2 Black Kite on Scilly

This Short-toed Lark has spent the last three days on the St Mary's Airfield

 

  But I only saw one! But, that's good enough for me. On the morning of 4th, I found myself kayaking towards Tresco in search of Dave's GLOSSY IBIS and pair of Garganey that turned up the day before on the Great pool. I walked the whole island and for my efforts all I could manage of note were a single whitethroat, 35 Wheatear, Iceland Gull, 1 Black-tailed Godwit and Common Sandpiper and a single male Wigeon.
  A Ten minute paddle to Samson and just 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 15 Wheatear and 8 Whimbrel. Shipman's Down on Bryher held more Wheatear with 80+. The other highlights were singles of both Common Sandpiper, Redstart and Tree Pipit. Throughout the day in the heat, I kept my eyes to skies looking for raptors. So it was no surprise when I returned to St Mary's to find out that Dave had a BLACK KITE on Tresco. The following day he couldn't believe he's eyes when he observed 2 BLACK KITE together! It wasn't until the 6th, while I was watching a Wood Warbler at Higher Moors, that one of them flew high overhead and after half an hour, disappeared into the clouds. The next day, both birds were back on Tresco.
  Today on St Martins the second Purple Heron of the year was found with yesterdays Red-backed Shrike still present and there was a Hoopoe on st Agnes.

 

The Short-toed Lark showed well in the dull light on the airfield

 

The Red-rumped Swallow was still present on the 30th April spending most of the day at Porth hellick

 

 

BLACK KITE high over St Mary's

 

The juvenile Iceland Gull was still favouring the heliport on Tresco

 

This Mute Swan flew over while observing the gull

 

On the Great pool there are three pairs of Pochard with a single male

 

male Shelduck on Samson

 

Lesser-black backed Gulls breeding in large numbers on Samson

 

Up to 8 Whimbrel were also on Samson

My first Garden Warbler of the year was at Maypole (29th April)

 

 

There was well over 80 Wheatear (mainly Greenland race) up on Shipman's Down, Bryher. I also had a female Redstart and a single Tree Pipit on the island 

 

Male Linnet

 

Female Chaffinch

  

This female Merlin was chasing Linnets on the Golf Course (1st May)

 

My first Oil Beetle of the year

 

The kayak is named 'Dagger' and while paddling from island to island, I found myself singing the Jimi Hendrix song 'Dolly Dagger' 

 

Jimi Hendrix is so great that he has to sing to the biggist microphone in the world!