Bryher

After the pre-breakfast Mediterranean Gull we headed up to the Garrison. A steady stream of Redwing were dropping in and a Yellow-browed Warbler was by the football pitch. A distant Great Northern Diver was visible from the Star Castle.

A boat over to Bryher and the Hooded Crow was seen above Samson Hill. We pushed on and got excellent views of the Red-breasted Flycatcher, feeding along a hedge.



Hooded Crow

Red-breasted Flycatcher

A two hour vigil at Popplestone failed to turn up the Melodious Warbler, but we did have a fly-over Mistle Thrush and a helicopter flushed 20+ Fieldfare.

A mad dash up a hill got us distant views of a ring-tailed Hen Harrier over Tresco being harassed by Carrion Crows and two Raven. We also managed a Whinchat by the pitch and putt course.



Whinchat

The boat back to St Mary's gave an Osprey over Tresco, a Mediterranean Gull and a fly-over Shelduck.

News filtered through of a possible Siberian Stonechat at Content. By the time we arrived the bird had been confirmed, but just flown. A quick jog to Pungies Lane and the bird was in the field we had the Richard's Pipit yesterday. A bit distant and fading light, but the following awful shot shows the black under-wing coverts.



Siberian Stonechat

Pipits

Started pre-breakfast on Porthcressa Beach with the first winter Mediterranean Gull, then after a full English it was back up to Peninnis. The Blyth's Pipit gave fantastic scope views, feeding in relatively short grass. A bit far for photos, but you can see what it is.



Blyth's Pipit



Phone scoped

Blyth's Pipit crowd

The next pipit of the day was a Red-throated Pipit that was loosely associating with Meadow Pipits. We only managed to catch it several times in flight as it called overhead as it zipped between fields. A Merlin also made a dash through here.

At Lower Moors we had a brief glimpse of a Little Bunting in the Standing Stone Field. Of three Jack Snipe the following one was showing superbly.



Jack Snipe

A walk up through the middle of the island produced loads of butterflies under the blazing sun, including the first Clouded Yellows of the trip.



Painted Lady

Small Copper

We had just got on the Golf Course when the radio announced two Richard's Pipits in flight. Luckily in the right place we picked them up in flight over Pungies Lane. A dash back and we picked up further views of one in flight and briefly on the ground.

A walk up to Innesidgen gave us distant views of a flying Great Northern Diver. Heading home we passed through the golf course where a Short-eared Owl flushed from the gorse, giving cracking views against a blue sky. Also here were two Golden Plover.



Short-eared Owl

Last stop was Porthloo for a couple of Black Redstart.



Black Redstart

Radde's and Blyth's

Yesterday was spent chasing warblers on the Garrison and best forgotten.

This morning started well with great views of the Mediterranean Gull on Porthcressa beach.



Mediterranean Gull

Just off the beach and news broke that a Radde's Warbler had been trapped at Porth Hellick. A mad dash and a thumbed lift got us there in time to see the bird released.



Radde's Warbler by Andy Swan

With small groups of Redwing zipping overhead Porth Hellick also held Jack Snipe, Redstart and 2 Reed Warbler.

A walk around the north of the island in brilliant sunshine gave us superb views of a fishing Osprey and a flyby from a Peregrine..



Osprey

Up to Peninnis to dip the Red-throated Pipit that had been flushed by a Peregrine, then a stroll back to town via Lower Moors. News of a Short-eared Owl on a rock in Porthcressa Bay again dragged us along Peninnis.



Spot the Short-eared Owl

We were almost back home when a Blyth's Pipit was called, almost back where we had seen the owl. Back along the headland, at a rather rapid pace and the pipit was in the bag, giving excellent scope views.

A canny day.

From the east

All it took was some over night cloud and the birds arrived. First up was the Standing Stone Field at Lower Moors where a Little Bunting quickly turned into two. Excellent scope views, but a bit distant for photos. News of an Arctic Warbler at the Garrison had us moving back across the island. No sign in the hour we spent there, but some excellent views of a Firecrest.

News broke of a Red-flanked Bluetail on St Agnes, so we shot down to the quay. While waiting for the boat an Osprey drifted over and a Peregrine moved through.



Osprey

Straight off the boat and down to Cove Vean where the Bluetail was seen on arrival, giving excellent views on the ground and flitting up into tamarisk.



Red-flanked Bluetail

 

 

 

The sun was now out, so it was down to Browarth where a Red-backed Shrike was showing and the Schmitii form of Small Copper was out, having survived last week's stormy weather.

 

Red-backed Shrike

Small Copper



Back on St Mary's we tried again for the Arctic Warbler, but had to make do with a Firecrest and a Yellow-browed Warbler. At Porthcressa the Black Redstart was showing well along with a first winter Mediterranean Gull.

With the weather closing in tonight with spitting rain it is looking good for tomorrow.

Annual Lark

With promises of hurricanes etc. coming to nought it has been a slow week on St Agnes. Slim pickings with the best being Peregrine, Merlin, Redstart, Black Redstart, Pied Flycatcher and Firecrest.



Black Redstart



Humminbird Hawk-moth in the garden

Greenshank

Chiffchaff

On the 8th, as a birthday treat, I paid a visit to St Mary's. It was looking similarly quiet on here with nothing on the golf course and just a calling Yellow-browed Warbler at Porth Hellick. My luck changed when I moved to the airfield where a hunting Kestrel lifted the Meadow Pipit flock and I managed to find a Short-toed Lark. Very distant and looking through a heavy heat haze made identification difficult and photographs impossible. A Lapland Bunting and a Skylark shared the field and a female Sparrowhawk made a low pass. The Red-throated Diver had moved to Old Town Bay, giving brief views as it spent most of the time underwater. I got a glimpse of a large pipit on Peninnis, probably the Richard's reported earlier, but it disappeared before I could raise my bins. A Black Redstart has taken up residency in Porthcressa Bay.

The next day started with flushing an enormous female Peregrine off her kill (an unfortunate juvenile Herring Gull). Another trip to St Mary's followed to search for the Isabelline Wheatear found the previous evening. No luck, but I did manage some shots of the Short-toed Lark, which was feeding much closer to the edge of the air field.



Short-toed Lark

 



The Black Redstart was again on Porthcressa Beach, sharing the bay with 3 Kingfisher.

Today I moved base from St Agnes to St Mary's, but despite walking twenty-odd miles I failed to turn up anything new.



Swallow ready for the off

Birds, butterflies and moths

It has been hard going for the last few days under the blazing sun. On St Agnes there have been a few highlights with a couple of Firecrest, Jack Snipe, Merlin, Raven and Little Egret. The star was the rare Schmidtii form of Small Copper.



Firecrest

 

Small Copper form Schmidtii

Worn Common Blue

Small Copper

Little Egret

Yesterday was a trip over to St Mary's where there was a distant Pectoral Sandpiper at Porth Hellick, Green Sandpiper and Jack Snipe at Lower Moors and a superb Red-throated Diver at Porthcressa.



Green Sandpiper

Red-throated Diver

 

 

We were lucky to catch a Convovulus Hawk-moth in the trap in the garden last, which has been well twitched today.



Convovulus Hawk-moth

The weather is changing, so hopefully new birds on the way.