PECTORAL SANDPIPER at Porth Hellick

Juvenile PECTORAL SANDPIPER on Porth Hellick Beach

   As the Juvenile WOODCHAT SHRIKE is only a stones throw away from work, I thought I would go and check if it was still there. I found the bird immediately at close range to my right in the hedge. Here it showed very well for the ten minutes I observed it. I returned an hour later with Bryan. There was no sign of the shrike, but in the same field was the grey and white flava wagtail.

The Juvenile WOODCHAT SHRIKE sharing the fence with a Goldfinch

The grey and white flava wagtail was in the same field as the shrike. Bryan Thomas

 Also in this field, I have also seen, Red-backed and Isabelline Shrike in the past.

   Ren called to tell me that there were 3 Arctic Tern in Porthcressa Bay. twenty minutes later, I could see 3 birds feeding with a single Sandwich Tern. At Porthloo, there were 3 1st winter and a different adult Mediterranean Gull.

  This morning 2 Pectoral Sandpipers at Drift Reservoir, Cornwall, came on the pager. A few hours later, this had increased to 3 and then 4. There had to be one at Porth Hellick. From the Sussex hide I scanned and could see a wader in the far SE corner that looked like a Pectoral Sandpiper. I ran to the seaward hide and starting scanning the far side. I picked up a Dunlin, no it was not that. Continued scanning and there it was, a juvenile PECTORAL SANDPIPER! I called the others, but when they arrived there was no sign of it. We all went to beach to look from the bank that looks over the pool. We could not see it and then Higgo shouted 'There' It flew from the pool and landed on the beach. It was very flighty and vocal and never settled down. It was up again and flew off east in the direction of Drift Reservoir. It could hear the other 4 birds calling. An hour later, it had returned back to Porth Hellick. Also in the area were, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Sand Martin, 1 Kingfisher, 9 Greenshank and the Buzzard. Nearby Higgo heard the GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER in the Kittidown Pines.

Juvenile PECTORAL SANDPIPER on Porth Hellick Beach. Just arrived from across the Atlantic.

  A call from Joe, found Robin and I looking for 5 or 6 Lapland Bunting on Peninnis Head. Already Gray had a single fly over St Agnes this morning, with 2 more on St Martins. Is it going to be another good year for this species? Well, at the moment, there are maybe only a few in the UK. On Peninnis, we walked on one of the main paths and flushed 2 birds from below our feet, not knowing they were there. They flew a short distance and with Tony, we tracked them down and got some cracking views. Tony had already seen 4 just over the ridge. So there were 6, but when Higgo and Ritchie arrived, we only managed to see 4 Lapland Bunting. It was about 20.00, almost dark, when Tony called to tell me that he had now 3 BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER on the airfield. I rushed up there and in the fading light, found them on the Porth Minnick side. You could only just make out what they were and with these fast depressions coming in across the Atlantic, like the Pec, these buffies will probably increase.

Up to 6 Lapland Buntings were found by Joe on Peninnis Head. This adult showed very well. Top shot Joe Pender

Can you see all 3 BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPERS on the airfield?

Looking over towards the Morning Point, Garrison, from Peninnis Head

Chris and Robin went to Tresco. Robin found a WRYNECK near the school and relocated both the juvenile WOODCAHAT SHRIKE, Old Grimbsy and the 1st winter CITRINE WAGTAIL, Abbey Pool, Tresco. On St Mary's, Ren has had a WRYNECK in his garden at Sallyport, for the last three days

Juvenile WOODCHAT SHRIKE, Old Grimbsy, Tresco Robin Mawer ,