Firecrest

After heavy rain over night it has been glorious on today on Scilly. Stayed on St Mary's and covered a fair bit of ground when the lads arrived on Sillonian at noon. The Short-toed Lark was still showing, distantly, at the air field with a much closer Snow Bunting. A Peregrine powered overhead. Clouded Yellow were charging all over the island.

Snow Bunting

Peregrine

Clouded Yellow

Clouded Yellow

We found a Yellow-browed Warbler by the road just north of Normanby Farm, but proved difficult to get a photo.

Yellow-browed Warbler

A Willow Warbler at Holy Vale was the first of the week and a Firecrest was quickly found at Carreg Dhu, feeding with Goldcrest. Also here was a Reed Warbler feeding high in a bush with Blackcap. Good numbers of Swallow today with one flock of 12.

Firecrest

A Lark or Two

Started the day with two failed attempts for the Blyth's Pipit, before and after breakfast. Four Water Rail and 3 Wheatear were the best seen.

The wind has dropped a bit and with blue sky the trip across to St Agnes was fairly pleasant. An hour spent in vain waiting for a Rustic Bunting was halted by news of an Ortolan Bunting further across the island. Another dip, but consolation in the form of good views of a Short-toed Lark feeding with Meadow Pipit and Linnet.

Short-toed Lark on St Agnes

Little else was seen with several Stonechat and Wheatear along the coast and a glimpse of a Scilly Shrew at the top of a beach.

Stonechat

Wheatear

On return to St Mary's I walked up to the air field in hope that the Blyth's Pipit would be on there. Scanning through the 50+ Meadow Pipit I picked up 6 Wheatear and then Snow Bunting by the turning circle. A very pale bird on the newly recovered runway caught my eye and through the scope was clearly a Short-tailed Lark. I stupidly put out the news before taking a photo, as the bird flew off just as pulled the camera from the bag. It looked like I would be stood like chump with no bird and no photo when people arrived, but luckily it flew back and I rattled off a few shots.

Short-toed Lark on St Mary's

Short-toed Lark in flight



Plastic Squirrel, Rosefinch and Dotterel

A disaster of a day yesterday. The day was spent on Tresco in high winds and horizontal rain and hail. Very little was seen, the highlights being two 'plastic' Red Squirrel and a Pochard to add to my Scilly list. The camera didn't come out of the bag all day.

Today has been much better. Started on the Garrison where there were 1 Yellow-browed Warbler, 4 Blackcap and 10+ Goldcrest. A very heavy shower as we got off the boat at Tresco was the last of the day's rain. The walk up the island gave a Yellow-browed Warbler and a soaring Peregrine before the first of the day's targets, Common Rosefinch, was acquired at Borough Farm. A real bogey bird this, having dipped several and this one gave great views feeding with Chaffinch and House Sparrow.

Common Rosefinch

At the far north of the island the Dotterel was quickly found and this gave cracking close views.

Dotterel

Dotterel

Another look at the Rosefinch followed, but the feeding flock had moved further up the field. There were 2 Grey Wagtail here and a close Rat.

Brown Rat

Back on St Mary's I had a quick look for the Blyth's Pipit without any luck, so will try again tomorrow.

Old Grimsby, Tresco

Scilly Light

The Sillonian crossing this morning went smoothly, although the sea was a little lumpy. Not many birds, but I did pick up 4 Balearic, 1 Sooty and 1 Manx Shearwater. A distant bird that sheared up on W shaped wings has been gnawing at me all day, but the view was too fleeting to be sure. One that got away.

On St Mary's I walked up to the top of the island, passing a Hummingbird Hawkmoth along the way. By Green Lane the Rose-coloured Starling was showing well, though distantly, in a field of cattle. A Clouded Yellow zipped through.

Rose-coloured Starling

Checking hedges and fields as I walked south yielded little, but a Lesser Whitethroat showed well opposite the entrance to Tremelethen Farm.

Lesser Whitethroat

Up onto Peninnis and the Barred Warbler showed pretty well after a short wait.

Barred Warbler

Out onto the headland and a Snow Bunting was showing superbly well, coming within a couple of feet.

Snow Bunting

A call in at Lower Moors failed to produce a Jack Snipe, but a Water Rail did scuttle round the back of the pond.

Water Rail

Almost Scilly

Stranded in Penzance as the ferry was cancelled due to the wild weather that went through last night. Walked along the coast to Marazion in pretty nice conditions, with blue sky and light wind. The walk along the coastal path gave 7 Grey Wagtail and a continuous stream of Meadow Pipit moving west. At Marazion almost the first bird seen was the juvenile male Garganey, which was feeding with Moorhen.

Garganey

The target bird, Cetti's Warbler, was seen and heard from the road. Another two birds were around the reserve, but too skulky for photos. Also here were 6 Stonechat, 2-3 Water Rail, Kingfisher, 3 Buzzard, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Little Egret and a Wigeon.

Little Egret

Common Buzzard

Plenty of Butterflies and Dragonflies with 3-4 Clouded Yellow, Red Admiral, Peacock, Small Copper, Speckled Wood, Common Darter and Migrant Hawker.

Clouded Yellow

Migrant Hawker

St Michael's Mount

Long Tail, Big Diver

A great seawatch from Whitburn this morning in a strong southerly until the front moved through and the wind became more variable. Lots of birds moving and large flocks of Kittiwake and Little Gull feeding off-shore. Highlights were nearish flybys from a Long-tailed Skua and a Great Northern Diver.

0715-1045

Manx Shearwater    1n  15s
Arctic Skua    14n  8s
Common Scoter    10n  9s
Sandwich Tern  1n  2s
Wigeon    32n  36s
Teal    95n  56s
Golden Plover    1n  4s
Red-throated Diver    3n  5s
Shag    3s
Fulmar    4s
Eider    2n  1s
Long-tailed Skua    1n
Pintail    1s
Meadow Pipit    22n  4s
Great Northern Diver    1n plus 1 on the sea
Mediterranean Gull    1n
Great Crested Grebe    1s
Mute Swan    1n

At Shibdon there has been a build up of ducks with 29 Shoveler, 18 Shelduck, 1 Gadwall,2 Ruff and 2 Greenshank.

The journey towards Scilly starts tomorrow. Praying for birds.

Black Darter

Possibly the last warm, sunny day of the year, so I had a look down at Kibblesworth Brickworks for the last of the dragonflies. Still plenty of Common Darter still, plus 3 Black Darter and 3 Southern Hawker. Also here were 2 Little Grebe, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Coma and Small Tortoiseshell.

Black Darter

Common Darter

Southern Hawker

Far Pasture is looking great after the water level has been lowered, but too late for the wader passage. Here there were 22 Teal, 16 Snipe and 3 Migrant Hawker.

At Shibdon there were 2 Ruff and 3 Shoveler.