SUBALPINE WARBLER and 5/6th Scilly HYMENIA-RECURVALIS!

 A very rare moth, HYMENIA-RECURVALIS, from North Africa with less than 50 UK records and Martin trapped 2 overnight.

  Guess what? The fog rolled in early this morning and was patchy throughout the day. Then the news broke that there was an juvenile LEAST SANDPIPER on the south shore of Tresco! This is only the second record for Scilly and was found by Dick Filby. However, it later transpired that it had been present on the Great Pool for the last two days and was overlooked as a Little Stint! The latter site is where it ended up for the rest of the day and was enjoyed by over 100 birders.
  While in me garden, I could hear a Pied Flycatcher, followed by the first SIBERIAN CHIFFCHAFF of the autunm! I went looking for it and after pishing 4 Chiffchaff, 2 Pied Flycatcher, 1 Goldcrest and the SIBERIAN CHIFFCHAFF came out. The sibe didn't look all that good and it kept on calling and showed very well.

A very grey and white SIBERIAN CHIFFCHAFF at Content

juvenile LEAST SANDPIPER on NW corner of Tresco Great Pool Robin Mawer Hopefully I'll see it tomorrow

  I had to do with watching the BLACK KITE over Holy Vale with the Buzzard. I was working late and I noticed that I had a lot of missed calls by a number of people when I walked out of Star Castle. Female SUBALPINE WARBLER at the playpark on the Garrison. That was just around the corner and with Ren, Tony and Ritchie, we all observed the warbler well for five minutes in the horse paddock and then it flew into the castle grounds! Before I saw the subalp, I was in the line of twenty birders and a WRYNECK flew past and landed in a bush just infront of us.

Shots by Robin Mawer

The female SUBALPINE WARBLER performed well on the Star Castle wall

Smoothy put the thumbs up after seeing the Tresco Least Sandpiper and Subalpine Warbler

At the airfield there was this Whinchat, 50+alba Wagtail and the 4 juvenile BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER

BLACK KITE over Holy Vale

 I went to Martins to have a look at an extremly rare moth from North Africa called HYMENIA-RECURVALIS!  He trapped 2 overnight and before this, there were only 6 Scilly records! Up until this autunm, there were 12 UK records, but this has now increased to less than 50, mostly recorded in the southwest and Southern Irland. I also got a Palpita vitealis at Star Castle and a CRIMSON-SPECKLED FOOTMAN, trapped overnight near the hospital, was brought into the Scillonian Club tonight. They also found one on the airfield and over the last few days, 3 were trapped on St Agnes, including 2 in Graham's trap! I saw one of these many years ago, early '90's, also brought into the club. The guys staying near the hospital also brought in to the club, the 4th Scilly record of a HYMENIA-RECURVALIS!

Martin also trapped overnight in his at Holy Vale

Vestal 10+

Female Gem 1

Hymenia-recurvalis 2

Palpita vitrealis 1

Scarce Bordered Straw 1

Silver Y 5

Small Mottled Willow 1
  

Female Gem

Palpita vitealis

CRIMSON-SPECKLED FOOTMAN brought into the Scillanion Club tonight

The first YELLOW-BROWED WARBLER arrived today and included, 2 on St Agnes and a single at Newford Duckpond. 2 LITTLE BUNTING were also on St Agnes and as many as over 15 WRYNECK have been recorded over the last few days on the islands..

      
From the album 'Big Night Out'Warning, swearing in the song.