8th RED-FOOTED FALCON for Scilly!

1st summer male RED-FOOTED FALCON at Longstones

 

   Just after 07.30 a text came through from Will Scott. It went somethin like this 'RED-FOOTED FALCON ON TOP OF PINES AT LONGSTONES IN GARDEN NOW!!!!! Er.A.What!? I thought. Within minutes I rolled up to Will's house only to be told by Will that itjust flew off. Shite! Still sitting in me wagon, Will went wild 'S@!>.F+%!,C@%= Spider!!!! Er.A.What!? I replied. I followed towards where Wills finger was pointing. Oh my god!! There it was on wires just above me wagon. I got out and hid behind me wagon so not to flush the falcon. It was more concerned about the jip it was getting from the hirundines than me and after a few minutes it flew off, did a low tight circle over the garden and was relocated on a pine stump bordering the garden. Here it was further away and was always front on and constantly harrassed by the local Blackbirds and a Song Thrush for over twenty minutes. It moved to another pine and here it was almost always out of view. I went to get Elle, but it was too late and it was last seen flying off towards Telegraph.
  When I had a little time off, like others, I went in search of the red-foot. At Trenowth there were single Turtle Dove, Tree Pipit, Cuckoo and my first Spotted Flycatcher of the year. I also got another Turtle Dove on wires at Longstones.
  also today the second NIGHTJAR of the year was on St Martins early this evening, an Osprey was over the Eastern Isles and a Marsh Harrier was over Longstones Yesterday up to 9 Bee-eater flew through Higher Town, St Martins, a BLACK KITE toured the islands and later in the evening, Will Scott heard 1+Bee-eater in the Harry's Wall area. Shortly afterwards, 4 birds proved very mobile being seen all over the shop on St Mary's, but never settling down. 925 also had a pale morth Honey Buzzard low over the Garrison  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This was my first Red-footed Falcon that I had ever seen and was hot on the heels of last years female on St Martins in late April. Spring 1995 on Tresco was the last record before this.

 

On the golf course there were 7 Greenland Wheatear

 

Two nights ago, Higgo and I went to have a look at Robins male Whinchat in the paddocks just below the Golf Course. Later on. while walking up Telegraph Road, about 150 ft up I spotted a female 'type' Golden Oriole and we both observed it come down into the tops of the Elms at Content. From the road we could still see it until it disappeared. The night before while walking around Higher Moors, with my head down, I was replying to a text from Elle, when I heard a less harsher, shorter and quieter call than that of a Grey Heron. Although I've never heard one before, It could only be the Purple Heron that was seen at Porth Hellick this morning. I looked up and there was an adult Purple Heron circling very low above my head. The heron was very vocal and was always in the bloody sun. It flew off towards Normandy where I lost. Later it was picked up over Sharks Pit, still calling, by Robin and Will Scott heading out to Tresco.

 

This adult Purple Heron I observed over Higher Moors. For the last few days it was on St Martins.

 

Our first Whinchat of the year was at the Golf Course

  

This male Stonechat was nearby at Carn Moval

 

Up to 12 male Reed Warbler are singing at Lower Moors including this ringed individual

This ones for Elle. Joseph Arthur (born September 28, 1971) is an American singer-songwriter and artist from Akron, Ohio. He is best known for his solo material, and as a member of Fistful of Mercy and RNDM. Combining poetic lyrics with a layered sonic palette, Arthur has built his reputation over the years through critically acclaimed releases and constant touring; his unique solo live performances often incorporate the use of a number of distortion and loop pedals, and his shows are recorded live at the soundboard and made available to concertgoers immediately following the show on recordable media. Arthur was discovered by Peter Gabriel in the mid-1990s, and signed to Gabriel's Real World label as the first North American artist on the label's roster