WOODCHAT at the Garrison

Juvenile WOODCHAT SHRIKE, Christmas House, Garrison. Robin Mawer

  With the winds forcast at F8 SWW, I got the day off work and at first light I was watching Gannets moving west past Giants Castle. Despite the strong winds, it was not until after 09.00 that it started to pick up. There were over 60 Common Dolphins hunting to the SE and with the Gannets were, 3 Cory's and 2 Manx Shearwater and 20+Storm Petrel. The Cory's and petrels stuck around for a good 30 minutes before moving west.

  At 10.30 I was seawatching from Deep Point with Robin. The wind had gone west and died down. Again it was quiet for the two hours we were there. 5 Sooty Sheawater, 2 Storm Petrel, 3 juv/1st winter Mediterranean Gull and 3 Harbour Porpoise were the only birds of note.

Up to 3 juv/1st winter Mediterranean Gulls passed Deep Point Martin Goodey

3 Harbour Porpoise also moved through  

  We had a break and went to the Garrison to look at yet another WOODCHAT SHRIKE. It was a juvenile, found by Ren this morning, and performed pretty well in the fields bordering the lane down to Christmas House. It was on view in the 20 minutes we observed it as it picked off beetles and bees from the deck.

Will, Robin, Ritchie,Tony, Higgo, Big Al and myself, have now all found a Woodchat Shrike! It's been a record year for Woodchats on Scilly and I think Robin has broken the record by seeing more of them in the UK than anyone else! A total of 15 birds and I'm sure that will increase in the next month.  

  I had some very good home-made soup, made by Pauline, at Robin's and then we went up to Giants Castle. Looking at Porthloo, there was the juvenile Curlew Sandpiper and the 2nd winter and 4 juv/1st winter Mediterranean Gull. We also got the BEE-EATER on the wires at Maypole. We arrived at Giants after 18.00 and could see that the Gannets were streaming through with 220 in half an hour.

TOTALS OF SPECIES FROM SEAWATCHING

3 Cory's Shearwater
5 Sooty Shearwater
7 Manx Shearwater
22 Storm Petrel
3 Mediterranean Gull
2 Kittiwake
1400+Gannet
60+Common Do;phin
3 Harbour porpoise

Good numbers of Gannets moved west throughout the day

Here's some footage of Gannets diving off Giants Castle today by Martin Goodey

A Robin pearched on a rock

The BEE-EATER was at Maypole 

2 of the 4 juv/1st winter Mediterranean Gull at Porthloo

  Returning home along the airfield and the juvenile BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER was showing well at very close range. There were also 25+Wheatear, 6 White Wagtail and the adult Golden Plover present.

It was getting dark when I took these shots of the juvenile BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER on the airfield

The great Chris Ridgard welcoming you to Porth Hellick Down