony. A final sprint led to great views of the bird perched low in the shrubbery, but a last scramble gave crippling views as the bird hopped around the short cut grass of the graveyard. Over the moon is an understatement!

Grey-cheeked Thrush

 

First view

 

From our vigil at the gate we also had a Scilly Shrew, Wood Warbler, Yellow-browed Warbler, Chiffchaff and Blackcap.

 

Cheers to the lads for talking me out of getting the boat to St. Agnes.