Andrew
wibble wibble
30-08-03
Location : St Mary‘s, Isles of Scilly. SV915110.
Onboard the Scillonian I was up on the deck watching for birds after an hour’s rest. I had the company of a birder staying on Bryher. During the sailing I spotted 23+ Northern Gannets, a Great Skua, 4 European Storm Petrels, a single Manx Shearwater, a dark juvenile Arctic Skua that passed right over the boat and several Herring Gulls. The Petrels, Shearwater and Skua were lifers for me so the holiday was starting well. Several Black-headed Gulls and a few Great Black-backed Gulls were around the water at Hugh Town. On the rocks I counted 15+ Ruddy Turnstones. En route to our base on St Mary’s the list increased with several Common House Martins, Barn Swallows, European Goldfinches and other common birds. After settling in I was off to Hugh Town to board Joe Pender’s Sapphire for a pelagic trip. The boat headed about seven miles south west of the Scillies in choppy water. On board was Tony from Dorset and a local birder as well as a few fishermen. I hoped for a late Wilson’s Petrel. We saw several Great Cormorants, Northern Gannets, 7 Manx Shearwaters, 6 Northern Fulmars, 14 European Storm Petrels, a Balearic Shearwater and 2 Arctic Terns. The Arctic Terns were lifers for so that made it four lifers on the first day alone. The chum that was used got my vote for the worst smell in the world.
31-08-03
Location : Tresco, Isles of Scilly. SV895150.
Just outside the flat there were several Hummingbird Hawk Moths on the overgrown stone walls. Near Porthmellon beach I watched a Whinchat and a Willow Warbler perched inches from each other on a wall. The Kingfisher took us to Tresco and both Common Terns and Sandwich Terns fished in the sea near to Tresco. I could see a total of 18 Oystercatchers on the western beaches of Tresco. From New Grimsby, where there were Ruddy Turnstones, we strolled to the Great Pool glimpsing lots of Reed Warblers and one or two Chiffchaffs. A Spotted Flycatcher was fly catching from the trees over our heads. We finally found the David Hunt hide and saw a few birds but it was obvious most of them were at the western end of the pool. From this hide I recorded some Gadwalls, a Common Pochard, a Tufted Duck, a couple of Eurasian Teal and two Sedge Warblers. From one of the bulb fields near the hide I had a brief view of a good warbler but it was not good enough for identification. I had probably missed out on a Melodious or Icterine Warbler. The small fields did provide a pair of Northern Wheatears, 6 Common Linnets and 3 Blackcaps. At the eastern end of the path we came to an open heath surrounded by trees which provided two of 5 Pied Flycatchers and a Common Stonechat while a Common Kestrel hovered over us. We carried along the south side of the Great Pool through some pines that harboured a Goldcrest. From the western hide we could see a better variety of birds along the muddier edges of the pool. These were a Common Sandpiper, a Water Rail, 6 Black Tailed Godwits, a young Ruff, a Common Greenshank, a single eclipse Wigeon and many more of the previously seen birds. Returning to Carn Near for the boat back to St Mary’s we could see a few Canada Geese grazing on the cricket field. Just before reaching the quay I ran up some large rocks to add 2 Rock Pipits and 3 Meadow Pipits. The return crossing passed several European Shags. As soon as we returned to Hugh Town I boarded Alec Hick’s boat, the Kingfisher, for another Pelagic. It was a very poor one with only Northern Gannets, 11 European Storm Petrels, 7 Fulmars, 2 Manx Shearwaters, a juvenile Arctic Tern and a Great Skua being recorded. The Great Skua was wonderful though as it passed over the boat a couple of times and harassed a Lesser Black-backed Gull for it’s food. The food was dropped but the Skua missed it.
01-09-03
Location : St Mary‘s, Isles of Scilly. SV915110.
Today we decided to go to Porth Hellick pool via Holy Vale. Near Sunnyside I could see a Eurasian Sparrowhawk and a falcon in the distance. Looking into the flower fields from the gates was good for Whinchats, a few Tree Pipits, and one Willow Warbler. In the lane down to Holy Vale the hedges were lined with a profusion of Butterflies. The majority were Red Admirals but a lot of other common ones were present too including Large Whites, Spotted Woods, Painted Ladies, Large Tortoiseshells, Peacocks and two Clouded Yellows. The Yellows were the first I had ever seen. The walk through Holy Vale nature trail provided good views of 2 Sedge Warblers, 3 Willow Warblers and a Pied Flycatcher. Porth Hellick pool was of a decent size and some of the birds were very confiding, coming close to the hides. I had my best ever view of a Common Snipe, 3 Ringed Plovers, a lame Common Greenshank, a Grey Heron, 2 Eurasian Teal and some Sedge Warblers. From here we went to nearby Porth Hellick beach where I studied some small waders with the company of a very friendly Blackbird sitting right next to us. On the shore I counted 12 Sanderlings, 7 Dunlins, 2 Common Redshanks along with many previously ticked species like Ruddy Turnstones, Ringed Plovers and Eurasian Oystercatchers. I knew the Airfield was good for exceptional birds so we went round the southern edge of it on the way to Old Town and then back to the flat for tea. The airfield only produced Common Linnets, Northern Wheatears and Common Stonechats. After tea I set off for some more birding in the evening taking in nearby Lower Moors. I saw my first White Wagtail on the way. At Lower Moors I watched two separate Pied Flycatchers as well as 5 Whinchats, one Common Stonechat, one Common Snipe and lots of Reed & Sedge Warblers. I carried on out to Old Town bay to see only a Ringed Plover and a Common Greenshank.
02-09-03
Location : St Mary‘s & Tresco, Isles of Scilly. SV915110 & SV895150.
I made an early morning start to the Garrison seeing an Eurasian Curlew on Porthmellon beach. I searched the Garrison in an anticlockwise route starting at the Star Castle Hotel picking up good views of Common Stonechats, 2 Whinchats, 2 Great Tits, a Meadow Pipit, several Common Linnets and 2 Northern Wheatears. I came across a birder staring intently over the fort walls just past Woolpack Point. He pointed out a bird sunning itself on a tree stump and preening away. The well camouflaged bird was my first ever Eurasian Wryneck and it really is a beautifully detailed bird. We were only about twenty metres from it and it did not mind us at all. I carried on through the tree lined section on the west side of the Garrison hoping for an Icterine or Melodious Warbler and met Nigel Hudson as I returned the way I had come. The Wryneck had moved and I found it again for Nigel and another local. Nigel also identified my Clouded Yellows from yesterday. At the Quay I boarded the first boat out to Tresco seeing 8 Little Egrets on Merrick Island. As soon as we docked at New Grimsby I headed straight off to Castle Down after the reported Golden Plovers and Dotterel covering the whole moor with no sign at all. There were plenty of Northern Wheatears, Common Stonechats, a Northern Fulmar and a Common Tern. Back near Dolphin Town I looked into a field and spotted 10 Golden Plovers with none of the accompanying Dotterels. I learnt the Dotterels had flown to Bryher the night before. Back down at the Great Pool I only had one new holiday tick, a Grey Wagtail. The best of the birds on show were Common Sandpiper, Ruff, Common Greenshank, Common Redshank, Eurasian Teal, Eurasian Wigeon and Common Pochard. On the south east end of the Great Pool, cut off by a bed of reeds, I observed the margins for a Pectoral Sandpiper as advised by Will Wagstaff. It paid off as I saw 2 Water Rails, 5 Black Tailed Godwits and 6 Dunlins as well as the Pectoral Sandpiper. I made copious notes in my book but the bird was quite hard to see and very mobile. All my notes pointed towards a Pec and then it flew over to the bank I was looking from. After walking round to the south to see it again, I found a better view. This with the bird next to some Dunlins was all I needed to confirm it’s identity and I was really happy with this lifer. I chatted to a birder I had seen most of the day and he advised me to look around Abbey Pool for more Dunlins, 2 White Wagtails, a Common Snipe, a Ringed Plover, a Common Sandpiper and a fine summer plumaged Red Knot. I got an early afternoon boat back to St Mary’s. On the way to Carn Near for the boat I saw Rock Pipit, a Hooded Crow hybrid and a trio of Clouded Yellows.
Location : St Mary‘s, Isles of Scilly. SV915110.
Onboard the Scillonian I was up on the deck watching for birds after an hour’s rest. I had the company of a birder staying on Bryher. During the sailing I spotted 23+ Northern Gannets, a Great Skua, 4 European Storm Petrels, a single Manx Shearwater, a dark juvenile Arctic Skua that passed right over the boat and several Herring Gulls. The Petrels, Shearwater and Skua were lifers for me so the holiday was starting well. Several Black-headed Gulls and a few Great Black-backed Gulls were around the water at Hugh Town. On the rocks I counted 15+ Ruddy Turnstones. En route to our base on St Mary’s the list increased with several Common House Martins, Barn Swallows, European Goldfinches and other common birds. After settling in I was off to Hugh Town to board Joe Pender’s Sapphire for a pelagic trip. The boat headed about seven miles south west of the Scillies in choppy water. On board was Tony from Dorset and a local birder as well as a few fishermen. I hoped for a late Wilson’s Petrel. We saw several Great Cormorants, Northern Gannets, 7 Manx Shearwaters, 6 Northern Fulmars, 14 European Storm Petrels, a Balearic Shearwater and 2 Arctic Terns. The Arctic Terns were lifers for so that made it four lifers on the first day alone. The chum that was used got my vote for the worst smell in the world.
31-08-03
Location : Tresco, Isles of Scilly. SV895150.
Just outside the flat there were several Hummingbird Hawk Moths on the overgrown stone walls. Near Porthmellon beach I watched a Whinchat and a Willow Warbler perched inches from each other on a wall. The Kingfisher took us to Tresco and both Common Terns and Sandwich Terns fished in the sea near to Tresco. I could see a total of 18 Oystercatchers on the western beaches of Tresco. From New Grimsby, where there were Ruddy Turnstones, we strolled to the Great Pool glimpsing lots of Reed Warblers and one or two Chiffchaffs. A Spotted Flycatcher was fly catching from the trees over our heads. We finally found the David Hunt hide and saw a few birds but it was obvious most of them were at the western end of the pool. From this hide I recorded some Gadwalls, a Common Pochard, a Tufted Duck, a couple of Eurasian Teal and two Sedge Warblers. From one of the bulb fields near the hide I had a brief view of a good warbler but it was not good enough for identification. I had probably missed out on a Melodious or Icterine Warbler. The small fields did provide a pair of Northern Wheatears, 6 Common Linnets and 3 Blackcaps. At the eastern end of the path we came to an open heath surrounded by trees which provided two of 5 Pied Flycatchers and a Common Stonechat while a Common Kestrel hovered over us. We carried along the south side of the Great Pool through some pines that harboured a Goldcrest. From the western hide we could see a better variety of birds along the muddier edges of the pool. These were a Common Sandpiper, a Water Rail, 6 Black Tailed Godwits, a young Ruff, a Common Greenshank, a single eclipse Wigeon and many more of the previously seen birds. Returning to Carn Near for the boat back to St Mary’s we could see a few Canada Geese grazing on the cricket field. Just before reaching the quay I ran up some large rocks to add 2 Rock Pipits and 3 Meadow Pipits. The return crossing passed several European Shags. As soon as we returned to Hugh Town I boarded Alec Hick’s boat, the Kingfisher, for another Pelagic. It was a very poor one with only Northern Gannets, 11 European Storm Petrels, 7 Fulmars, 2 Manx Shearwaters, a juvenile Arctic Tern and a Great Skua being recorded. The Great Skua was wonderful though as it passed over the boat a couple of times and harassed a Lesser Black-backed Gull for it’s food. The food was dropped but the Skua missed it.
01-09-03
Location : St Mary‘s, Isles of Scilly. SV915110.
Today we decided to go to Porth Hellick pool via Holy Vale. Near Sunnyside I could see a Eurasian Sparrowhawk and a falcon in the distance. Looking into the flower fields from the gates was good for Whinchats, a few Tree Pipits, and one Willow Warbler. In the lane down to Holy Vale the hedges were lined with a profusion of Butterflies. The majority were Red Admirals but a lot of other common ones were present too including Large Whites, Spotted Woods, Painted Ladies, Large Tortoiseshells, Peacocks and two Clouded Yellows. The Yellows were the first I had ever seen. The walk through Holy Vale nature trail provided good views of 2 Sedge Warblers, 3 Willow Warblers and a Pied Flycatcher. Porth Hellick pool was of a decent size and some of the birds were very confiding, coming close to the hides. I had my best ever view of a Common Snipe, 3 Ringed Plovers, a lame Common Greenshank, a Grey Heron, 2 Eurasian Teal and some Sedge Warblers. From here we went to nearby Porth Hellick beach where I studied some small waders with the company of a very friendly Blackbird sitting right next to us. On the shore I counted 12 Sanderlings, 7 Dunlins, 2 Common Redshanks along with many previously ticked species like Ruddy Turnstones, Ringed Plovers and Eurasian Oystercatchers. I knew the Airfield was good for exceptional birds so we went round the southern edge of it on the way to Old Town and then back to the flat for tea. The airfield only produced Common Linnets, Northern Wheatears and Common Stonechats. After tea I set off for some more birding in the evening taking in nearby Lower Moors. I saw my first White Wagtail on the way. At Lower Moors I watched two separate Pied Flycatchers as well as 5 Whinchats, one Common Stonechat, one Common Snipe and lots of Reed & Sedge Warblers. I carried on out to Old Town bay to see only a Ringed Plover and a Common Greenshank.
02-09-03
Location : St Mary‘s & Tresco, Isles of Scilly. SV915110 & SV895150.
I made an early morning start to the Garrison seeing an Eurasian Curlew on Porthmellon beach. I searched the Garrison in an anticlockwise route starting at the Star Castle Hotel picking up good views of Common Stonechats, 2 Whinchats, 2 Great Tits, a Meadow Pipit, several Common Linnets and 2 Northern Wheatears. I came across a birder staring intently over the fort walls just past Woolpack Point. He pointed out a bird sunning itself on a tree stump and preening away. The well camouflaged bird was my first ever Eurasian Wryneck and it really is a beautifully detailed bird. We were only about twenty metres from it and it did not mind us at all. I carried on through the tree lined section on the west side of the Garrison hoping for an Icterine or Melodious Warbler and met Nigel Hudson as I returned the way I had come. The Wryneck had moved and I found it again for Nigel and another local. Nigel also identified my Clouded Yellows from yesterday. At the Quay I boarded the first boat out to Tresco seeing 8 Little Egrets on Merrick Island. As soon as we docked at New Grimsby I headed straight off to Castle Down after the reported Golden Plovers and Dotterel covering the whole moor with no sign at all. There were plenty of Northern Wheatears, Common Stonechats, a Northern Fulmar and a Common Tern. Back near Dolphin Town I looked into a field and spotted 10 Golden Plovers with none of the accompanying Dotterels. I learnt the Dotterels had flown to Bryher the night before. Back down at the Great Pool I only had one new holiday tick, a Grey Wagtail. The best of the birds on show were Common Sandpiper, Ruff, Common Greenshank, Common Redshank, Eurasian Teal, Eurasian Wigeon and Common Pochard. On the south east end of the Great Pool, cut off by a bed of reeds, I observed the margins for a Pectoral Sandpiper as advised by Will Wagstaff. It paid off as I saw 2 Water Rails, 5 Black Tailed Godwits and 6 Dunlins as well as the Pectoral Sandpiper. I made copious notes in my book but the bird was quite hard to see and very mobile. All my notes pointed towards a Pec and then it flew over to the bank I was looking from. After walking round to the south to see it again, I found a better view. This with the bird next to some Dunlins was all I needed to confirm it’s identity and I was really happy with this lifer. I chatted to a birder I had seen most of the day and he advised me to look around Abbey Pool for more Dunlins, 2 White Wagtails, a Common Snipe, a Ringed Plover, a Common Sandpiper and a fine summer plumaged Red Knot. I got an early afternoon boat back to St Mary’s. On the way to Carn Near for the boat I saw Rock Pipit, a Hooded Crow hybrid and a trio of Clouded Yellows.
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