August Bank Holiday - people say I was mad to go, but Scilly is busy May to September so no different this weekend except the Pelagics have fewer people on board.
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| Scillonion coming into St.Marys |
Sunday 25th August I left home at 4.30 am and drove to Cornwall. Apart from a couple of comfort breaks my first stop was at St Agnes Head to see the Cornish Choughs. Although very breezy it wasn't too long before I heard their call and a pair flew along the cliffs. A few minutes later they returned onto the heather and off again into the distance not to be seen again.
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| St Agnes Head |
Bird guides reported a Grey Phalarope at Hayle Marshes so that was my next stop before Penzance. After queueing for about 20 minutes I turned off towards Hayle and managed to find a parking place on the verge next to the marshes. A couple of birders very kindly put me straight onto the bird that was walking in one of the ditches.
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| Grey Phalarope |
Mid afternoon I checked into the Queens Hotel Penzance, had a walk around Penzance, then dinner and bed.
Monday 26th August, breakfast at 7.00, parked the car at the IOS travel car park, and on the Scillonion by 8.15 which departed on time and arrived at midday. Avian highlights on the smooth crossing were quiet but a couple of hundred Manx Shearwaters and 10 Cory's Shearwaters were seen. A quick visit in the co-op for some supplies and I checked into Longstone Lodge around 1.00pm
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| Longstone Lodge |
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| My room plus an en-suite |
I spent the rest of the day walking St Mary's looking for birds, not much to report, though except for a Pale-bellied Brent Goose that was on Porthcressa Beach
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| Pale-bellied Brent Goose |
As the wind was freshening and I was feeling rather tired after the long drive yesterday I opted out of tonight's pelagic.
Tuesday 27th, a rainy day with a breeze, but managed to walk around the Island for most of the day and spent some time trying to see the Gull-billed Tern of which I did briefly. One bird of note was a Cormorant which are not so common on the islands
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| Cormorant |
Like wise this evening I again opted out from the pelagic as I had found there was one tomorrow morning as part of the Ocean Festival. Sadly it had not been well advertised and was not well attended.
Wednesday 28th, sunny and calm seas The Sapphire departed at 09.30 with only a hand full of birders on board and a few others interested in the general wildlife.
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| On board The Sapphire |
Heading out South and then East of the Islands bread is thrown out to attract gulls and then in turn attracts other birds
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| The bread man Richard Stonier feeding the Gulls |
Cetaceans seen were Harbour Porpoises and Common Bottle-nosed Dolphins
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| Harbour Porpoise? |
At the Eastern Islands there were the Atlantic Grey Seals
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| Atlantic Grey Seals |
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| Shags |
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| Sooty Shearwater |
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| Cory's Shearwater |
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| Great Shearwater |
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| Great Shearwater |
But bird of the day / trip had to be this Pomerine Skua that came up close to the stern.
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| Pom Skua |
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| Pom Skua |
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| Pom Skua |
An excellent morning at sea. Totals for the trip were:-
25 Cory's Shearwater
10 Great Shearwater
3 Sooty Shearwater
Manx Shearwaters - not counted
2 Pom Skua
2 Great Skua
2 Grey Phalarope
20 Arctic Terns
20 Common Bottle-nose Dolphins
Atlantic Grey Seals - not counted
The rest of the day I wandered around St Mary's but found nothing of note.
Thursday 29th, A lovely day today warm and sunny, another wander around St Mary's ending up at the harbour at 5pm for the evening pelagic. Birds once again quiet and I couldn't catch up with any of the Wrynecks reported. An hour was spent at the Garrison hoping to see the Gull-billed Tern again but had obviously moved on. The sea was incredibly clear.
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| Porthcressa sea from the Garrison |
A walk around the Garrison in Dead Pines Walk I found a Pied Flycatcher
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| Pied Flycatcher |
At 5.00 pm I departed on The Sapphire for the evening pelagic. Although calm all day, there was more of a swell than yesterday. Once again Richard was bread man. We steamed south west past the Bishop Rock for another 5K where we drifted for a couple of hours with the rubby dubby producing an oily slick.
Birds seen were:
300 Great Shearwaters
170 Cory's Shearwaters
3 Sooty Shearwaters
250 Manx Shearwaters
25 Euro Storm Petrels
1 Wilson's Storm Petrel
1 Juvenile Sabine's Gull
5 Arctic Terns
1 Pom Skua
1 Long-tailed Skua - which was bird of the day and the trip
1 Blue Shark was caught and released
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| Great Shearwater |
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| Cory's Shearwater |
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| Cory's Shearwater |
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| Cory's Sheawater |
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| Euro Storm Petrel |
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| Euro Storm Petrel |
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| Euro Storm Petrel |
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| Wilson's Storm Petrel |
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| Wilson's Storm Petrel |
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| Wilson's Storm Petrel |
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| Juvenile Sabine's Gull |
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| Juvenile Sabine's Gull |
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| Long-tailed Skua at sunset |
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| Long-tailed Skua |
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| Long-tailed Skua |
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| Long-tailed Skua |
An excellent evening with some stunning birds especially the Long-tailed Skua being only the second I have seen.
Friday 30th. A lovely warm calm day, another walk around most of St Mary's arriving at the quay around 3.30 for the 4.30 departure of the Scillonion. Not much seen again on land today, apart from several Wheatears and a Whinchat
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| Wheatear |
but on the way back to Penzance birds seen were
40 Cory's Shearwaters
10 Great Shearwaters
1 Juvenile Sabine's Gull
200 Manx Shearwaters
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| Manx Shearwater |
Arriving back in Penzance at 7.15pm collecting my luggage and car I arrived at the Hayle Premier Inn in time for dinner. Breakfast was at 7.00am I was the first in, and arrived home around 2.30pm.
A good few days away in my favourite part of the UK. I need more practice with the camera when out at sea sadly a few days once a year isn't enough!!
