Patrick_L
Counting Down
An extract from my notes for the week we have recently spent on Scilly - apologies if you don't like it, it seems that an anti-Scilly sentiment is more common these days, but here goes.
After a couple of reasonably calm days, Tuesday 19th October dawned clear and cold with a keener north-westerly wind.
The promise of an early boat to St Martin’s on the Tuesday was too tempting to resist. We had, by this time, covered St Mary’s reasonably well and had also already visited St Agnes and Bryher. The early boat would give us more time on the island at a better time of day, and with the news of a showy Melodious Warbler the previous day and a Wryneck at the weekend which may not have been searched for since, plus the chance to check the hot spot of Little Arthur Farm thoroughly, it seemed well worth giving it a go.
Our group, Ivor, Gordon and myself, arrived with a small boatload of birders at the Lower Town quay at about 9.20am. We strolled up to the Seven Stones pub and set up to check out the bushes to the rear where the Melodious Warbler had been hanging out, and indeed was glimpsed further down the track after a few minutes. However, the amount of vegetation to the rear of the pub is significant, and after 45 minutes or so, it seemed unlikely that the bird would show properly until the sun reached the bushes fully. We therefore decided that our time would be better spent elsewhere and headed off to the north-western corner of the island and an area called Pernagie, which I had not been to previously but, on the map, looked promising and was where a Wryneck had recently been reported.
The north-westerly wind was picking up by this time, and rounding the headland on the approach to Pernagie put us into the full teeth of a fresh, blustery airflow. Pernagie turned out to be an interesting area of shore, rocks, old field walls and rough bracken, some of which had been cleared to create rough fields and certainly would be worth a visit on a calmer day. There was, however, no Wryneck, and whilst the pair of Ravens calling overhead was impressive, it was clear that the area was too exposed for much in the way of migrants.
By this time, a Richard’s Pipit had been reported on the beach at the Higher Town quay. We therefore decided to leave the windy side and cut directly inland up the slope, along the central ridge of St Martin’s and back down to the sheltered southern side by way of one of the tracks somewhere around the middle of the island. It was as we were reaching the top of the slope that the radio first started to broadcast news of a Red-flanked Bluetail at Middle Town.
The problem at this stage was that we neither knew exactly where the bird was, nor where we were, other than we were on the ridge that runs the length of St Martin’s. We therefore walked, as fast as equipment and age allowed, towards the east with a view to cutting down one of the south-facing rides to the main road, where we could be sure of picking up and following other birders on their way to the site. Choosing a likely track, we piled around the corner, only to be stopped dead by a group at the other end, no more than 30 yards away, waving at us to get back as we had chosen to take the very track that the Bluetail had been feeding on.
We retreated to a spot where we could see the track and set up, staring at the small crowd that was grilling the same place, and waited. Time passed, and no Red-flanked Bluetail appeared. Suddenly, a suitably hushed voice announced on the radios that the bird was nearby, within the adjoining pine belt. Around the corner, within the belt, was a very promising looking sycamore tree. It was only a matter of minutes before the Bluetail appeared in full view within the top branches of this sycamore, a totally outstanding bird. The hip flask was passed around to celebrate, and despite the bird dropping away to the left after a few minutes, it was obvious that this particular tree was always going to be attractive on the bird’s feeding circuit. By quietly staking out the tree over the following 30 minutes or so, the bird showed regularly in the sycamore and adjacent bracken, sometimes within 6 yards of the assembled small group.
By this time, the first of the newly arrived birders from St Mary’s were reaching the site, and so to create space, we decided to leave and head out to the eastern end of the island to check the areas around the cricket pitch and Little Arthur Farm, which as far as we knew, had yet to be visited. After a quick stop in the shop to stock up on chocolate and cakes for lunch, we headed east.
There was no sign of the Richard’s Pipit on the beach at Higher Town, although there was the finder of the Bluetail who was still in a state of high excitement. After a quick chat, we headed northwards towards Little Arthur Farm, noting the new Fish & Chip restaurant near the vineyard, which we were told had recently been featured in the Daily Telegraph and won several awards. It was also rumoured that a special early or lunchtime opening might be arranged, as it was due to open at 6.30pm that evening.
After the excitement generated by the Bluetail, Little Arthur Farm proved to be rather quiet, with just a handful of finches, Redwings and Chiffchaffs of note. We returned to the beach, and checked the bay where there was a Red-throated Diver, and shortly a few birders joined us to watch it, although the Diver was by this time drifting out and providing difficult to pin down. It was at this time that the plans for the late boat back to St Mary’s were starting to firm up, which would allow us to sample the Fish & Chip shop, the owner of which agreed to open early if enough signed up.
We signed up, readily, and headed off back towards the Melodious Warbler site for another look whilst final plans for the restaurant/boat were confirmed. By the time we reached the pub again the sun was fully on the bushes and it looked promising. However, despite 2 excellent Migrant Hawkers zipping around, there was again no Melodious Warbler, and so after a while of checking we decided to visit the beaches instead, as the tide was rising and St Martin’s Flats are always good for waders.
There were at least 80 Sanderling, 50 Oystercatcher, a handful of Curlew and 4 Greenshank on the beach. As always, these were tame and obliging and, unfortunately, included an Oystercatcher with no foot. After a time watching these and soaking up the view, including watching the 4.30pm boat heading back to St Mary’s, we started to walk back towards the eastern end of the island through the small fields that flank the beach. At this point we met a small group heading onto the beach, which comprised James, Hugh and Mike, who were also off to check the waders.
By this time it was about ten to five. The fields were generally empty, with the exception of 2 Chiffchaffs, but as we turned up the path towards the school, Gordon stopped us in our tracks by pointing out a pale grey thrush that was feeding on the sunny side of a bramble bush, up the slope, no more than 30 yards from us. We scrabbled for ‘scopes to confirm that it was what we suspected and there it was, gouging on blackberries, a Grey-cheeked Thrush.
As we were only 30 yards from the bird, I returned back along the track towards the beach to get away from the bird so I didn’t disturb it as I radioed the news out. At this time, fortunately, I noted that James, Hugh and Mike were returning along the track from the beach and so I was able to alert them and get them up to the point where the others were watching and photographing the bird.
The bird showed beautifully for about 10 minutes from the time we originally found it to when it slipped into the bush and disappeared. Unfortunately, this happened seconds before the first of the remaining birders still present on the island arrived, and although not having appeared to have gone far, the bird did not show again. Despite searching by many, both that evening and also the next day, the bird was not seen again.
As the time of our Fish & Chips approached, we left the site and it was in high spirits that we enjoyed an outstanding meal, washed down with a celebratory pint, with further pints at that evening’s log at the Scillonian Club.
The remaining few days were just as enjoyable, with plenty of good birds to see and good company throughout. After 20 years of visiting Scilly in October, this was the first year that we had set back our annual visit by a week to “mix it up” and it had paid off. Despite the ever decreasing numbers of people choosing to go to Scilly every autumn, I personally will never tire of visiting those beautiful islands, and long may it continue. Not every day turns out as good as Tuesday 19th October, but every day might be.
Patrick
After a couple of reasonably calm days, Tuesday 19th October dawned clear and cold with a keener north-westerly wind.
The promise of an early boat to St Martin’s on the Tuesday was too tempting to resist. We had, by this time, covered St Mary’s reasonably well and had also already visited St Agnes and Bryher. The early boat would give us more time on the island at a better time of day, and with the news of a showy Melodious Warbler the previous day and a Wryneck at the weekend which may not have been searched for since, plus the chance to check the hot spot of Little Arthur Farm thoroughly, it seemed well worth giving it a go.
Our group, Ivor, Gordon and myself, arrived with a small boatload of birders at the Lower Town quay at about 9.20am. We strolled up to the Seven Stones pub and set up to check out the bushes to the rear where the Melodious Warbler had been hanging out, and indeed was glimpsed further down the track after a few minutes. However, the amount of vegetation to the rear of the pub is significant, and after 45 minutes or so, it seemed unlikely that the bird would show properly until the sun reached the bushes fully. We therefore decided that our time would be better spent elsewhere and headed off to the north-western corner of the island and an area called Pernagie, which I had not been to previously but, on the map, looked promising and was where a Wryneck had recently been reported.
The north-westerly wind was picking up by this time, and rounding the headland on the approach to Pernagie put us into the full teeth of a fresh, blustery airflow. Pernagie turned out to be an interesting area of shore, rocks, old field walls and rough bracken, some of which had been cleared to create rough fields and certainly would be worth a visit on a calmer day. There was, however, no Wryneck, and whilst the pair of Ravens calling overhead was impressive, it was clear that the area was too exposed for much in the way of migrants.
By this time, a Richard’s Pipit had been reported on the beach at the Higher Town quay. We therefore decided to leave the windy side and cut directly inland up the slope, along the central ridge of St Martin’s and back down to the sheltered southern side by way of one of the tracks somewhere around the middle of the island. It was as we were reaching the top of the slope that the radio first started to broadcast news of a Red-flanked Bluetail at Middle Town.
The problem at this stage was that we neither knew exactly where the bird was, nor where we were, other than we were on the ridge that runs the length of St Martin’s. We therefore walked, as fast as equipment and age allowed, towards the east with a view to cutting down one of the south-facing rides to the main road, where we could be sure of picking up and following other birders on their way to the site. Choosing a likely track, we piled around the corner, only to be stopped dead by a group at the other end, no more than 30 yards away, waving at us to get back as we had chosen to take the very track that the Bluetail had been feeding on.
We retreated to a spot where we could see the track and set up, staring at the small crowd that was grilling the same place, and waited. Time passed, and no Red-flanked Bluetail appeared. Suddenly, a suitably hushed voice announced on the radios that the bird was nearby, within the adjoining pine belt. Around the corner, within the belt, was a very promising looking sycamore tree. It was only a matter of minutes before the Bluetail appeared in full view within the top branches of this sycamore, a totally outstanding bird. The hip flask was passed around to celebrate, and despite the bird dropping away to the left after a few minutes, it was obvious that this particular tree was always going to be attractive on the bird’s feeding circuit. By quietly staking out the tree over the following 30 minutes or so, the bird showed regularly in the sycamore and adjacent bracken, sometimes within 6 yards of the assembled small group.
By this time, the first of the newly arrived birders from St Mary’s were reaching the site, and so to create space, we decided to leave and head out to the eastern end of the island to check the areas around the cricket pitch and Little Arthur Farm, which as far as we knew, had yet to be visited. After a quick stop in the shop to stock up on chocolate and cakes for lunch, we headed east.
There was no sign of the Richard’s Pipit on the beach at Higher Town, although there was the finder of the Bluetail who was still in a state of high excitement. After a quick chat, we headed northwards towards Little Arthur Farm, noting the new Fish & Chip restaurant near the vineyard, which we were told had recently been featured in the Daily Telegraph and won several awards. It was also rumoured that a special early or lunchtime opening might be arranged, as it was due to open at 6.30pm that evening.
After the excitement generated by the Bluetail, Little Arthur Farm proved to be rather quiet, with just a handful of finches, Redwings and Chiffchaffs of note. We returned to the beach, and checked the bay where there was a Red-throated Diver, and shortly a few birders joined us to watch it, although the Diver was by this time drifting out and providing difficult to pin down. It was at this time that the plans for the late boat back to St Mary’s were starting to firm up, which would allow us to sample the Fish & Chip shop, the owner of which agreed to open early if enough signed up.
We signed up, readily, and headed off back towards the Melodious Warbler site for another look whilst final plans for the restaurant/boat were confirmed. By the time we reached the pub again the sun was fully on the bushes and it looked promising. However, despite 2 excellent Migrant Hawkers zipping around, there was again no Melodious Warbler, and so after a while of checking we decided to visit the beaches instead, as the tide was rising and St Martin’s Flats are always good for waders.
There were at least 80 Sanderling, 50 Oystercatcher, a handful of Curlew and 4 Greenshank on the beach. As always, these were tame and obliging and, unfortunately, included an Oystercatcher with no foot. After a time watching these and soaking up the view, including watching the 4.30pm boat heading back to St Mary’s, we started to walk back towards the eastern end of the island through the small fields that flank the beach. At this point we met a small group heading onto the beach, which comprised James, Hugh and Mike, who were also off to check the waders.
By this time it was about ten to five. The fields were generally empty, with the exception of 2 Chiffchaffs, but as we turned up the path towards the school, Gordon stopped us in our tracks by pointing out a pale grey thrush that was feeding on the sunny side of a bramble bush, up the slope, no more than 30 yards from us. We scrabbled for ‘scopes to confirm that it was what we suspected and there it was, gouging on blackberries, a Grey-cheeked Thrush.
As we were only 30 yards from the bird, I returned back along the track towards the beach to get away from the bird so I didn’t disturb it as I radioed the news out. At this time, fortunately, I noted that James, Hugh and Mike were returning along the track from the beach and so I was able to alert them and get them up to the point where the others were watching and photographing the bird.
The bird showed beautifully for about 10 minutes from the time we originally found it to when it slipped into the bush and disappeared. Unfortunately, this happened seconds before the first of the remaining birders still present on the island arrived, and although not having appeared to have gone far, the bird did not show again. Despite searching by many, both that evening and also the next day, the bird was not seen again.
As the time of our Fish & Chips approached, we left the site and it was in high spirits that we enjoyed an outstanding meal, washed down with a celebratory pint, with further pints at that evening’s log at the Scillonian Club.
The remaining few days were just as enjoyable, with plenty of good birds to see and good company throughout. After 20 years of visiting Scilly in October, this was the first year that we had set back our annual visit by a week to “mix it up” and it had paid off. Despite the ever decreasing numbers of people choosing to go to Scilly every autumn, I personally will never tire of visiting those beautiful islands, and long may it continue. Not every day turns out as good as Tuesday 19th October, but every day might be.
Patrick
