ISLES OF SCILLY
Day 2 | Week 2 | A Speyside Wildlife holiday.

Over breakfast we decide to head for the airport to look for the Dotterel. With no scheduled flights, the runways should be clear and undisturbed. But whilst readying ourselves, my pager delivers news of a Buff-breasted Sandpiper on St Agnes. ‘St Agnes it is’ I decide. How quickly plans can change.

We have some time to spare before catching the boat, so we wander along Porthcressa front. In the Sallyport corner there is a collection of birds – House Sparrows and Rock Pipits flit around the seaweed; Herring and Black-headed Gulls pick along the shoreline; and Turnstones and two Sanderling are sat up on the rocks. A number of the Turnstone and one of the Sanderling fly to the beach and begin to feed. The Sanderling gives super close views as it picks away at the sandy patches between the patches of seaweed and rocks, running around like a little clockwork toy.

Sanderling


We take the Kingfisher to St Agnes and get reasonable views of several Common Dolphins leaping out of the sea behind the boat. We also see a raft of about 50 Shags as we near the island. From the quay we head straight for the cricket pitch with other birders. No sign of the Buff-breasted Sandpiper there so over to look at the adjacent beach of Periglis Cove where it was originally reported from.

Periglis


A few anxious minutes until I notice a couple of birders at the other end of the beach looking at something. ‘Got it!’ I proclaim. ‘Follow me’ I add, and we hastily reposition with the other birders in gateway to view the sandpiper only a few yards away. What a little cracker. This biscuit coloured Dunlin-sized, Ruff-like, dumpy wader is trotting around beach picking at insects along the edges of the many patches of seaweed. I explain that this little wader breeds in northern-most Canada and Alaska and winters in Central and northern South America but is a regular vagrant to Britain. It usually favours short grassy areas, like the nearby cricket pitch where I saw one on last years Speyside week on Scilly.

Buffy!



This was the first I had ever seen on a beach or away from grassy areas. We spend an hour with ‘Buffy’ watching it move around the beach, including a fly around when disturbed. At one point it cowers and presses itself low to the sand. ‘Arial predator’ Steve suggests. Looking up I see a male Peregrine over the cove. ‘Many waders freeze and cower like that when raptors go over’ I explain, ‘they rely on their plumage to camouflage them, rather than breaking cover and alerting the predator to themselves’.

View across to Annet


We take the coastal path along the side of the campsite on to Castella Down. A handful of Curlew sit out on rocks with the gulls. We pass a field with some splendid cabbages and purple-tipped broccoli. Hmmmm . . . looks good enough to eat! We see only the off Rock Pipit, Starling, Dunnock and Wren as we pass Troy Town Maze and arrive at Long Point. The pebble beach features a ‘forest’ of pebble stacks. ‘What a lovely place for lunch’ says Marilyn, and the rest of us take little persuading! The pebble stacks are great and we all take a few photos. Dave discovers a couple of ‘pebble people’ laid out on flat rocks. I can’t help but enhance one of them in an all too obvious way! We eat lunch under bright blue skies and a baking sun looking out to sea watching six Gannets circling and plunging spear-like in to the sea after their quarry.

The stacked stones of St Agnes


Stoned people



After lunch we pass the ‘Wounded Angel’ rock (or cow on a rock according to me), round St Warna’s Cover and on to Wingletang Down. We have only a couple of Wheaters and Stonechats and Common Blue and Small Copper butterflies for our efforts. We wonder at some of the strange rock formations on the down, including a rather phallic specimen, and one huge angular rock which looks likes it is balancing precariously on smaller ones below.



We wander down Barnaby Lane where we see a handful of Speckled Woods, Red Admirals, Peacocks and Small Whites. Running out of birds and in need of a rest, we head for Covean tea-room and a well-earned cuppa.

The St Agnes old light


Refreshed we head off down past the parsonage when Marilyn suddenly realises she has left her scope at the tea-room. While Marilyn goes to retrieve her scope, Andrea, Dave and I watch the beginning of the gig race from St Agnes back to St Mary’s. Marilyn rejoins us and after a few more minutes watching the gigs head across to Mary’s we head on down to the Chapel Fields (no birds!) and arrive back at Periglis for some more views of our little friend Buffy. We shelter from a squall (from where we can still Buffy) and on coming out from our sheltered spot, we see a Peregrine lift off the beach clutching either a wader (Turnstone?) or a Starling. It heads off to nearby rocks to consume its bounty. Buffy doesn’t look too disturbed by this, but after a couple of minutes, lifts from the beach and heads off high over the island towards Wingletang.

With wander over to Porth Killier where we watch a few White Wagtails and a couple of Redshank before heading back to the quay for our transfer back to St Mary’s. Unusually, most of the passengers are islanders who have been over to Agnes for the gig racing, having spent the afternoon in the Turks Head hostelry. No sooner have we left the quay when a spontaneous singing session breaks out amongst the gig race crowd. For the next 30 minutes (I’m sure Alex the skipper purposely returns slowly!) we are treated Scilly sea shanties – some familiar (Rod Stewart’s ‘I am sailing’ and the Beach Boys’ ‘xxx’) and some not so. It was a wonderful moment of Scilly lore, with much of the boat in full, animated song celebrating the day’s gig racing and the island community. In 17 years of visiting the islands, I’ve never experienced anything like it, and its not only the best transfer I’ve ever made, but one of the best highlights of all my time on the islands.

Only one thing can match Scilly sea shanties, and that’s dinner at Juliet’s Garden. We meet up at 6.30pm and wander along the coastal path up to Seaways, picking up a couple of first-winter Mediterranean Gulls and a Kestrel on route.

Scilly sea shanty time


Gigs pulled up outside the pub – where else?


After a sumptuous dinner, we decide to walk it off in the dark, sheltering from a squall for a couple of minutes and playing ‘in the dark oral charades’ trying to guess which of the ornamental wildfowl on Portloo Duck Pond I am describing! Well – it is Scilly after all!

ISLES OF SCILLY
Day 8 | Week 1 | A Speyside Wildlife holiday.

After breakfast we all do our own thing. Alan and Wendy have decided to forgo the return sailing on the Scillonian III and have booked on the 1pm chopper. Charles makes his way over to Tresco while Alan, Wendy, Bill, Pam and Terry head for the Garrison, bumping in to me while I’m searching for a reported Melodious Warbler. But no with the Melodious, but Terry and me add Kittiwake to the weeks list when a flock of 13 flap lazily between St Agnes and the Garrison. We bid farewell to each other again and Steve heads off to meet the incoming group off the Scillonian.

Day 1 | Week 2 | A Speyside Wildlife holiday.

Marilyn, Andrea and Dave met each other on the quay in Penzance and boarded the Scillonian III for their sailing over to the islands. The crossing was far from magical with many passengers being ill. A few birds are seen including Manx and Sooty Shearwaters.

I greet the green-gilled trio on St Mary’s quay and we walk to the guesthouse for a rest and cuppa before we head off to up Penninis Head in search of a Dotterel (the same one I and the other group chased round St Mary’s yesterday). The walk along Peninnis takes us along the side of Porthcressa. Its low tide and the sea is at its lowest leaving large pools separated by huge rocky formations. A single Little Egret flits from pool to pool in search of tasty morsels.

Little Egret


The sky is brilliant blue and the sun is getting hotter. The light south-west wind does little to cool us. Wrens, Blackbirds and Dunnocks line our route towards the head. The end fields are busy with Wheatears and Linnets. But no sign of the Dotterel. We stop for lunch by the old millstone before heading down to Old Town Bay. One field is crawling with Meadow Pipits – more than I have seen in the last week, which is another good sign of things beginning to move. Another Little Egret is hopping around the rock pools in Old Town Bay but there is very little else other than gulls searching through the exposed seaweed for a snack.

We take the Lower Moors Nature Trail to the hides. A Grey Heron is stalking the opposite edge – about 50 feet away from us! It tries to tackle a large eel, but the eel gets the better of it and wriggles free.

Grey Heron


A Snipe tries to sleep on the island in the middle of the pool and a juvvy Moorhen picks through the thick green weedy top.

Snipe


‘Tchuw. Tchuw’. A Greenshank flies in but lands out of view. A minute or so wait and it appears in front of us revealing a delicately marked juvenile. It poses in front of us, standing on one leg, while preening. Steve can’t resist and his camera is son clicking.

Greenshank


We move on to Shooter’s Pool where a handful of Linnets are bathing in the puddles. A Willow Warbler is hopping around one of the clumps of reeds and we all manage a glimpse of this bright individual with a nice lemon yellow wash to its face and chest.

The sheltered Rosehill section of the trail provides only moor low feeding Swallows and House Martins. The walk back in to town finds both Peacock and Red Admiral on the same ivy bush and several White Wagtails flitting around Porthmellon beach. We spend a few minutes watching some guy on a surfboard thing being propelled using a mini-parachute thing (there’s probably a name for this but we can’t think of it!). It’s pretty impressive whatever it’s called!

After our first meal together we go through the first day’s checklist and I explain what lies in store for the rest of the week. Marilyn, Andrea and Dave all head for Will Wagstaff’s (the Scilly Birdman) evening talk on the Wildlife of Scilly.

ISLES OF SCILLY
Day 7 | Week 1 | A Speyside Wildlife holiday.

The wind howled and the rain lashed down during the night and we wake to grey skies and heavy rain. After breakfast we abandon our planned trip to St Agnes in favour of a bus ride up the St Mary’s to the hides at Porth Hellick pool. And the switch pays off as shortly after arriving Alan picks up a Water Rail close to the hide. We watch this adult feeding out in the open for about 20 or so minutes – fantastic! It wanders closer and closer until it is only about 30ft from the hide. At one point it gets agitated and begins to give a high pitched alarm call. Two more Water Rails are seen briefly bathing along the reed edges, but not as brief as the Spotted Crake which walks through my scope view and refuses to materialise. Grrrrrrr! Charles spots a Kingfisher on a perch in the far corner of the pool, but no sooner are we on to it and it flies. Grrrrrr (again!). A Green Sandpiper also gives excellent views, all dark on top and white underneath and bobbing as it feeds. Greenshank and Snipe complete the cast.

We walk up to Port Hellick Down in search of yesterday’s Dotterel. There has clearly been a fall of commoner birds with Song Thrushes everywhere including eight together! Stonechats bob around the heather and a couple of Wheatears skip from rock to rock. Just as we arrive at the top of the down, and with no sign of the Dotterel, the pager tells us that it is on the golf course. Grrrrrr (again!!). Oh well. Terry finds a Large Yellow Underwing in the heather which we pick up to take a closer look. As it flies of it flashes its brilliant yellow hindwings.

Red Admiral


We walk along the pine belt back towards the pool with Goldcrests calling constantly. The fields are full of Linnets and Meadow Pipits, while the bank hedges are alive with Wrens, Dunnocks, Song Thrushes, Blackbirds, Starlings and House Sparrows. The walk back gives us excellent views of the Loaded Camel – a rock formation shaped like, well, a loaded camel!

The Loaded Camel


We lunch on the rocks overlooking Porth Hellick. The tide is out and the whole rock pool and seaweed strewn beach is covered in Ringed Plovers and Turnstones. A Greenshank picks its way through the shallow pools.

We take a look in the hides but the pool is quiet. We arrive in Holy Vale as the weather makes up its mind on what to do – sun out. At last! The whole place is buzzing with birds. Tits, Dunnocks, Wrens, Goldcrests, Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs are very vocal. One Willow Warbler is in sub-song and at least three Chiffchaffs are trying hard at learning their song! Just before the Cathedral we all get great views of Goldcrest and some of us catch glimpse of a Blackcap. The Cathedral is quiet by comparison, but arriving at the chalets, I spy a Spotted Flycatcher flying up to canopy of one of the tall elms above us. It flies back down and across to the old orchard where it joins a Pied Flycatcher on overhead wires. Pied and Spot Flys in the same scope – wow! Both flycatchers perform brilliantly, the Spotted keeping mainly to the wires but the Pied spending quite a bit of time in the old apple trees until a Robin chases it off!

Spotted Flycatcher


We continue up to Maypole where a load of Swallows are chattering away on overhead wires. The ‘Rat Pond’ is bird-free, but some of us manage to glimpse a Garden Warbler along the elm-lined track to Content Farm where we also flush a dozen Red-legged Partridges.

We arrive on the golf course with great anticipation of finding the Dotterel still there. Fat chance! All we can see are Wheatears, Linnets and White Wagtails. We scour the course but no joy, so we retreat forlornly to Juliet’s Garden (where else?!) for a pick-up cuppa and slice of something sticky.

The walk back in to town is without any excitement so a few of us decide to try our luck again with the Wryneck up Garrison Lane. It hasn’t been reported today, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t still present. An hour later we give up. It must have gone. Must it?

After dinner, news that the Dotterel was back on the golf course at around 6pm, some of us grab a taxi and dash up there to use what is left of the light to search for this elusive wader. On arrival we find quite a few gulls. Good sign. It means no golfers on the course. We set off round. Every little clump of grass is scrutinised and every movement of a Wheatear followed. Nothing. Damn! This bird really is giving us the run around. The sunset however is simply breathtaking. The pale red sun sinks slowly into the Atlantic Ocean behind Samson. The sky is picture-postcard blue and pink. Bishop lighthouse twinkles away, and the Moon slips into the sky as the merest of crescents. What a sky.

What a sunset!


We all muster in the lounge for our last checklist of the week. With three new species added to the weeks tally, we end up on a very respectable 87species of bird. We’ve also seen 11 species of butterfly, three moths, several mammals and several other insects.

The place of the trip is close, with Bryher pipping St Martin’s, and Juliet’s Garden (all our visits!) just ahead of the Water Rail and tonight’s stunning sunset for Magic Moment. Species of the trip is going three ways. Who can forget the stunning views of Whimbrel on St Martin’s. Surprisingly, the Red Underwing moth gets a couple of votes, but edging the voting, the St Mary’s Wryneck takes the honours (and rightly so!).

ISLES OF SCILLY
Day 6 | Week 1 | A Speyside Wildlife holiday.

Yesterday’s respite from the westerly winds was short-lived, as normal wind service is resumed and the skies look a little on the threatening side.

After our usual hearty breakfast, we make our way up Garrison Lane to look for the Wryneck some of us saw yesterday. We give it an hour or so, and although I see it briefly on one occasion it isn’t playing ball this morning.

Two of our party head off to do their own thing - Wendy back to Bryher and John not hit a small ball with some sticks (golf they call it). The rest of us depart and catch the 11.00 am bus up country. We arrive at Pelistry and take the walk along Green Lane to Green Farm where we see a Whinchat very briefly. The fields are stuffed with Linnets and House Sparrows – but little else. The walk down to and along Watermill Cove is butterfly strewn, with Red Admiral, Speckled Wood, Painted Lady, Common Blue, Small Copper, Small Tortoiseshell and Peacock all seen. The clumps of ivy in the sheltered sunny spots received most attention, especially from the Red Admirals. During our stop overlooking the cove we manage only a Chiffchaff, a White Wagtail and a Stonechat. It’s very disappointing.

We walk on round to Innisidgen Burial Chamber where we have lunch. Charles immediately picks up a Pied Flycatcher on the sheltered side of the large stand of pines. The near large pine is alive with Chaffinches, Wrens, Robins – loads of commoner birds but no migrants. Our lunch stop provides yet more spectacular seaviews looking across to the Eastern Isles, St Martin’s, Tean, Round Island and Tresco. The colour of the sea is a beautiful mix of deep blues and turquoises. A Grey Heron stalks one of the nearby rock pools. The grey skies have given way to another gorgeous day, and here behind the pines we are sheltered from the winds. Lunch eaten and several of us are flat on our backs soaking up some of that sun! Bliss.

We head on round towards Trenowarth where we come across possibly the same Pied Fly as earlier. There are more little bulb fields crawling with sparrows and finches – but no more migrants. Newford Duck Pond is disappointing with no warblers in the trees, but crippling views of Moorhen! We walk on down to the golf course to see if either the morning’s Dotterel from the airport has relocated, or if John is still on his round of golf. We predictably draw a blank on both! The golf course holds even more Linnets and a single White Wagtail. Juliet’s Garden was never needed more!

Beverages and slices of cakes all round give way to a near bird-free walk back in to town. We dump our bags and head back up to Garrison Lane for the Wryneck. We again stake out the pear tree it has been seen in most frequently and wait. And wait. A Hummingbird Hawkmoth relieves the boredom but disappears. Ann then spies it returning and it lands on the wall in front of us. Fantastic! I reach for my camera and click – gotcha!

A hummer


‘Wryneck, just left of the Collared Dove!’ I shout. Everyone is straight on to it. What cracking views! It sits out in the open for a minute or so before departing off down to the right (but where does it go?!). Unfortunately, John, the only one of the group who hasn’t now seen Wryneck, arrives within minutes of this terrific sighting, and despite a further 45 minute wait, we see no further sign.

Wryneck apart, it’s been a pretty hard day trying to dig migrants out of a near migrant-free island. But the day is rounded off with evening at the splendid Juliet’s Garden. Those of us who chose to walk up enjoyed excellent views of a juvenile Sanderling with the Turnstone on Porthmellon, a juvenile Common Tern, two first-winter Mediterranean Gulls and a Lesser Black-backed Gull at Porthloo and loads of White Wagtails feeding along the beaches. Superb!

ISLES OF SCILLY
Day 5 | Week 1 | A Speyside Wildlife holiday.

After breakfast we take the early boat to Bryher. With high winds and low tides there have been no boats to this island for several days. We land at Aneka’s Quay at The Town under a brilliant blue sky, bright warm sun and virtually no wind! Wow! After days of raging westerlies it’s fantastic to be able to hear something other than the roar of wind past your ears! We let all the other day trippers disperse and head towards Fraggle Rock and immediately come across a Whinchat flycatching from the top of a pittasporum hedge. We spend a good while watching this little migrant perform before turning our attention to a small number of Linnets behind us. We notice a baby Swallow sat on an open branch which is still being fed by its parents. We continue round the back of the Fraggle Rock Inn where Charles picks up a Spotted Flycatcher feeding from a wire fence at the bottom of the horse field.

Linnet


Young Swallow


After most of us peel off the odd layer in the increasing warmth of the day, we take the path below Shipman Head Down to view the fields by the campsite, but apart from Stonechats, Linnets and House Sparrows, we don’t manage to pick up anything noteworthy. We reach Great Popplestone and decide to head for a pre-lunch coffee at the Hell Bay Hotel, which for two of us turns into an early crab sandwich lunch. We take lunch proper on the north side of Gweal Hill with a fantastic view across Great Popplestone and over to Hell Bay. Even at low tide, the breakers are crashing over the rocks make dramatic seascape. Over lunch I begin seawatching and am soon calling things out. It’s an Arctic Skua which makes Alan and Charles reach for their scopes and follow suit. Manx Shearwater follows. Then another. And Another. Steve picks up two Puffins but no one else can get on to them. ‘Great Skua over the boat!’ I blurt as the Bonxie harasses a gull, twisting and turning in the sky to get its quarry to give up its food item. A few more Manxies pass, then a handful of Fulmars. The pager later reports a Sabine’s Gull seen from the northern tip of Tresco. Drat!

Looking across Great Popplestone towards Hell Bay


Everyone suitably fed and watered, we head along the Bryher coastline, along the edge of Stinking Porth, then Great Porth and around the southern side of Samson Hill. There are few birds apart from the odd Stonechat and Wheatear, but the views are simply stunning. We stop to scan Samson in the hope the Pallid Harrier of recent days (and last seen flying towards Bryher last night) but no joy. We look across to the St Agnes, Western Rocks and the Bishop Lighthouse. The sea below is like a millpond in the lea of the island. A Grey Seal sticks head up through the glass-like surface.

We continue around Samson Hill and at The Brow come across a couple of Goldcrests in a lone tamarisk bush. A little further on we get the briefest of views of a clean and pallid looking ‘reed warbler’ in the bracken but it vanishes. ‘Hmmm’ I ponder, convinced we have just lost a Marsh Warbler.

We climb Samson Hill where a Pheasant runs ahead of us along the path. Painted Ladies are wandering this gorse and bramble hillside in good numbers, some settling on bramble flowers to nectar. At the top the views across the islands is breathtaking. Given we can just make out St Martin’s in a gap over Tresco, and the Round Island lighthouse sticking up over northern Tresco, we can see virtually all the archipelago from this single spot. Wow! Swallows zip low over the gorse covered slopes on all sides and Painted Ladies bomb around looking for flowers and warm patches of ground on which to bask. A lone Whimbrel flies over calling its mournful seven whistles.

Painted Lady


We head down the hill and coming out at Green Bay we meet a local birder who has just seen a Wryneck a few yards round the coast path. We hotfoot it back and end up at the point where we had left the coastal path less than an hour ago to climb up Samson Hill. With only 15 minutes to nail the Wryneck minutes start to tick away. I leave the group watching the pines it was last seen in and take a wide arc along the beach to the other side of the trees. After a few minutes I see a movement and out pops the Wryneck. I call the others over, but on their arrival the bird flies in to the bottom the adjacent tree. A few get a glimpse, but most haven’t connected. We go pack on to the main path and after another minute or so we can see the Wryneck moving through the lower branches. Again, a couple of us get on to it before it simply vanishes. We are fast running out of time and eventually I have to call it a day as we have to get back to the quay for the boat. Its one of those nightmares, having to walk away from a great bird, but miss the boat and you’re on the island for the night!

There’s mixed emotions on the boat back to St Mary’s as some have seen the Wryneck, whilst others haven’t, including Wendy who seems to be resigned to never seeing a Wryneck! A party of 10 Little Egrets on rocks between Bryher and Tresco did little to raise a smile for those who didn’t see the Wryneck.

We arrive back on St Mary’s and I offer a rather desperate attempt to look for a Wryneck which was seen near the Police Station at 9.20 this morning. Wendy, Charles, Alan and Terry all take him up and we climb Garrison Hill and head down Garrison Lane towards the Police Station. I look for the apple tree mentioned on the pager message in the morning. ‘There it is’ I mutter to myself. As I bin the bush I see a bird fly in to it. I can’t see it. That had to be it. ‘Wryneck!’ I shouts ‘Top left of the apple tree!’. ‘Got it’ proclaims Alan. ‘Its in my scope’ says Charles. ‘Aagh! Wonderful’ comes from a relieved Wendy.

Wryneck


The Wryneck stays put for us all to get a further look and Wendy moves on to my scope before it suddenly ups and flies off along Sallyport. We follow and slowly search the trees and gardens we can see in to. Nothing. We head up on to the Garrison Walls to view from a higher position. Still no sign. A Hummingbird Hawkmoth is found feeding feverishly on valerian. ‘A good sign that things are moving’ I say. But with no further sign of the Wryneck and dinner fast approaching, we head off back to the guesthouse with very broad smiles.

ISLES OF SCILLY
Day 4 | Week 1 | A Speyside Wildlife holiday.

We wake to another bright, blustery day. Following two off island days we are staying on St Mary’s today, so after collecting our lunches from the bakery we head off to Lower Moors. At the Shooter’s Pool we add a trip tick in the form of a Green Sandpiper bobbing away as it feed around the reed edge at the back of the pool. A Snipe tries to hide in the reed edge, but the bright sun picks out its bold back markings. A couple of Greenfinches come down to drink from one of the remaining puddles by the overhanging bushes from where a Chiffchaff gives a brief snatch of song.

We head on to the hides but there is no sign of the recent Pectoral Sandpiper. With only a single Redshank present we make our way out to Old Town Bay and whilst enjoying the couple of Little Egrets feeding in amongst the seaweed and rock pools some enjoy an ice cream in the warm sun.

Redshank



A weedy field at Old Town – looks OK to me!


We head around the picturesque Tolman Point and up on to the rocky area at the seaward end of the airport known as Giant’s Castle where a wader giving off a plaintive call wheels over us. It’s a golden plover but which one? I can’t get a clear view of the underwing so can’t firmly ID it, although the call is pointing towards our own European Golden Plover rather than American Golden Plover. The bird appears to go down on to the airfield so I go to investigate and finds it alert on the edge of the runway. He calls the group up but only Charles gets there in time before it takes flight again. At least the ID is confirmed as European Golden Plover. Several Wheatears provide interest on an otherwise quiet walk, but the scenery is stunning with the huge and lumpy grey rocky coastline contrasting with the deep blue sea under a brilliant blue sky.

We arrive at the beautiful bay of Porth Hellick. The neap tide is at its lowest revealing a huge expanse of rock pools and seaweed which is dotted with Ringed Plovers and Turnstones. Huge rock formations which are covered at high tide tower from the exposed seabed. What a great spot for a spot of lunch! We settle on the rocks in the lea of a natural sea wall which protects us from the strong westerly wind. As we chomp through our sandwiches there’s a group of people out at the mouth of the bay rock pooling. Two Herring Gulls provide entertainment as they toss aside lumps of seaweed looking for juicy morsels for their own lunch. The sun beats down on us and it isn’t long before some of us succumb to heavy eyelids!

Sleepy at Porth Hellick!


Wakey, wakey! And we are off again. We move on to the Seaward Hide overlooking Porth Hellick Pool. At first glance all seems quiet until Charles points out a Little Stint – right under our noses about 30ft away! Wow! What cracking views of this tiny little wader. It’s a really brightly marked juvenile with rufous feathering on the back and its distinctive white braces forming a clear V. It feeds actively in the soft mud with a sewing machine action. Wonderful. Charles then spies a Green Sandpiper which does a fly past to show off its square white rump.

Little Stint


At the second hide we manage only to disturb the roosting Grey Heron and see a Snipe and Greenshank (both asleep-exiting huh!).

We walk along the boardwalk around Higher Moors. The sheltered sunny areas are alive with midges and hoverflies – but no birds to eat them! A very fresh Peacock butterfly on the path is our first of the week. We bump in to Scilly Birdman Will Wagstaff and whilst exchanging news a Yellow Wagtail flies over calling ‘spee’ and disappears into the still blue sky.

Peacock


The walk through the Cathedral up to Holy Vale is similarly bird free (apart from countless Wrens), but again alive with insect, including lots of Speckled Woods. The along the track from Holy Vale to Four Lane Ends is alive with butterflies, and along one small stretch of ivy and bramble we have Red Admiral, Painted Lady, Small Tortoiseshell, Speckled Wood and Small Copper. A couple of Goldcrests call continuously from a belt of pines, but seeing them proves more than a little difficult.

Walking up Telegraph Road, news from a passing couple that we have just missed eight Red-legged Partridges is met with complete disinterest as we have tea and cake firmly on our minds! A quick check of the horse fields for a Yellow Wag is soon abandoned when it isn’t found within a minute, and with dry tongues we arrive at Juliet’s Garden for much need refreshments. From the tea garden I scope the gulls down in the bay at Porthloo and pick out the first-winter Mediterranean Gull which has been wandering around the island the last few days. Bills paid and its down to the windswept Porthloo beach for some much closer, albeit wind impaired views of this smart gull which gives terrific views. Unfortunately, it proves an expensive stop for Terry, whose scope is blown over by the wind and the body is sheered from its tripod foot. Ouch! Terry, although clearly hurting (well who wouldn’t be) remains philosophical admitting ‘at least I can now buy the little Leica scope I’d like’. That’s the spirit!

We arrive back at the guesthouse with faces glowing from a day of constant sun and wind. After an hour relaxing and freshening up we meet up for another filling evening meal before our usual jovial checklist before retiring (via the local hostelry for some).

ISLES OF SCILLY
Day 3 | Week 1 | A Speyside Wildlife holiday.

We wake to bright blue skies after a night of high wind and lashing rain. We board the Britannia and take an unexpectedly smooth ride over to St Martin’s.

Flying the flag on the way to St Martin’s


Landing at Lower Town the skipper announces ‘the exit is on the left. Those exiting on the right, the water is only ankle deep . . . if you stand on your hands!’

After a quick watch of a Small Tortoiseshell we head straight up to Tinkler’s Hill and up on to the northern side of the island. Our main quarry is a Pallid Harrier which has been seen around the islands in recent days, and has spent at least the last two days on St Martin’s. Three Ravens rise over the nearby island of Tean. They wheel around the blue sky chasing each other. One bird turns against the wind is suddenly swept across the sound across to our island. It gains height and comes over us like a large flying cross, its thick bill and shaggy neck clearly visible.

Round Island


As we pass by Porth Seal two waders appear in the sky right by us. ‘Bar-tailed Godwit following the Curlew!’ I shout. The light is perfect as the two birds spin around the bay and the lack of wingbars on the smaller godwit is
easy to see.

We continue across to The Plains with only a few Stonechats to show for our efforts. We have to make best of little shelter there is when a squall rips through. At least the gorse helps to keep the driving rain off our legs. After the rain butterflies are quickly back on the wing and we come across Painted Lady, Small Copper and Wall all sunning themselves and feeding on the low growing heather. Five Little Stints come hurtling from a beach below us and pass right over our heads.

With another squall building to the west we loiter at a suitable spot that is sheltered from the strong wind, allows us to take an early lunch in the sun and provides a view of the expansive downs in case the harrier appears. Raindrops fall and we make a quick dash to the only cover on this side of the island, a stand pines under which one of the local birders has already taken cover under. It looks like we were just on the edge of this squall and the bulk of it passed to the east, so we are quickly back on the harrier hunt.

‘Raptor!’ I call, pointing to a dark shape over the western side of the island. ‘Bah! Common Buzzard’ I pronounce very deflated. Still, the Buzzard wind-hovers for us before tipping a wingtip and letting the wind take it hurtling along the sea below us.

As we climb Turfy Hill we look back along Great Bay. Charles picks up a group of waders high up on the beach. We get our scopes onto them. Sanderling, about 40 of them. Normally found scurrying along the tideline, these birds are running around in typical clockwork fashion at the top of the beach probably feeding on sandhoppers.

Sanderlings digging for insects high up the beach


At Chapel Gate a Whimbrel rises from a little field, calling its stuttered whistle call as it gains height. Again the light is fantastic as the bird wheels around, flying off low over the sea before returning to feed in the field. The bird is only yards away and from the cover of a dry stone wall, we get super close views of this all too weary wader. A tick for some, these are certainly the best views we have all ever had of this migrant curlew. We move on to the next field and find another two birds feeding, then another bird, with a fifth eventually coming in. Wow! Whimbrel wonderland. A Whitethroat manages to distract us only for a few moments from our Whimbrel-watching.

One of the five Whimbrel giving great views


As we approach Chapel Down the Buzzard reappears over Little Arthur Farm giving us superb views as it wind-hovers and glides around over the farm. A few more Stonechats are added to the tally, along with Small Heath butterfly.

The walk along the south of the island is windy and pretty birdless bar more views of the Buzzard and some Collared Doves. Nearing the quay for the transfer back to St Mary’s, the news we now didn’t want comes through. The Pallid Harrier had just been seen on the north of the island. Having spent over four hours searching for it we decided another hour was unlikely to prove fruitful given the bird had already been lost again. Smart move! The bird wasn’t seen again and the crossing back was more than a little wet on the Seahorse, and would have been extremely wet on the later boat – the uncovered Guiding Star! As it was, those at the bow of the boat got an absolute drenching, whilst us wimps took shelter either inside or behind the bridge section – nice and dry!

St Mary’s quay during a windy high tide


After dinner we caught up on two days of checklist having missed yesterday’s.

ISLES OF SCILLY
Day 2 | Week 1 | A Speyside Wildlife holiday.

After a hearty breakfast we make our way to the quay and board the Guiding Star for our transfer to Tresco. The shelter of the harbour masked the choppy crossing during which a procession of Sandwich Terns passed by the boat.

We land at Carn Near, or Carn Far as it is known in birding circles – ‘’cos it’s the furthest point from everywhere on the island when you need to get to the ferry in a hurry’ I quip. The wind is getting up all the time and we know its going to be difficult migrant hunting in this. Walking around the edge of the Heliport, Alan picks out a Stonechat on a near Rhododendron bush which we all get good views of before it braves the open space of the landing field and gets blown across it by the wind! We search the Abbey Pool for a Baird’s Sandpiper which has been seen until a couple of days ago (‘it does go missing tho’ Steve was told by one of the local birders). No joy. And no other waders to compensate either! The southern end of the Great Pool holds a Mute Swan and a couple of White Wagtails and Alan picks up a Little Egret overhead battling hard against the wind. Rounding the bushes on to Penzance Road, I spy a movement up ahead. ‘Pied Flycatcher!’ I shout as it disappears into a gap in the bushes. Damn! We reposition ourselves and a short wait later and out it pops. ‘Wonderful’ comments Pam. At the Rosefield crossroads we search a few sheltered edges and Charles picks up a second, much whiter and cleaner, Pied Fly.

We walk along Pool Road with more White Wagtails trotting around the bulb fields and the odd Pheasant scratching around. Under one of the Pheasant feeding bins there is a sizeable flock of House Sparrows and Chaffinches feeding in the spilt grain. ‘Kestrel!’ Steve shouts, and whoosh! It flies straight into the feeding flock under the feeder but comes out empty handed.

We arrive at the Great Pool hide for lunch to the sound of a squealing Water Rail which promptly shuts up. Thanks! Along the reed edges there are an assortment of waders probing the soft mud. A couple of Curlew Sandpipers wade belly deep with the heads deep underwater for most of the time. On the odd occasion they lift their bills clear of the water, the long downward curve is very clear. In the shallow water several Dunlin probe with more deliberate action, and about twice as fast as the Curlew Sands. We then pick up three smaller birds on the reed edge with a much faster feeding action – Little Stints. Snipe, Mallard, Teal and several Gadwall are dotted along the reed edge in front of us. One of the trees to our right has a couple of Little Egrets sat in its top. Make that three. No four. Alright – there’s seven!

Out of nowhere a dumpy grey wader appears with the Dunlin. ‘It’s a Knot’ proclaims Steve. The Knot is oblivious to its new found audience as it feeds busily making its way closer, and closer, and closer to us. It’s too close to focus! At such close range the dull grey plumage is transformed with each of the upperpart feathers ending with a thin white fringe and a neat arrowhead which ages it as a juvenile.

About the closest I’ve ever been to a Knot


Amongst the increasing flock of roosting Greenshank and Redshank on the far side, a large, brownish wader stands tall over the shanks – a Black-tailed Godwit.

Searching for Baird’s Sand


Tipped off that the Baird’s Sand sometimes gets on to the beach near the Abbey Pool we make haste. Passing the southern part of the Great Pool again we find the three Little Stints have relocated and we find a lone Little Ringed Plover running around with them. We search the beach. Ringed Plover. Oystercatchers. Various Gulls. More Ringed Plovers. Turnstones. More Ringed Plovers. But no Baird’s Sand.

The wind is beginning to lift sand off the beach and hurl it at us. Time to retreat . . . to the Tresco Gardens café! As we arrive at the café I spot something whizzing around the entrance. Is it a bird? Is it a butterfly? No it’s a large moth, with brilliant red hindwings. It’s struggling in the wind, but eventually settles high up on the wall of a building, almost disappearing with its cryptic markings matching the wall brilliantly.

With the wind strengthening further, and news of a Pectoral Sandpiper on St Mary’s, we head for the earlier boat back. The skipper shows his expertise on the return voyage, hugging the edges of Bryher and Samson for shelter and then riding along the waves rather than slopping through them. A windsurfer speeds past as if he’s powered by rocket fuel. Not to be outdone, a couple of Gannets whiz around, banking with wing tips nearly touching the surface and disappearing in to the troughs between the lines of waves. Fantastic! We see the Guiding Star making its way to Tresco (from St Mary’s), it too disappearing behind the ever heightening waves. It’s more than a little choppy right now! We arrive back at St Mary’s quay. ‘If you’re wet it’s not our fault’ quips the skipper as we climb the quay steps.

We dump our rucsacs at the guesthouse and six of us head off to Lower Moors. With no news since the mornings initial sighting we are twitching in the dark, just hoping that the Pec Sand is still on the pool. We arrive at the ‘new’ hide. Greenshank. Smaller wader – Dunlin. Frantic scanning. No sign. I look across at the other hide where three pairs of binoculars seem to be trained on one area to their right. I try to follow the line of their sight, scouring the reed edge around the hide opposite. I see a movement and ‘got it!’ I announce. I give directions and soon Terry, Bill, Pam, Charles and Alan are all watching a small wader moving through the reeds on the opposite side of the pool. ‘Not great views. Lets get round to the other hide’ I decide. A few moments later we are looking down at an empty reed edge from the other hide. It can’t have flown while we were walking round could it? Did that Grey Heron scare it off? No there it is. But its largely obscured but eventually it comes out in to the open and we all get good views of this American relative of the Dunlin as it pecks away only 40 or so feet from us. It wanders out of view again and it loos like views would be better, albeit slightly further, from the other hide. We nip back round and sure enough, although now 40 or so yards rather than feet, we can see the bird well. I struggle to get a clear view through the tops of reeds to get a good photo, but a few clicks later I’m happy enough given the fading light, moving reeds and a bird which refuses to come out in to the open! We take different routes back, and Charles and Terry are lucky to add Green Sandpiper to their trip lists.

Pec Sand


After freshening up, we take the walk up to Juliet’s Garden for a sumptuous meal and lively banter. What a great way to round off the day!

ISLES OF SCILLY
Day 1 | Week 1 | A SPEYSIDE WILDLIFE holiday.

I meet up with the group at 8.15 am on the quay in Penzance and we board the Scillonian III for our sea passage to the Isles of Scilly. Just as we leave the quayside, we see a Rock Pipit obligingly sitting out on the harbour wall. We are soon heading out following the coastline towards Land’s End and the relative calm of Penzance harbour gives way to increasingly choppy seas and a strengthening south-westerly wind. The sea all around us looking more than a little lumpy with white horses atop the waves as the boat begins bounce, the height of the vertical movement of the stern getting steadily higher! A few of the passengers are looking decidedly green-gilled, but we are all OK and in good spirits, even when one mighty bow splash leaves Wendy soaked and a squall speeds through, heavens opening briefly upon us.

On the Scillonian III


Rough seas usually means good seabirds – bit not today. A few Herring Gulls kept up with the ship, but Gannets rarely approach close by. By the time we have first sight of the islands we have a very disappointing three Fulmars and one Manx Shearwater.

Land ahoy!


With sight of the islands our anticipation is heightened. We pass the Eastern Isles with the long, sandy-beached St Martin’s stretching out behind them. Looking down Crow Sound we can see Round Island lighthouse in the distance, with Tresco to its left disappearing behind the main island of St Mary’s. We turn in to St Mary’s Sound and St Agnes appears on our left, with the small island of Gugh sat in front of it. As we turn towards Hugh Town, the view south down to Bishop lighthouse is breathtaking. The flat island of Annet stretches in front of the jagged peaks of the Western Rocks. The twin hills of Samson come in to view, with Bryher tucked behind them and a closer view of Tresco.

St Mary’s quay


We disembark and head straight for our guesthouse. A relaxing drink and lunch before heading off along the beaches of Porthmellon and Thomas Porth and on to Porthloo. The wind is ever strengthening, and looking across the harbour to the docked Scillonian; the small boats dotted across the harbour are listing from side to side – even in the sheltered harbour side of the island. ‘I wouldn’t like to be heading back to Penzance in this’ remarks Alan. Despite the ferociousness of the wind, the beaches do hold some birds. Black-headed Gulls pick along the wet tide line at items deposited by the crashing waves. Turnstones walk through the litter along the dry high tide line, turning over lumps of seaweed to reveal tasty morsels. A couple of Wheatears brave the openness of the beach, one flitting around the dry seaweed, the other content to chase sandhoppers along the open sand.

With news of a ‘probable Pallid Harrier’ over Bryher then Tresco, I confidently predict that it won’t hang around and it would be either off to St Martin’s or the north of St Mary’s. With this in mind, the plan was to make for the open space of the golf course to look over to St Martin’s and Tresco. But . . . the strengthening wind would probably see us blown over up there, so we switch to Plan B – find some sheltered spots, just as much for ourselves as for the birds!

After grilling the exotica on Porthloo duckpond (Wood Duck, Fulvous Whistling Duck, Chiloe Wigeon etc), we take a slow meander along the Low Moors Nature Trail. House Martins and Swallows feeding over one area in the lea of a large stand of trees indicate a sheltered area, free of wind and in the warm sun. Bliss! Amidst the hirundines we pick out a lone Sand Martin, its small size, faster, jerky flight setting it apart from its larger cousins.

Two very different Speckled Woods



Whilst watching a couple of Speckled Wood butterflies around a bramble patch, I pick up on a Reed Warbler moving along the bracken hedge in front of us. Its pretty much hidden, put after a little while Charles picks it up a little further long the hedge and it eventually gives excellent views sat put on the brambles and bracken stems. It has a habit of hanging upside down and then lurching towards its insect victims which it picks off the plant stems. Other non-avian interest is provided by Long-winged Conehead (grasshopper family) and Small Copper and Common Blue butterflies.

We head in to the tangled, almost mangrove like willows of Lower Moors. At the near-dry Shooters Pool a Snipe gives brilliant views as it bathes in the puddle left in front of the viewing screen. Wendy picks up on a warbler which also comes down for a bathe, albeit out of view for most of us. Steve manages to get in a position to get a clear view and just as he announces it as a Willow Warbler it promptly takes flight and disappears headlong in to the dense willows.

At the first hide overlooking the Pool we get views of Greenshank, Redshank, Snipe and Dunlin – but we are looking straight in to the sun so we relocate to the other hide with the sun behind it. What a difference! Suddenly the near silhouettes are transformed into brilliantly lit birds – and how close are they! They are literally feet away from our line of binoculars. The Greenshank towers over the others, wading up to its belly in search of prey in the deepest parts of the pool. The Snipe have moved over to the back of the pool, but the Redshank and Dunlin pick along the nearest edge to us. The Dunlin is very delicately marked, with its gingery head, scalloped brown uppers and white underparts broken by smudgy chevrons down its flanks. A Kestrel drifts over and a White Wagtail makes a brief appearance.

Lower Moors Pool


Greenshank


Leaving the moors we find a Wheatear sat forlornly on a rock in the middle of a grass field (‘why am I hear?’ its probably asking itself) and on to a deserted Old Town Bay. Just past Nowhere (‘or is it now here?’ asks Charles) we come across a handful of wagtails on the playing field by the school. White and Pied – the white looking so much cleaner and smarter than the dingy, scruffier Pieds.

We are soon back in town and climbing the stairs of our guesthouse to our rooms. An hours rest before dinner, checklist and then off around the corner for Will Wagstaff’s (the Scilly Birdman) Wildlife of Scilly slideshow which simply whets our appetites for the week ahead!

GARDEN EXOTICA
The male Sudan Golden Sparrow, first seen in the garden on 22 Aug, reappeared briefly on Monday and had so far evaded my camera. Today tho, the camera was set up at the upstairs window and SNAP! gotcha! What a star. My only previous encounter wit hthis species was in 1992 when I found one in The Gambia where it is a scarce visitor.

Male Sudan Golden Sparrow. A first for Cambs?!

RED-BACKED SHRIKE @ PRIOR'S FEN
Kev 'Pinky' Du Rose and Prior's Fens do it again! The initial call from Kev on Friday evo was a little distressing as I was actually out of area (aagghh!) and planned not to be back until late Sunday evening. Thankfully I managed to rearrange things and made it to the shrike at one of my fave Peterbirding sites to spend five hours watching it on and off. It was stinking hot in the sweltering sun and the light for best part of the afternoon was crap. With a little perseverance I managed to get some half decent shots out of the 200+ pics I took (the beauty of digital images eh!).

Immature Red-backed Shrike, Prior's Fen, Cambs


Heavily barred unders and scaly uppers age this as a young bird


This takes my 'top birds to perch on bulrush' list to three - this RBS, Penduline Tit (of course) and . . . . Long-eared Owl!


For more Red-backed Shrike photos click here