Last week I made my first venture to the Isles of Scilly. This birding mecca is logistically a little awkward, expensive and not as good as it once was (apparently). Allied with a wife and children who have no interest in birding and a trip wasn't looking particularly likely until I managed to wangle a few days on St Agnes camping at Troytown. As it turned out the spectacular run of megas Aggie has had ran short as I missed the Cliff Swallow, Eastern Orphean Warbler, Cedar Waxwing, Rose-breasted Grosbeak and obviously the Yellow-billed Cuckoo which turned its toes up on Friday night.
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| My tent in the less the sunny scene that greeted my at Troytown |
After a late afternoon flit I arrived in Penzance on Sunday close to midnight and attempted to kip in the car on a back street. I failed to get any sleep due to a touch too much caffeine and the fact I am no longer 22. Bleary the next morning I made my maiden trip on the fabled Scillonian III. Thankfully I am a solid sailor with no instances of seasickness as yet so despite the drizzle, the stench of vomit and the 3.5m rollers I watched the Gannets dallying in the lee of the boat with a solitary
Bonxie the sole concession to the skua movement off Pendeen whilst making our way across. As we came in a
Great Northern Diver lingered off Gugh. After a brief sojorn onto the Garrison I was then off to Aggie and I selected my spot at Troytown.
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| Little Bunting from Porth Killier |
The mizzle persisted but a
Firecrest was indication that I really was somewhere less than ordinary. I bumped into Steve Rowe, a regular from Cornwall, who kindly showed me the
Little Bunting in dropping light. I picked a
Yellow-browed Warbler near lower town and started to get my bearings. Steve and his friend Luke kindly invited me to join them at the Turk's Head for tea and the log where I was introduced to the CHOG members who were on island (Leo, Alan, Roger, Marek et al) and latterly Mike and Kathy Young-Powell. A friendly bunch who were always welcoming and willing to chat on my laps of the island.
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| One of several skittish Firecrests seen regularly |
The Tuesday, my first full day started well with
Black Redstart on the beach at Periglis and this was soon joined by a surprise
Kingfisher. The known selection of Yellow-brows and Firecrests supported and there was a
Reed Warbler at the Post Office and a brace of
Willow Warblers opposite including a very brown
acredula looking bird. Five
Swallows persisted by the parsonage and a trio of
Redwing were the vanguard of a movement later in the week.
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| Reed Warbler at the Post Office |
The Wednesday was very much a quieter version of Tuesday although I added
Mute Swan as an adult flew over Wingletang Down in the fog. Luke had apparently had the same on the pool first thing. Some genuine
Mallards hung around Porth Killier along with a
Little Egret and a
Greenshank which called in the mist. The Little Bunting and the Yellow-brows remained in the area. I had a couple of
Kittiwakes from Horse Point but no sign for me of the Lapland Bunting which was seen by a couple of birders at Beady Pool. News came out of a
Long-eared Owl in the fruit cages and I got there to see a boatload of birders across from St Mary's. I got a brief record shot and came back later on when it had all calmed down and had the bird to myself. It was roosting in the open and was perhaps the best views I have had of this species. An attempt to twitch a mobile Hawfinch and Rosefinch double proved fruitless but did add
Sparrowhawk and
Red-throated Diver which were seen from above the Gugh tombolo. At St Warna's I located a new Yellow-brow and a female
Merlin watched over from one of the granite extrusions that litter the island. There was a
Yellow Wagtail at Covean and whilst I didn't get views on the deck as it moved about the feeling from other birders was that this was a candidate
thunbergi.
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| Merlin at St Warna's Cove |
Thursday was my final full day and it started with a
Raven calling over the campsite along with a raptor call which I couldn't place and failed to see. I managed to see Kestrel, Merlin and Sparrowhawk whilst preparing my daily bacon sandwich. Walking round the pool I managed to locate the
Sedge Warbler which Marek Walford had found the previous day. I'm not sure I have ever seen one later. A Willow Warbler was messing about near Periglis beach and the usual crew of pipits, wagtails and wheatears was knocking about including a one-footed
White Wagtail. Black Redstart numbers had remained steady all week with between 2-4 seen daily depending on effort to wheedle them out by birders but the afternoon provided a fall with at least 10 new birds and perhaps a dozen as an adult male graced Troytown beach. There was a decent finch movement with over 1000 Chaffinches and a handful of
Bramblings in evidence. I even managed to refind the
Common Rosefinch in flight up near the Pig Pen above the Gugh tombolo. Sadly it didn't put down for me but it was seen later in the day by the ringing team near the tennis courts on the other side of the island. I came across several hundred mixed finches in weedy fields at the end of Barnaby's lane after being attracted by flocks doing fly arounds of Wingletang Down. More Brambling and a dozen
Siskin were present amongst the Chaffinches. As the evening drew in
Redwings started going over towards France and Spain. Fingers crossed they made it.
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| Portuguese Man O' War |
I was woken by a calling
Dunlin amongst the Ringed Plover, my first of the week and Steve heard it too as we readied ourselves. Friday was my final day on the island. It was evident that Redwings had continued all night and there were plenty of birds in the hedges and fields. A single
Fieldfare was at the end of Barnaby's Lane but there was no Ouzel for me. A
Common Redstart flicked along the hedgerow which was a surprise. I continued with my loops and had a final look in at the parsonage in the vain hope that the Hawfinch which had eluded me all week was there. It wasn't but there were a couple of Yellow-browed Warblers and Firecrests to remind me how much fun this week had been.
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| One-footed White Wagtail |
Exiting the island for St Mary's immediately a Dusky Warbler broke at the tennis courts followed by an Olive-backed Pipit. Birds were arriving all the time as they had been throughout the previous 36 hours. Red-breasted Flys were then found on Mary's but I had no time as the Scillonian beckoned. The crossing was quiet with a few Mediterranean Gulls as we entered Penzanze and a distant pod of dolphins off Porthgwarra. I didn't manage to find much or see the big one but I had an amazing time and I will certainly return. Scilly is an amazing place and the birding was outstanding. I managed to walk 120km during the 5 days I was on the island so I put the effort in. Perhaps next time it will pay off.
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| Long-eared Owl at the Fruit Cages |
Prior to heading to Scilly I managed to score some Patchwork Challenge bonus points when I found a
Richard's Pipit at North Landing, Flamborough. I had given up finding much in unfavourable weather on Friday 13th Oct when a trio of shreep calls came from virtually under my feet. The bird bounded along and alighted in some long grass but by the time I caught up it had vanished. Thankfully the bird was seen well by a number of other birders and has subsequently been joined by a second bird.
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| Adult male Black Redstart at Troytown |
