Rose-coloured Starling at Peninnis

I got a text that the juvenile Rose-coloured Starling that has been present on St Mary's now for ten days was in fields at Peninnis. I rushed up there to find the performing very well with 5 Starling. 

There's also another juvenile on Bryher where Higgo also found  a Little Bunting today

the first Jack Snipe of the autumn was at Lower Moors where the Bluethroat still remained

This Grey Heron was showing off in front of the hide 

Luke Winslow King is a guitarist, singer, composer, and lyricist known for his slide guitar work, and interest in pre-war blues and traditional jazz. Winslow King’s work consists of an eclectic mix, taking in delta-folk music, classical composition, ragtime, and rock and roll; juxtaposing original songs with those from a bygone era. 

Bluethroat at Lower Moors

Barred warbler at the Porthcressa Alottments (19-24 sep)

while just up path from the Barred on Peninnis was 2 Wryneck, including this showy individual Top two pics taken by Ren Hathway

This morning while talking to some guest on the steps of the hotel, I heard a Lapland Bunting and looking up observed a dot heading from NW to SSW towards the campsite. Over an hour later, 925 found it or another at the Woolpack. Many of the common migrants have moved out in the last few days. However, I did hear a Firecrest on the Porth Heellick Loop and saw another at Trenowth while looking for a Red-breasted Flycatcher and Yellow-browed Warbler that I didn't see. I got 6 Whinchat, 3 at Lower Moors, 2 at Porth Hellick and the single, I can't remember. 3 Skylark were on the airfield and except for 10+ each of Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff, it was very queit and that's the way it was today with the rest of the other islands. Almost a week of hot settled weather needs to change. 

After 4 visits in 3 days, I final caught up with this cracking male Bluethroat yesterday. Some believe that this is of the white-spotted race, but there are hints of buff on the throat, suggesting that it could be of the red-spot instead.

In the last two days there have been up to 3 Yellow-browed Warbler in the campsite area. I've only managed to catch up with this one. Another 3 birds have also turned up on St Mary's

The hours that I put into at Lower Moors for the Bluethroat, were all well worth it with from top to bottom, Cormorant,  Grey Heron, Kingfisher and Ruff.

This Green Sandpiper at Newford Duckpond, behaved like a Solitary Sandpiper by being very unusally tame

The Eden House is a collaborative musical project, initiated by Stephen Carey (formerly of This Burning Effigy and currently withAdoration) and involving a collection of guest musicians and vocalists; later joined by Tony Pettitt (formerly of Fields of the Nephilim andRubicon). Other contributors include violinist Bob Loveday, who has previously worked with Penguin Café Orchestra and Van Morrison as well as being a member of Bob Geldof’s band; former Fields of The Nephilim members Peter Yates, Nod Wright and Paul Wright; and drummers Simon Rippin (previously with Nefilim and NFD) and Bob Irwin (who has also worked with Johnny Cash and Van Morrison).

Melodious Warbler trapped at Porth Hellick

Melodious Warbler re-trapped at Porth Hellick.

   From 07.00-10.30 this morning at Porth Hellick/Carn Friers area, it proved to be hard work with not much going on. Even the nets were empty. However, kicking the iris fields at mid-day produced 45+Sedge Warbler and 7 Whinchat. Leaving Porth Hellick, I had a quick look at the quarry next to the road and got 15 Blackcap, 2 Whitethroat, 2 Chiffchaff and a single Garden Warbler. A walk down Higher Moors and Blackcaps were flying in front of me from all over the shop with up to at least 45+ birds. I had not seen one Blackcap before all of this and it was pretty obvious that these birds had just arrived. A single Yellow and tailless Grey Wagtail also flew over.
  A call found me back at the ringing station to have a better look at the Melodious Warbler that was re-trapped after going missing for three days. As it was released, Mark Anderson found a vocal Reed Bunting that had just come in and the ringing had increased. There were also 3 Curlew Sandpiper, 2 Black-tailed Godwit on the pool

It was good to see the Melodious Warbler in better light

Flying away after being released

This could be the only Reed Bunting I see on Scilly this year 

2 Curlew Sandpiper and Black-tailed Godwit on the pool There were also up to 6 Curlew Sandpiper, 2 Blak-tailed Godwit and a single Little Stint on St Agnes. Another 2 Curlew Sandpiper and Little Stint, 6 Black-tailed Godwit and the Spotted Redshank and Spotted Crake were on Tresco.

Up to 45 Sedge Warbler and 7 Whinchat were at Porth Hellick

  As there were so many Blackcap around, Mark and I decided to kick the at Content and as a result we got 50+ Blackcap, including 24 in one tiny bush, 3 Garden, 4 Sedge, 10 Willow Warbler, 30+Chiffchaff, 1 Whitethroat and a Wryneck. Also overhead we had all four falcons. A female Merlin giving a Peregrine some jip, Kestrel and Hobby. Yesterday I kicked these same fields and only had 5 Blackcap!
  A look at the Standing Stones field and there were 4 Whinchat, 1 Whitethroat and 10 Chiffchaff.

While at Content, I said to Mark that this looks good for Wryneck and with in seconds of saying that, I said, 'There's one!' As it flew up from in front of us. Another 6 Wrynecks were also seen today.

There are 6 Blackcap, with a single female, and a Garden Warbler in this pic 

Seconds later 2 more female Blackcap appear. With others dotted around, I had a total of over a 130 Blackcap. Others seen included 40 at Longstones and 15 in one bush in the Standing Stones field

I had up to 70 Chiffchaff in different areas with only 20+Willow Warbler. 

We had all four falcons over Contact, including this juvenile Hobby. While on St Agnes there were Honey Buzzard and Osprey.

This Ruff has been at Lower Moors for the last 6 days. Anoth 6 Ruff were on Tresco.

There were 5 Golden Plover on the airfield, including this pale individual and my first Skylark of te autumn. 

Both Nirvana and Mark Lanegan did a fine cover on this Lead belly song.

Booted Warbler at Peninnis Head

Booted Warbler showed at very close range in the closing light

  I have had two cracking days. Yesterday morning, we were all so lucky to see a Corncrake in the hand after being trapped at Porth Hellick. Returning back to wagon, we had a quick look from the hides and got the 2 Curlew Sandpiper that turned up the day before. A quick look at Lower Moors produced a single Ruff and on the lane bordering the Standing Field, I flushed a Wryneck. Probably the bird that Big Al found 10 year ago! Also found yesterday, was a Red-breasted Flycatcher at Newford. As it was reported showing well, I gave it go and saw the bird on and off always into the sunlight. An hour off in the afternoon and I went to look at the Content area. I had a Firecrest on arrival, followed by Spotted and 4 Pied Flycatcher. However, this one large field was alive with birds and I only kicked half of the field. I got 25-30 Willow, 6 Sedge Warbler, 7 Whitethroat, 5 Chiff and Blackcap. The day before I had a single Turtle Dove in the same field. Later on at The Garrison, just along the Dead Pine Walk, there were 7 Spotted and 2 Pied Flycatcher, 13 Willow Warbler, 3 Chiffchaff and a single Whinchat. 

Corncrake trapped and ringed at Porth Hellick. 

Over 40 birds were ringed at Porth Hellick. Mainly Willow and Sedge Warbler and this Whitethroat

How I did not see the Red-breasted Flycatcher at Newford. This bird was found by Chris and Juliet Moore who also took this pic

Up to 7 Spotted Flycatcher and 2 Pied Flycatcher were on the Dead Pine Walk, Garrison

This morning started in the same way as yesterday. A call at 07.45 found me at Porth Hellick 15 minutes later with a Melodious Warbler in my face. I then headed for the Standing Stones Field, Lower Moors and got the Wryneck with 8 Sedge, 10+Willow Warbler, 5 Chiffchaff and a single Whitethroat. Mark Anderson called to say that he had a Barred Warbler in the Peninnis Allotments. Despite three visits I never conected, but had to be content with 2 Mediterranean Gull and an Osprey that disappeared into the fog. On my third visit, news brake of a Booted warbler on Peninnis! It was an hour later when I arrived and the bird was feeding quite actively feeding on the west slope of Peninnis. An hour later, a few of us sat down and waited for the warbler to come to us and as a result it did at very close range. A Yellow Wagtail and 30+Meadow Pipit also flew over.  Keith peplow gets off the boat from Penzance, got the Barred Warbler, continued towards Peninnis Head and found the Booted warbler!

Before this Melodious Warbler was trapped at Porth Hellick, Jim got a Grasshopper Warbler

Wryneck at the Standing Stones Field, Lower Moors

Up to 8 Sedge Warbler were also in the field

Willow Warblers are all over the shop at the moment

All the pics of the Booted Warbler were taken in fog and fading light

Alela Diane Menig (born April 20, 1983), known as Alela Diane, is an American singer-songwriter. from Portland, Oregon. She toured the U.S. both solo and with Tom Brosseau, and opened for Iron & Wine, Akron/Family, The Decemberists, and Vashti Bunyan. She also toured extensively in Europe (UK, Ireland, France, Switzerland, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany) in March, April and May 2008.