GOOSANDER at Porth Mellon and Cressa

This is only my 4th Goosander for Scilly and three of them were also stunning males Robin Mawer

  Just after 15.30, I got a call from Paul Semmens telling me that himself and Brian Dodds had just found a male GOOSDANDER close into shore at Porth Mellon. While Paul and Brian were making their way back to catch the Scillonian, they had a look out at Porth Mellon and to their surprise, a Goosander came in and landed in front of them. When I arrived a few minutes later, the bird was making it's way out into the harbour past the life-boat slip. I took a few shots and then I had to return back to work.

Top three pics taken by Robin Mawer

 

The male GOOSANDER flew off towards the back of the Quay after being flushed by a boat and later on Bob Dawson relocated it in Porthcreessa Bay

 

   Also today, 3 male Ring Ouzel were commuting with the golf course and the coastal path. Chiffchaffs were still around in good numbers with many of the Wheatear and Black Redstart moving on. Two days ago I saw my first Linnet of the year with another 3 birds today at work.

Love the keyboard playing on this. Aṣa (pronounced "Asha"; born 1 September 1982)^[1] is a Nigerian French singer-songwriter and recording artist. Her stage name "Aṣa" means "Hawk" in Yoruba. Born Bukola Elemide, Aṣa was born in Paris, France to Nigerian parents. She was two years old when her family returned to live in Nigeria. Aṣa grew up in Lagos, in the south-western part of Nigeria. her chance to test out her talent on the French musical scene, playing with artists, In the meantime, back in Nigeria, her first single, Eyé Adaba, then Jailer, were beginning to get airtime. Aṣa soon signed to the 'Naïve label'. Partnered by Cobhams, and with the new involvement of Christophe Dupouy, she produced her first album, Aṣha. The release of the album saw Asa win the prestigious French Constantin Award in 2008 as she was voted best fresh talent of 10 singers or groups by a jury of 19 music industry specialists in Paris

Grounded Chiffchaffs

Over 200 Chiffchaff were on st Mary's with another 40+ on St Agnes

  Today there was a large arrival of Wheatear (70+) and Chiffchaff with smaller numbers of Black Redstart (15+) on St Mary's. Chiffchaff were all over the shop and only a few sites were covered. Sheltering from the NEE blow, were over 200 birds including 65+ on the Garrison, 50+ in the Porthloo area and 38 between Buzza and Peninnis. Some 30 Wheatear were on the golf course with less numbers elsewhere on the island. A stunning male Redstart was in the fields at Carn Moval and Joe had a female Ring Ouzel just around the corner. On St Agnes there were 20+Wheatear, 15-20 Black Redstart and 50+Chiffchaff. The remains of the Hoopoe, that was seen on St Agnes yesterday, was found at Castella Down.

 

There 3 Chiffchaff on this pic if you look closely

 

Up to 30 Chiffchaff were in the camp site area

 

This male Redstart shared a field with a pair of Black Redstart and Stonechat and all were distant in the dull light

Up to 12 Wheatear were on the Garrison

 

I observed these 3 wheatear coming in off the sea at Porthloo in the early afternoon

 

 

If Britney Spears sang 'Toxic' like this, then I might of liked it. However, Spears could never be as good as this, even with all her dancing and gimmicks. Yael Naïm (Hebrew‎, born 6 February 1978 in Paris, France), is a Franco-Israeli singer-songwriter. She rose to fame in 2008 in the US after her hit single "New Soul" was used by Apple in an advertising campaign for its MacBook Air. The song peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100  At the age of four, she moved with her family to Ramat HaSharon, Israel, where she spent the rest of her childhood. She served in the Israel Defence Forces as a soloist in the Israeli Air Force Orchestra.

RED RUMPED SWALOW at Pendrathen

RED-RUMPED SWALLOW performing very well at Pendrathen quarry. This is not the earlist RR Swallow that I've seen. Paul Stancliffe found one at the time, the earlist UK record, at Lower Moors, 21st-22nd Feb '98

 

  Just before 10.00, Ritchie called to tell me that he had just found a RED-RUMPED SWALLOW at Pendrathen Quarry. Some ten minutes later with Big Al, we arrived to find the bird distant, but it soon came closer and showed well for the next half an hour. Later in the day Graham and Bob Dawson found a very early Swift followed by a Hoopoe at Costella Down.

 

There were also 7 Sandwich Tern just off Bar Point.

 

Ritchie and Big Al looking over the quarry  at the swallow

 

 

Yesterday Richie and Tony came across this cracking male Ring Ouzel on the Garrison by the Woolpack

 

Also yesterday, this male Black Redstart was 1 of the 8 on the Garrison. Bob Dawson walked the north west side of the St Mary's and got over 20 Black Redstart, 5 Wheatear and at Bar Point a Swallow flew straight through towards Tresco. Also, I had a Common Tern from Star Castle with 2 Sandwich Tern by the Bacon Boy. I discovered later that Joe had a very high count of 67 Sandwich and 2+Common Tern near Samson. On St Agnes Graham counted 7 Wheatear and a pair of Brambling

 

Up to 5 Chiffchaff were on the Garrison with 3 Pied Wagtail

 

The male Pintail that was behind the quay a few days ago joined the pair at Porth Hellick

 

There are still up to 5 Short-eared Owl on Tresco including this one near the Abbey Pool Max Rowe

 

Looking from Garrison

  

More great talent from the UK. Gabby Young and Other Animals are an eccentric eight piece British pop band, bringing together gypsy, folk, rock and jazz.  Gabby Young’s twisting roots have carried her and that stunning voice from her native Wiltshire around the UK to land with a bang at the centre of London’s music scene. The youngest ever recruit to the National Youth Choir at the age of 12, Gabby was on track to become an opera singer until Jeff Buckley and the jazz greats inspired her to switch teams. In 2008 Gabby formed the 8-piece band who complete the magical musical fairground we know today, using a wide range of instruments, most notably trumpet, trombone, piano and clarinet – affectionately dubbed Circus Swing (www.circusswing.com) by those who realised there was no existing genre to encompass Young’s sound. It was crowd-funding her first album that really put her on the map. The Evening Standard ran a story on it, and the piece was picked up across the board – with an interview even on Sky News,

Mistle Thrush at Pelistry

Little Egret at Pelistry

  Mid-morning, I dropped off some guests from the hotel at Porth Hellick and joined Ritchie near the pool. Here the pair of Pintail and 6 White-fronted Geese were knocking around. On the loop trail we could only find one of the Firecrest and a male Sparrowhawk and single Fieldfare flew over. A Woodcock was flushed nearby and 2 Water Rail were heard. Jim trapped a Grey Wagtail and there were only 5 Chiffchaff enjoying the sun, but in the Pelistry area there were up to 10 Chiffchaff. The highlight here was it or another Mistle Thrush in one of the cow fields feeding with 8 Redwing, 20+Blackbird and 60+Wood Pigeon.

Mistle Thrush stuck around all day at Pelistry where everybody managed to catch up with it

 

The geese stretched their wings breifly before touching back down onto the pool again. First time I've seen the pair of Pintail since arriving over a week ago

 

 

The Firecrest proved very mobile on the loop trail with this Great Tit in the same area. Last week, 2 Coal Tits were observed displaying on St Agnes 

 

There were up to 3 Goldcrest, 4 Chiffchaff, male Wheatear and an unringed Grey Wagtail on the Garrison

Could this be the male Pintail from Porth Hellick that was behind the quay yesterday

 

More amazing talent! Joan Wasser (born July 26, 1970) is a violinist, guitarist and singer/songwriter in the indie rock world. She began her career playing violin with the Dambuilders. She has released three albums as a singer songwriter, the 2006 Real Life the 2008 To Survive and the 2011 The Deep Field. Her resume includes live performances and studio work with Lou Reed, John Cale, Tanya Donelly, Sheryl Crow, Sparklehorse, Dave Gahan, Elton John, the Scissor Sisters, Antony and the Johnsons, Guillemots, Joseph Arthur, Rufus Wainwright, Fan Modine and Lloyd Cole.