15+ Hoopoe on Scilly

Yesterday, possibly as many as over 15 Hoopoe were seen on Scilly and this individual on the Garrison, was the best pic that I could get out of the 5 that I managed to see. I thought, is this the Scilly record? Talking to Fran Hicks this morning, he told me the time that he flushed 17 Hoopoe out of one field on St Agnes over 40 years ago!! How many were there on that day on Scilly? 

  With the prolonged ESE it was predicted that Hoopoe was going to turn up, but no expected the numbers to be in double figures. On the 8th there were a single on St Martins and 2 each on the Garrison and St Agnes. The following day up to 4+ were on the latter island with maybe up to 10 on St Mary's, Singles were at Telegraph, Sunnyside and Lower Moors. 925 was watching 2 together in the pig fields, Garrison, while at the same time, a single flew over his head! On Pennins, Joe Pender came across 4+ and as Higgo had not seen a one yet, we both went to look for Joe's birds in the evening. We split up and with in minutes I had found one and calling Higgo 'Get your ass over ere, I've got one' His reply was 'I've got two!' When I put the mobile down, out came another from behind a boulder and when he arrived I told him 'I've got two!' So, from a fat 0 to two minutes later, Higgo had seen 4! Today Higgo went and found his own Hoopoe on Bryher and yesterday on the same island he found a Wryneck. Of the latter species it has been the best spring ever with as many as 7 Wryneck seen so far!

One of the 2 Hoopoe in the pig fields, Garrison

3 of the 4 Hoopoe on Pennins

This cracking male Redstart was in the same pig fields, garrison. I also had another 2 males at Trewince.

2 Ring Ouzel flying off with a single Fieldfare with my work in the distance

On the morning of the 8th on the Garrison with Ritchie, we got a male Redstart, 2 Ring Ousel, 1 Sand Martin, 40+Continental Song Thrush and the Hoopoe. Later on I got the Osprey at Pelistry where there was also a possible Icelandic Redwing feeding with 30 Continental Song Thrush. In a single field there were 40 Wheatear and a male Ring Ouzel. There were 60+Wheatear on the Golf Course with 6 Ring Ouzel. While just up road at Trewince I got a Black Redstart, Mistle Thrush, 40 Continental Song thrush, 30 Wheatear and 4 Ring Ouzel and my first Yellow Wagtail of the year. When Song Thrushes arrive, then comes Continental Robins and it wasn't until the afternoon that they were noted in large numbers. Also falling out of the sky at the same time were Chiffchaff. On the Garrison there were over 40 Robin and 30 Chiffchaff.

My totals included 120+Continental Song Thrush, 100+Continental Robin, 60+Chiffchaff, 160+wheatear, 11 Ring Ouzel and 50+Meadow Pipit

Higgo went to Bryher and got 100+Continental Song Thrush, 60+Continental Robin, 60+Chiffchaff, 70+Wheatear, 9 Ring Ouzel, 100+Meadow Pipit, 80+Blackcap, 25+Willow Warbler, 6 Redstart and 2 Yellow Wagtail

On St Agnes there were an adult Night Heron, 1 Wryneck, 2 Hoopoe, 15+Ring Ouzel and 80+Wheatear, 15+Ring Ouzel and an early male Dotterel turned up on St Martins.

Icelandic Redwing was in fields at Pelistry with 30+Continental Song Thrush

This male Yellow Wagtail at Trewince was my first of the year

Two days ago there were still over 40 Ring Ouzel on the islands, including 6 on the Golf Course

This male I flushed in the trees of the loop trail, Porth Hellick.

Also two days ago, there were good numbers of Wheatear in with up to 40 birds in one small field at Pelistry. Above pic shows 6 Wheatear with a male Ring Ouzel. 

I saw a total of over 160 Wheatear 

The female Garganey was still at Porth Hellick

Yesterday and I was early on the Garrison and in the pig fields was the Hoopoe, male Redstart, 20+Continental Song thrush and my first Tree Pipit of the year. Also a Siberian 'type' Chiffchaff. A Green Sandpiper and a female Merlin were at the airport. At Twewince there were 2 male Redstart, 80+Meadow Pipit, 20+Wheatear and 2 Ring Ouzel, 40+Continental Song Thrush with the Mistle Thrush. On we got the 4 Hoopoe, 2 Fieldfare, 60+Meadow pipit and a male Redstart. 

It looks like a Siberian Chiffchaff to me, but I didn't hear it call on the Garrison

Today of note I saw 3 Hoopoe and a single Ring Ouzel. After Ren and I watched our daughters in a play at the school, he asked me if I wanted to try Lower Moors before it gets too dark for the Night Heron and Hoopoe that were seen earlier in the day. We heard the Night Heron, but on the scrape were 22 Snipe and 3 Jack Snipe. 

Been listening to Some Say Leland this evening