A week spent on the Scillies. First time not on the campsite for me, due to my, by now, really dodgy knee. I wasn't going to go, but thanks to a friend who offered for me to stay in the flat with him, cheers Wayne, i could just about manage a week. Shame though, it turned out to be probably the worst week i have had, thats in 14 years. Even so there were some half decent highlights.
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| Starling |
Trip over on the Scillonian was pretty uneventful. A Bonxie, maybe two, Manx and a Balearic Shearwater. Never see much at this time of year i suppose! Well i saw even less on St Marys, just to prove that point, heres a Starling………………Lets hope tomorrow is a bit better.
Sadly it wasn't brilliant. But i managed to wander up King Edwards Road, to Penninis Head. If you were on the mainland, the birds i photographed would probably make a decent day, but not here i'm afraid.
At the end of the road, just before the gate, and on the track, was a Snow Bunting. This bird has been around for a while, but i didn't realise you could step on it!!!!!! Then towards the far end there were 2 showy Lapland Bunting, i only managed to see one though! Three Whimbrel called and flew from the small island, off of the Head.
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| Snow Bunting |
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| Snow Bunting |
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| Lapland Bunting |
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| Lapland Bunting |
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| Whimbrel |
I then wandered down towards Old Town churchyard. There was another Whimbrel, which showed a bit better, as you can see…..Nothing much else for rest of the day, until while waiting in the ISBG hide at Lower Moors, a juvenile Purple Heron flew in and landed in the reed bed, but out of view sadly!
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| Whimbrel |
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| Sora |
Off Island trip to Tresco today, to see the Sora rail which had been seen fairly regularly, on the Great Pool. Didn't rush to the hide, as most people went straight there. After it thinned out a bit, the bird showed, but distantly. The hide completely thinned out and myself and Andy Jordan were now sat at the front. Lets see what happens. Again the bird was very elusive, but a couple of times it looked to be coming towards the hide, only to turn back and disappear. At last it walked back towards us, but kept disappearing, then it appeared, not close, but the closest it had been all day, so photos started. sadly, as you can see, never came any closer!!!! Bugger.
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| Sora |
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| Wryneck |
Got back to St Marys, to see a female type Black Redstart on the beach, about 50yds from the flat. Then a report of a Wryneck, in the small quarry at Buzza Hill. I walked around, it showed quite well, bit too far for good pix though.
Second off Island trip, this time St Agnes, for Short-toed Lark, and whatever else we can find. The Lark showed on & off with Meadow Pipits, and occasionally Skylarks would drop in too. Wayne said he had a Woodlark, but sadly no-one else saw it, shame good bird for Scilly.
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| Short-toed Lark |
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| Short-toed Lark |
After the Lark, a walk along the edges of the beach there produced a few birds, nothing special I'm afraid, again! Meadow and Rock Pipits, and a couple of Wheatears.
Already the 16th, hope something drops in soon. Really nice sunny day today. Another female type Black Redstart near Old Town Cafe, showed fairly well. Spent a fair bit of time in the hides at Lower Moors. Snipe, Jack Snipe and a Little Grebe, the last fairly unusual for here. Nice photo light too.
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| Little Grebe |
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| Common Snipe |
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| Jack Snipe |
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| Black Redstart |
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| Jack Snipe |
Thursday 17th. knee feels a bit better today, so gonna start up at Porth Hellick and work my way back. From the hides, same as yesterday, just a different place, Common & Jack Snipe. Light not as good though. A wander back seemed longer than ever, and the knee…. back to normal, a pain, literally!
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| Common Snipe |
Friday, rain predicted for this afternoon, so best make the most of the morning. Nothing really happening again, so glad i got to Lower Moors and the hides, before the heavens opened, and didn't they ever!!!!!! The Common & Jack Snipe were still around, also the Little Grebe. There had been regular sightings of a pair of Kingfishers, from the hides all week, but not for me. Until today that is. One flew past the hide, in the rain. then later a female landed in a tree near the hide, but it was still pouring down. Oh well, still not gonna show for me to photograph properly then!!!!! The rain slowed a bit, after quite some time, so i decided to walk around to try the other hide. I had been told the Kingfishers sometimes show from this one too. With the rain, quite a few people had been waiting for the Kingfishers, someone said they had been there for 4 hours!!! Blimey… fair play. They left as the rain had stopped, wishing me the best of luck, laughing under their breath I'm sure!!! But no sooner had they been gone, for long enough for me not to be able to shout to them, the male showed up, showed really well, even if the light wasn't too brilliant. Very nice….shame about the other guys though.
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| Kingfisher (Male) |
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| Kingfisher (Male) |
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| Kingfisher (Male) |
Waterproofs on ready to go, and the rain stopped completely, typical!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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| Painted Lady |
Last day today, a Painted Lady sat on the grass outside the flat, was only the second one of the trip. Still nothing happening, so i walked to Carreg Dhu gardens, hoping for a shot of the Firecrests, finally saw one, but no pix. Walking back i remembered i had been told of the Stick-insects nearby. So, i had a look, found and photographed them, in nice sunlight too. So to the boat again, all over for another year. Similar stuff seen on the boat again too.
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| Painted Lady |
Oh yeah, one bird i haven't mentioned was a Grey-cheeked Thrush, which gave nearly everyone the run around. It was seen most days around Old Town Churchyard, but i kept missing it, even though i spent a fair bit of time there…….…one time it even landed on a gravestone about 20 feet away from me, behind a tree for me though, i moved to see it. "Its flying" went the shout, it flew right behind another tree!!!!!!!!!!!
Sure you can understand why i didn't mention it now????
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| Prickly Stick-insect |
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| Prickly Stick-insect |
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