CENTRAL ASIAN LESSER WHITETHROAT on St Agnes

CENTRAL ASIAN LESSER WHITETHROAT at Periglis Beach

 
   A pleasant early morning and I had seen my first RED-BREASTED FLYCATCHER of the year in the Sallows at Holy Vale. This bird was found two days ago by Steve Hall and was very mobile, often chased off by a Robin. Also in the same Sallows were a probable SIBERIAN CHIFFCHAFF (it wouldn't call in the half an hour I was there) 8 Chiffchaff and 2 Woodcock. 09.30 and already news had come out from St Agnes of the Palla's Warbler, the CA Lesser Whitethroat, the Common Sandpiper and new in, OBP and the rarest of the lot, after the whitethroat, female Scaup in Porth Killier. I think it would be a good idea to go to St Agnes.

Can you make out the flycatcher?

Later, Will Scott did a lot better than me  http://dub-birder.blogspot.com/  

Probable SIBERIAN CHIFFCHAFF at Holy Vale

  On the Seahorse, Tean and I joined 925, Higgo and Ivan Laken and made our way straight to Periglis for the whitethroat. Passing Porth Killier, we got the late Common Sandpiper, but there was no sign of the Scaup. On arriving at Periglis, Graham put us on it. Just a few meters away, perched in the dead Mallow preening. For the next 20 minutes, The CENTRAL ASIAN LESSER WHITETHROAT Sylvia curruca halimodendri was out in the open allowing us to have crippling views. It looked more like a Whitethroat than a Lesser Whitethroat. Sandy-brown upperparts, longish tail with buffy flanks and washed out underparts. The greyish head was restricted to the forehead and ear coverts. At times, the contrast with the whitish throat was not that obvious. I know diddly-squat on the races of Lesser Whitethroat and if accepted this will be the first record for Scilly of this race.

Note the the amount of white on the outer-tail feather

The Mallows where the whitethroat favoured

 Next stop was the Paronage for my first PALLAS'S WARBLER of the year. After a 15 minutes wait, the bird came from Fran Hicks garden and into the Parsonage. Here it moved to the tops of the Elms and moved straight through. I waited for it to return, but after 20 minutes I got intchy feet and split from the others. I found Graham near the Fruitgage and we went off and kicked some fields. There were a Black Redstart and Whinchat with 2 Stonechat on the beach below the campsite. We were approaching the Chapel Fields, when Graham got a call from Steve Williams, who's staying at the Parsonage, and he told Grayham that he had the OLIVE-BACKED PIPIT on the road in front of him next to the hall. We came around the corner and there it was moving from one side of the road to the other at close range in the now, strengthening southly wind and driving rain. However, this bird proved difficult and quickly flicked through an opening into a field. Here we saw it very well, but it was always on the move and flew out towards the cricket pitch where we lost it. 10 minute later and everyone
was looking for it and when the rian got heavier, we went and had a cuppa at Graham's. We had been in there a while and then Alan, a birder staying on Angy, came and told Graham that they had pinned down the pipit. We braved the rain and after a few minutes, Ivan relocated it, but we were in the wrong place. And when it was seen by other birders, we were on the wrong side of the hedge.
  This is the third OBP that I've seen this autumn. Including this one, Grayham's has now found 3 birds this autunm! While Graham was having his breakfast this morning, near the cricket pitch, an OBP came in and landed briefly in front of him, before moving on. All morning he spent searching for it and it was not until early afternoon when Steve picked it up on the road that Graham saw it again.

Immature Black Redstart at Periglis Beach

PALLAS'S WARBLER in the Parsonage Steve Williams

OLIVE-BACKED PIPIT at the Chapel Fields Steve Williams

By wearing a cape, Grayham thought he could get there a lot quicker by pretending to be Batman. That explains why he's got a Batman cover on his bed. He must be a fan. Not that I go into his bedroom. No! No! I noticed it when the door was a jar. I just wanted to clear that just incase people got any funny ideas.  

A crazy bunch of loons waiting in the rain for the OBP to come out.

Here's my singing angel, Tean, singing one of her songs she composed all by herself 'I Saw You There' last night at Old Town Inn.