Subalpine Warbler on the Garrison

Lots of Pied flycatcher around at the moment including this one on The Garrison

  Just before breakfast on the 23rd , I had a quick walk around The Garrison and was rewarded with an immature Subalpine Warbler sp? With the sun behind me, I was walking on the top path towards the Steval, when I noticed a pale warbler perched out in the open on top of a dead bush. Lifting my bins up I could see that it was a Subalp and as I got my camera to take a record shot, the bird flew low towards me and landed in deep cover on the south slope. I put the news out and after an hour of searching with no sign, Will Scott text to say that the Western Bonelli's Warbler that he found yesterday in his garden at Longstones, was showing well. Although I saw it briefly yesterday, I wanted to see it in better light and I had enough of looking for this thing. An hour later the only birds of interest in the pine belt area were 5 Pied and 2 Spotted Flycatcher and no sign of the warbler. However, a return later saw it very briefly in the tops of the pines.

Wood Warbler in the same pine belt at Sandy Lanes as the Western Bonelli's Warbler

  In fact, in the last week things are starting to pick up. It all started on the 19th when a very early Lapland Bunting was feeding on the coastal path above Great Bay, St Martins. Looking for the bunting turned up a Wryneck. Later on in the thick fog on St Mary's, Gethin Jones found a juvenile Woodchat Shrike in the Salakee fields. Shortly afterwards, Mick Scott had a vocal Citrine Wagtail over his garden at Longstones heading west. Two days later, Bob Dawson found a Western Bonelli's Warbler at Porth Killier followed by another Western Boneill's in Will Scotts Longstones garden. The latter species I relocated in the nearby Sandy Lanes pine belt where it stayed until the 24th. Today 925 flushed a Wryneck near to the Pottery on The Garrison and while I was searching for the Bonelli's at Sandy Lanes, I came across a Wood Warbler in the same pines

On the 23rd I had up to 4 Pied and 2 Spotted Flycatcher on the Garrison

Up to 3 juvenile Mediterranean Gull are at Porthloo and yesterday the first Black Redstart of the autumn was also on the beach.

Great day for butterflies on Sunday with Holly Blue, Small Copper and up to 5 Clouded Yellow.

There are Rabbits everywhere at work in all kind of colours. If you include the football pitch just up road, I'm not going over the top when I say 60-70 and there mostly black! 

And Dave is still with us

j
Here is my singing angel covering Lana Del Ray song 'Born to Die' at Old Town Inn over the weekend