ISLES OF SCILLY BIRDING HOILDAY DAY 5

I spent the last day of my holiday on Joe Pender's boat with Bob Flood and Higgo. What a trip it was! We started off by heading past St. Martins, where we picked up 2 Common Scoters and 2 Grey Phalaropes.

Grey Phalarope

We were soon joined around the boat by 30 common dolphins. They stayed around the boat for ages, and it was an incredible sight to witness these beautiful animals so close.

Common Dolphins

Moving on towards the Severn Stones, the chum started to be put into the sea, and we soon attracted a Sooty Shearwater and a Great Skua.

Great Skua

A shout then went up as Joe saw a small skua on the horizon, which came right for us; it was a Long-tailed skua. I was made up, as this was a scilly tick for me.

                                                 

Juvenile Long-tailed skua

As we reached Severn Stones, an unbelievable thing happened as we had 13 Grey Phalaropes fly past us and land on the sea. As we watched these, more kept appearing. I couldn't believe what I was witnessing. Even Bob Flood, who has done pelagics all over the world, was in shock. We must have seen over 50 plus.

                          I have never seen so many Grey Phalaropes.

The trip had been fantastic, and we also saw good numbers of Manx shearwaters and 2 more Sooty shearwaters on the way back.

Getting back to St. Mary's, a rainbow greeted us over the golf course. It had been a cracking few days on the Isles of Scilly with good friends and great birds. ROLL ON 2017.

RARITY FINDERS-EASTERN KINGBIRD

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MEGA! FIRST FOR BRITAIN!EASTERN KINGBIRD!

MEGA!EASTERN KINGBIRD-Barra-Outer Hebrides-opposite churchyard this evening!
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ISLES OF SCILLY BIRDING HOILDAY DAY 4

Arranged to meet Higgo this morning on Porthcressa beach at 8.00am, and whilst waiting for him, the Black-necked grebe was still showing well. We had arranged to gather some tools from the Garrison campsite to put up a new screen at Higgo's project pool. Walking past the Duchy office on the way, the Melodious warbler was still showing well.

Black-necked Grebe

Melodious Warbler

After gathering the tools we needed, we headed for the pool, which was totally dried out, but as we started work, a Snipe was flushed and a Grey Wagtail put in a brief performance.

Higgo's Project Pool

The pool was dug out by Higgo a few years ago and has attracted some great birds. I can remember a few years back when I had Lesser Yellowlegs, Solitary Sandpiper and Northern Waterthrush in one sitting. Anyway, the new screen was put up, so fingers crossed it will attract some more great birds.

After a bit of lunch, we headed down to the quay and crossed to Bryher for an afternoon's birding. In the channel between Tresco and Bryher, we had 9 Mediterranean Gulls, but otherwise it was very quiet but we did find three Lapland Buntings around Big Pool.

 Meditteranean Gull

Lapland Bunting

Heading back to St Mary's, I walked up to the airfield again as an American Golden Plover had been found along with a Buff-breasted sandpiper. As I was walking across Old Town, I found a Common Scoter just off the rocks.

Common Scoter

 Buff-Breasted Sandpiper with two Golden Plover.

American Golden Plover

The American Golden Plover and Buff-breasted Sandpiper showed really well and topped off a great day's birding.

PHOTO OF THE WEEK 21ST-27TH SEPT 2016

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ISLES OF SCILLY BIRDING HOILDAY DAY 3

Spent the morning on St Mary's birding today, but the weather was terrible with thick sea mist. I called in to see Martin Goodey first, who had hatched a Death's head hawk moth from a caterpillar that Spider had found outside Star Castle on the Garrison. It had taken six weeks to hatch, and what a magnificent moth! This was the first time I had seen this species.

Moving on from Martin's, I headed up to the north of the Island, which was very quiet, but I did find a Redstart and a Pied flycatcher. Walking back towards the airfield, I spotted a Clouded Yellow on the footpath.

 Clouded Yellow 

A call from Spider, as I was having my sandwiches, that a Dotterel had been found on the airfield, got me moving. The bird showed really well before it was flushed by a plane. Good timing.

Dotterel

Very quiet day, but hopefully the weather will improve tomorrow.

BIRDGUIDES REVIEW OF THE WEEK 21st-27th SEPTEMBER 2016

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BY JOSH JONES

ISLES OF SCILLY BIRDING HOLIDAY DAY 2

Got up at 7am this morning, and thankfully, it had stopped raining. The plan was today to head over to the Garrison to try and see the Melodious warbler, which was found yesterday and a morning's birding on Bryher. Walking up towards Buzza tower, I had a close encounter with a Peregrine, which just zipped over me as I was taking a photo of the town.

 Hugh Town from Buzza Hill

Walking down from Buzza Hill towards Porthcressa beach 

The Black necked Grebe was still present in Porthcressa Bay, along with a juvenile Mediterranean Gull

Black Necked Grebe

Meeting up with Higgo in town, we headed up to the Garrison, where we soon connected with the Melodious Warbler, which was happily flitting around gardens in Sallyport.

 Melodious  Warbler

Cracking birds, these and a few years since I'd seen my last one. A Pied Flycatcher and a Reed Warbler were also present in the gardens. Moving on from here, we headed down to the harbour where we got the boat over to Bryher for our morning birding.
On arrival, we headed straight for the old post office, where we soon found the Common Rosefinch just sitting out in the sun.

Common Rosefinch

There were plenty of Butterflies around as we walked across the campsite, and 7 Whinchat were seen.

 Small Copper

 Peacock

Red Admiral

7 Whinchats were around the campsite

Moving on to Shipmanhead Down, we found a male Snow bunting on the top path, which showed down to a few feet.

Snow Bunting

The views from Shiphead Down were fantastic. What a tranquil place the Scilly Isles are.

 Higgo on his favourite Bryher

Looking over towards Tresco

Leaving Bryher behind and dropping Higgo off at St Mary's, I got the next boat to St Agnes for an evening's birding. On arrival, I headed straight for the parsonage in the hope of seeing two, yes two, Red-eyed vireos! I sat on the steps across from the parsonage, and it wasn't long before I got my first glimpse of a Vireo, and then the second bird joined the other. What a sight, they were so hard to photograph as they were both so active, but I managed to get two reasonable record shots.

Red Eyed Vireo

Leaving the Vireos to it, I called in at the coastguards, where I got cracking views of a Red-backed Shrike.

Red-backed Shrike

The sun was now starting to go down on St. Agnes, so I quickly got down to the big pool where the Lesser yellowlegs and Curlew sandpiper showed really well.

Lesser Yellowlegs

Curlew Sandpiper

I couldn't resist a few island shots of St. Agnes, as this is one of my favourite islands on Scilly.

The evening soon drew to a close with a fantastic sunset after a quality day's birding.