I was late booking my Autumn trip to Scilly this year but managed to get a room at Longstone Lodge for 9 nights. Setting off on the 8th October I stopped at Arne RSPB to try and twitch the Forster's Tern but after waiting for 2 hours for it to show I dipped.
I continued my journey to Hayle where I stayed overnight before getting the Scillonion over to St Marys. With calm seas and some fog seabirds were scarce until we got past the Wolf Lighthouse and then Cory's, Great and Manx Shearwaters were seen in numbers.
With the Red-footed Booby being re-discovered on the Bishop Rock lighthouse the day before a good 60 plus birders on board the Scillonion transferred straight onto The Sapphire to head out to the lighthouse.
Sadly dip number 3 of the Booby happened. But great numbers of Cory Shearwaters were on the calm sea with 1 Great Shearwater.
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| Booby Rock Lighthouse - but no Booby |
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| Cory's Shearwaters |
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| Cory's Shearwater |
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| Cory's Shearwaters and Great Shearwater |
Back on land around 3pm I headed up to the Lodge and checked in, then went to twitch the Wryneck at Maypole. Fortunately there was another birder on site who put me straight onto the bird incredibly close but the sun wasn't good for the photos - well that's my excuse!
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| Wryneck |
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| Wryneck |
Tuesday 10th October, there was another boat running to the Bishop for the Booby incorporating a wildlife trip this morning. Packed full of birders we had to go around the Western Isles looking at sea birds and seals before venturing out to the lighthouse. The seas were totally different to yesterdays Mediterranean. Eventually reaching the lighthouse I was to dip again on that Booby.
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| Another Booby Boat |
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| Western Ilse Shags |
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| Seals and Pups |
Returning back around lunchtime I returned to the lodge for a bite to eat and then went through Carreg Dhu Gardens where at the top end a Glossy Ibis had been seen regularly feeding in the puddles of a bulb field covered in plastic.
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| Glossy Ibis |
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| Glossy Ibis |
From there I went to Lower Moors to look at the Jack Snipe that was so close to the hide I had trouble getting it in the frame.
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| Jack Snipe |
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| Jack Snipe |
Walking back to the lodge for dinner via Holy Vale a flock of 16 Siskins were the only birds of note.
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| Siskin |
Wednesday 11th October, raining this morning so headed off to Porthellick Hide to look for the possible Wilson's Snipe. Surprisingly no body in the hide but only a few Common Snipe and Teal were around.
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| Common Snipe |
A walk into town to get provisions via the turning circle found nothing and a look around the Garrison for the Rosy Starling was disappointing. In the afternoon back to Porthellick and a walk along the coast to Carn Vean tea rooms to twitch the Pink-Footed Goose which was feeding close to the road.
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| Pink-footed Goose |
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| Pink-footed Goose |
Another look at Maypole for the Wryneck found it skulking in the distant hedge and not worthy of a photo, and so back to the lodge for dinner.
Thursday 12th, With news of an Arctic Warbler and Rustic Bunting on St Martins yesterday. I along with most birders on St Marys headed there. A 2 hour wait for the Arctic with no show and no signs at all of the Rustic today and with heavy rain forecast I returned to St Marys early afternoon.
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| Arctic Warbler twitch |
After the rain had eased a walk around late afternoon found nothing but I am always impressed with these Trumpet Flowers at the top of Holy Vale
The Wryneck at Maypole showed briefly in a Sycamore tree then dropped down into a furrow and not seen again.
Friday 13th has always been a lucky day for me, nothing extra special found despite spending a couple of hours going through the Meadow Pipits near the airport hoping for something extra ordinary. With nothing found I went to look for the Snow Bunting that was at the Giants Castle eventually I found it by almost stepping on it.
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| One of many Meadow Pipits |
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| Snow Bunting |
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| Snow Bunting |
A Wheatear was also close by.
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| Wheatear |
With poor visibility on the mainland the flights were on hold so I was able to see the Buff-breasted Sandpiper that was near the turning circle at the end of the runway
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| Buff-breasted Sandpiper |
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| Buff-breasted Sandpiper |
A large swell breaking at the foot of The Giants Castle. Walking back into town via the Old Town there was this Portugese Man-of-War jelly fish washed up on the beach.
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| Portuguese Man-of-War |
Saturday 14th, News that the Rosy Starling was showing well at the end of Porthcressa beach sent me there, having looked for it every day without luck I was pleased to see it although not very Rosy as it was a juvenile and quite a long way away.
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| Rosy Starling |
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| Rosy Starling |
Walking back out of town mt intention was to have a search of the Golf Course, however news broke of the Pallid Harrier (that had been seen yesterday ) was roosting in a tree at the back of Shooters Pool on Lower Moors. A quick detour got me there in 15 minutes to find a crowd 6 deep. Luckily I managed to get to front and get a a few shots and then let others have a look.
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| Pallid Harrier |
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| Pallid Harrier |
Having done that I carried along Lower Moors passing several birders rushing to get to see the Harrier. I decided to then have a look around The Standing Stones Field where a Barred Warbler was briefly seen yesterday when then I heard that the Harrier had flown. I managed to get a glimpse and a poor photo of it flying around the Old Town bay before heading out to sea and never seen again.
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| Pallid Harrier |
Meanwhile a Siberian Chiff Chaff was showing well in the field.
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| Siberian Chiff Chaff |
After the excitement of the morning I now decided to walk up the eastern side of the island and fortunately I did as news of a Red-breasted Fly Catcher was near Watermill Cove. Half an hour later I was there and along with a small crowd I watched it as it fed.
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| Red-breasted Flycatcher |
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| Red-breasted Flycatcher |
Sunday 15th. No Scillonion and no planes today so a walk on the airfield and a quiet day in town.
My first stop was at Porthellick to look for the possible Wilson's Snipe. Another birder in the hide insisted this was the bird. With several photos taken I'm not totally convinced but?
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| Possible Wilson's Snipe |
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| Possible Wilson's Snipe |
After leaving the hide news came that a Little Bunting had been trapped and was about to be released near bye so a quick photo and off he went.
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| Little Bunting |
I carried on around the coast up to The Giants Castle and saw the Snow Bunting again.
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| Snow Bunting |
Then onto the airfield where there was around 25 Golden Plover but no sign of Buffy The Buff-breasted Sandpiper
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| Golden Plover |
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| Golden Plover |
Back into town and along to Thomas Porth where a Black Redstart was on the rocks and I was looking into the sun.
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| Black Redstart |
Returning back to the Lodge for lunch, and a little doze only to find that a Red-backed Shrike had been found at Newford Duck Pond. So a quick walk up there and I was fortunate to be shown it although quite distant and within minutes it disappeared.
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| Red-backed Shrike |
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| Red-backed Shrike |
So not a bad day.
Monday 16th, Today I headed to Lower Moors and found a Grey Wagtail on Shooters Pool
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| Grey Wagtail |
With a Dotterel being seen on Tresco yesterday I decided I would try and find it. Despite spending all morning trudging around Castle Down I couldn't find it but did flush a couple of large Pipits probably Richard's . The only other thing of note I found was a Cattle Egret playing hide and seek
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| Can you see me? |
Eventually it gave itself up
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| Cattle Egret |
Back on St Marys at Porthloo beach in the afternoon I saw another / same Black Redstart
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| Black Redstart |
Also several Pied/Alba Wagtails.
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| Alba Wagtail |
On the sea were 3 Red-breasted Mergansers (albeit distant) which I had not seen here before
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| Red-breasted Mergansers |
Back at Porthellick Pool before retiring to the Lodge the only birds were 4 Greenshank.
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| Greenshanks |
So a disappointing day today.
Tuesday 17th my last full day on Scilly. It was pouring all morning so decided to stay in the lodge until lunchtime. Then I headed off to try and see the Little Bunting at Normandy. On arrival I was told it has been showing at the far end of the weedy field. So I wasn't that keen to hang around and went off to see if the Red-backed Shrike was any closer to the road than yesterday. At Newford Duck Pond a Pied Flycatcher was showing nicely but disappeared before I could get a photo. A quick look for the Shrike again but it was well hidden so I returned to wait for the Pied Fly to show again and while waiting I was directed to a Ring Ouzel in a near by Hawthorn tree.
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| Ring Ouzel |
I couldnt get a good view, and then it flew across the pond into the trees. Other birders there then went back to look for the Shrike. Mean while I stayed put hoping the Pied Fly would show again. After about 10 minutes the Ouzel flew back out and onto Hawthorn tree again and showed much better with me having him all to myself.
So after all a good afternoon
Wednesday 18th, heavy rain all morning so I stayed in the Lodge not wanting to be soaked on the journey home. Fortunately the rain left off as I headed down to the harbour. The crossing was incredibly comfortable despite the high wind fore cast. A few Cory's Shearwaters seen along with a dozen or so Great Shearwaters.
Arriving back in Penzance around 7.00pm, collecting the car I then arrived at The Premier Inn in Redruth around 8.00pm. Leaving in the morning at 7.00am after a full English Breakfast and pocket stuffed with croissants etc. Several stops later I arrived back home 3.00pm.
As always a really lovely stay on Scilly, birds were hard to come by compared with previous trips and the weather could have been better. Maybe I was a week or 2 late this year. But hopefully will return next year.
