Blackpooll and Grey-cheeked Thrush, St agnes!

23nd record of BLACKPOLL WARBLER for Scilly was at St Warna's Cove, St Agnes Elisabeth Price

 
    Since the 2 Bonelli's Warblers four days ago, things have started to approve and yesterday a juvenile AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER was at Tobaccosman's Point, Tresco and was still present today at Bounty Ledge with the GLOSSY IBIS nearby by at the Great Pool. However today it all kicked off and it all took part in a few bushes in St Warna's Cove, St Agnes. Just after 10.00, I got a text from Bob Dawson starting with possible Blackpool Warbler and half an hour later, it is a BLACKPOLL WARBLER found by Dave Price! I had already informed everyone and about ten of us were on the 11.45 boat to Aggy. After two hours of staring at the same bushes, there was no sign of it. At 14.30, Will Scott, Higgo, John Headon and Ren had just arrived on the island and I met them at the post office while searching elsewhere for the warbler. It was an hour later I bumped into Higgo at the south end of St Warna's Cove. A Garden Warbler flew around the corner towards the main crowd who were out of sight from us. I missed the warbler and went to look for it with Higgo close behind. Only a few seconds walk and we were with the 7 strong crowd and the first thing I heard from John's mouth was 'GREY-CHEEKED THRUSH!' My reply was 'Err! What? I turned to Higgo and he repeated more or less what I said. I think that's what he said in his Wolverhampton accent. It was somethin like 'Yo! Your avin alaff?' Ren had seen the thrush ten minutes ago while we were chatting about football just around the corner and he had gone off to look for us. He was scanning for the Blackpoll when he said 'Christ! Grey-cheeked Thrush!' All he got was the head and the upper breast and understandably everyone thought he was joking. We all had a boat to catch in an hour and asked if anyone would object if I pished. Someone came back and said, yes if you go and do it around the corner and out of sight. Anyways I pished and then Keith Pellow said there it is! We all got on to it before it disappeared into cover. Carry on pishing they said and sure enough it came out and fed on Coprosma Repen berries before disappearing again. 'Carry on, don't stop pishing' This time a shout from Will 'There's the BLACKPOLL WARBLER' I stopped pishing and started scanning to where Will had seen it. 'Pish again, keep pishing' they all demanded. I had been pishing for an hour it seemed and I was feeling dizzy, drained out and almost collapsed. I asked if anyone can pish instead? No, your the best pisher around.
  We had to go and later both Dave Price and Bob Dawson saw the thrush.

BLACKPOLL WARBLER in bracken on the coastal path at St Warna's Cove taken by the man who found it, David Price. Dave also found the 2005 Blackpoll on St agnes that later moved over to St Mary's.

Heavily cropped shot of the 26th Scilly record of GREY-CHEEKED THRUSH in the same bush as where the Blackpoll was a few minutes later.

Also present were a single Whinchat and 3 Spotted Flycatcher in the same area with 3 Reed Warbler, 2 Chiffchaff and lots of Blackcap. Birds seen by other observers included single Garden warbler, Whitethroat, Firecrest, Wryneck and a Yellow-browed Warbler was next to the ice cream shop

This is the bushes where both the Blackpoll Warbler and Grey-cheeked Thrush were feeding!

We've only got 7+visiting birders on the islands and look what has turned up so far. There's more out there to be found, but it's goin to be hard work. Roll on the weekend when more birders start to arrive. 

This made us all laugh when news came on from Birdnet of the thrush. 'Grey-cheeked Thrush, St Agnes at 16.15 on grass! +Yellow-browed Warbler next to ice cream shop. I think the warbler should move to St Warna's and with the thrush, sing some Bob Marley songs!

  Elsewhere on St Mary's today there was a Yellow-browed Warbler at Longstones, 2 Firecrest, Old Town Church and the 3 juvenile Pectoral Sandpiper were still at Porth Hellick. The Dotterel was still on the airfield, although no one, including local birders, had no idea it had been there for the last two days. On Bryher there was a Wryneck and Firecrest.

 
Joan Wasser (born July 26, 1970), known by her stage name Joan As Police Woman, is an American musician and singer-songwriter. She began her career playing violin with the Dambuilders. Throughout her career, she has regularly collaborated with other artists as a writer, performer and arranger.