Male BLACK-HEADED BUNTING, Great Popplestone, Bryher, Bryan Thomas
Got a text this morning from Bob Dawson with 'BLACK-HEADED BUNT, pool' There was no chance of me going over to Bryher and seeing it. I quickly put the news out and carried on working. The bunting was present throughout the day and performed very well.
Yesterday, Bob Dawson text me throughout the day while he was on the same island with first Quial, Shipmans Head, adult Hobby, 2 Turtle Doves and 2 GOLDEN ORIOLE. On St Mary's, all I could find were singles of Spotted Flycatcher, Willow Warbler and Swift at Pelistry. Later in the afternoon I got my first immature Hobby of the year fly over the house and I observed a Turtle Dove come high in off the sea on the Garrison. Otherwise, the rest of the week has been quiet for me. However, other observers have seen more Golden Orioles, including 4 together on the Dead Pine Walk, Garrison, last Wednesday.
At a distance, but you can still see what it is Robin Mawer
Two pairs of Siskin have been feeding in a Mcfarlands Garden since April and is highly likely that they breeding in the area. If so, this would be the first time this species has bred on Scilly!
Amazing song by Bernald Butler 'Woman I Know' and only over 600 views from one of the great british guitarists around!
Ren had not seen the RED-THROATED PIPIT yet at Carn Friars and wanted to see it. So at 11.00 he was in me wagon and I dropped him off. I parked just around the corner and there above me in the gloom was the RED KITE.I observed it for a good half an hour as it roamed from Pelistry to Normandy. 2 spotted Flycatcher were also in the area.Ren returned and with Graham we went and had alook around Green Farm. Here we got redpoll, male Siskin and circling with the Red Kite, the male Marsh Harrier.
The RED KITE seemed to favour the SEE of the island
The RED-THROATED PIPIT was still present at Carn Friars
Presumably the HAWFINCH trapped at Porth Hellick was the bird that Graham had yesterday over the Dump Clump. Yesterday's LITTLE BUNTING was at the campsite, Garrison, only in the morning. Higgo and Smoothy went to Bryher and saw 2 female 'type' GOLDEN ORIOLE and the WOODCHAT SHRIKE and on Annet, Bob Dawson also got a male WOODCHAT SHRIKE. On St Agnes Kevin Baimbridge watched the immature Glaucous Gull fly towards Gugh
Male HAWFINCH being ringed at Porth Hellick...
..and after it being released Robin Mawer
Song Thrush sunbathing
The french composer 'M' singing 'A Tes Souhaits' He's recorded a lot of stuff with Sean Lennon
That is what Alan Shearer said last week on 'Match of Day' when Man City won the Premiership. 'What a Day!' At 6.30, I was a rudely awoken by Graham. No he was not in my bed-room. He called me mobile and I being half asleep thought I was late for work, although I've never been late. 'There are still 2 female type GOLDEN ORIOLE at Giants Castle' That vioce was too deep and Gordie like to be one of the receptionist at work. Half an hour later I found myself, still half asleep, staring at gorse bushes with Steve Sheris and Graham. Nothing, but walking through Salakee we got 2 Turtle Dove and the Pink-footed Goose. We caught up with Higgo and 925 at the SHORT-TOED LARK field and found it showing well. At the same time the RED KITE flew over me house towards Pungi's Lane. My first taxi of the day to the airport, found one of the interesting Yellow Wagtail feeding in the short grass next to the airport carpark.
SHORT-TOED LARK at Telegraph
Then I got a call from Higgo 'Do ye know whose had this RED-THROATED PIPIT at Carn Friars?' I had no idea. This was followed later by Tony calling me, saying that he had just been watching a singing MELODIOUS WARBLER in the same field as the pipit! I arrived some hours later after this and observed the pipit at very close range. Martin, who had been there for a few hours, told me that it's the closest that it has been and I was only there for 10-15 minutes, as I had to return to work.
The RED-THROATED PIPIT put on a good display at Carn Friars
We heard at least 4 Cuckoo today
Sedge Warbler at Lower Moors
At least 10 GOLDEN ORIOLE were on St Mary's with another 2 on St Martins. While looking out of his bedroom window, 925 found a LITTLE BUNTING briefly feeding in a chicken pen in the garden. Graham had a HAWFINCH fly over the Dumpclump heading towards town and on Tresco, Ren called me to say that he had just watched a sub-adult PURPLE HERON come into the Abbey Pool. This was shortly followed by him back on the mobile with the find of a 1st summer WOODCHAT SHRIKE between the pool and Pentle Bay.
Ren's 1st summerWOODCHAT SHRIKE on Tresco was the only one seen today Robin Mawer
Stunning sunset this evening Robin Mawer
William fitzsimmons with 'The Tide Pulls From The Moon' Live he sounds a little like Alexi Murdock.
Higgo does it again! Returning from Bryher mid-afternoon, after finding WOODCHAT SHRIKE, 3 GOLDEN ORIOLE, 6 Turtle Dove and 10 Spotted Flycatcher, he observed from a distance, a tern showing characteristics of a White-winged Black Tern! Half an hour later, Joe picked Robin, Big Al, Higgo and myself from the quay and within 5 minutes we were at the area to where Higgo had seen the tern. We could only find a small group of Common Terns and then the others were dropped of at Carn Near, Tresco. Myself, I had a flight coming in very shortly. As they walked the track towards the Abbey Pool, Higgo spotted a tern and sure enough it was an adult WHITE-WINGED BLACK TERN! 4th record for Scilly! However, when they reached the pool, there was no sign of it and it was never seen again.
While waiting for a plane to come in, I quickly had a look at Tony's WOODCHAT SHRIKE in fields between the airport and Ennor Close. It showed well, but was always distant. Before this, there were 2 interesting Yellow Wagtail feeding on the grass next to the airport carpark. One had a greyish head, but kept to the farside of the field. I took some pics and then alerted others. I just dropped the boss off at the golf course when Robin called to say that Mark Prestwood had just found a SHORT-TOED LARK at the Telegraph/Porthloo junction. A minute later I was looking through Robin's scope at the lark as it fed inbetween the forrows.
A possible Grey-headed Wagtail at the airport?
Any ideas?
Robin Mawer
WOODCHAT SHRIKE at the airport
SHORT-TOED LARK at Telegraph
At 17.30 I got Graham from Old Town and relocated the RED KITE over the pines at Sandy Lanes. We then checked out Maypole/Green Farm area and saw singles of Sedge and Grasshopper Warbler and Whitethroat. We headed towards Holyvale and discovered a male WOODCHAT SHRIKE in the horse paddocks. A few minutes later, at Porth Hellick pumping station, a very brief flight view of a GOLDEN ORIOLE, a redpoll in song flight, 1 Yellow Wagtail and a pair of Willow Warbler nest building.
Male WOODCHAT SHRIKE at Holy Vale
Will found the RED KITE over St Agnes before it was spotted on St Mary's where it toured the island. Ren flushed a Quail on the Garrison and earlier this morning there was a female Black Redstart at the Woolpack. The WOODCHAT SHRIKE was still at Telegrah and Graham saw his first GOLDEN ORIOLE of the year in the gorse at Giants Castle and was very pleased with himself. However, when Martin went up to get some pics of it, he discovered that there were 4 female type birds feeding in the gorse. Another GOLDEN ORIOLE was on St Martins where the immaturemale Hen Harrier was noted. On St Mary's there was a large arrival of hirundines with at least 300, over 35 Swift were also present and 8 Turtle Dove. Also, the 2nd summer Iceland Gull was first seen at the tip before later turning up on Tresco.
1 of the 4 female 'type' GOLDEN ORIOLE at Giants Castle
1 of 2 Wood Sandpiper on Higgo's Project Robin Mawer
This evening Graham cooked a cracking bean curry
Do I have to eat this crap?
It is crazy! There is only over 300 views to this amazing song by Strokes guitarist Albert Hammond Jr.'s band and The Mooney Suzuki, Bo steps out on his own to make this soulful blend of Beatles/Big Star pop with shades of Tom Petty, Led Zeppelin and Neil Young. Reno Bo 'You're Not Feelin' Me Tonight'
