2 LONG-TAILED TIT at Porth Hellick

Both LONG-TAILED TIT showed superbly by the hides at Porth Hellick 

  Mid-morning and I was just about to make my ways around the Garrison when Graham Cundale text to say that he had 2 LONG-TAILED TIT at Helvear! I tried unsuccessfully to contact him to find out where, but it was decided that we should go to his house and hope he's in. He was and he told us that he had them on the coastal path at Helvear Hill near to Watermill. After an hour of searching, we gave up and made are ways to Porth Hellick. From the seaward hide we all had cracking views of 2 Siberian Chiffchaff with 4 Chiffchaff. Then I shouted 'Long-tailed Tit!' And ran outside where both Joe Pender and I could still hear them. They were around us, but could we see the danm things! Another heavy down pour was looming overhead and we all decided to shelter in the hide. After ten minutes the sun came back out and I could hear the tits again and this time everyone got onto them who were in the hide. We followed them in between the two hides and before you knew it, they were at the crossroads before they disappeared towards Higher Moors.
  Also seen today were the juvenile Glaucous Gull at Porth Hellick, one of the juvenile Iceland Gulls at Pelistry while another indervidual was on Tresco. The Water Pipit was still on St Agnes.

Both LONG-TAILED TIT showed down to a few meters but proved very mobile. The last Long-tailed Tits I saw on Scilly was back in December '10 with Ren when we had 8 birds on Pool Road, Tresco, 

The 2 Siberian Chiffchaff  were both ringed. Jim trapped and ringed a new individual last week. How the two birds can change in different light!

There were only 5 Chiffchaff at Porth Hellick

A few days ago, the 2 juvenile Iceland Gulls that have been gracing the golf course for the last week, were almost swept away by the ENE winds

This is the paler individual the following day when the winds had dropped

1st winter and adult Herring Gull

Up to 3 Black Redstart were at Porthloo on the 25th including this 1st summer. Also had a male Merlin overhead.

3 male Stonechat were at the NE end of the airport

Rock Pipit

A great band from Serbia. They kind of remind me of 'No Clear Mind'

Glaucous and Iceland Gulls on St Mary's

Juvenile Glaucous Gull at Deep Point

  In the last few days, the juvenile Iceland Gull has been showing off at very close range in front of the club house on the golf course. Yesterday and today it was joined by another juvenile. However, this individual is not so cooperative and flies off immediately when approached from a distance. Over 40 Wheatear, 50+Meadow Pipit and 4 Skylark were also on the fairways.

Goin past me wagon!

The very confiding Iceland Gull

And the not so confiding Iceland Gull

Up to over 50 Meadow Pipit and 40 Wheatear were on the golf course

Also good numbers of Stonechat in the area

Male Dunnock trying to impress a female

  With the arrival of more Wheatears, when I got chance, I made my ways to deep Point. At the quarry, I got a surprise when a juvenile Glaucous Gull flew low SW out of sight towards Porth Hellick. Seconds later it returned and I relocated it on rocks below the coastal path where it showed very briefly before flying off towards Pelistry. No wheatears, but I got my first Swallow of the year at Lower Moors. Up to 35 Goldfinch were at Ho;y Vale and 10 Linnet were at Bants Carn. As The Roads were like a mill pond, I thought I would try for the 1st winter male Surf Scoter off Mcfarlands Down and immediatly found it distantly between St Mary's and St Martins. There were also a few Great Northern diver in the area. A look from Star Castle and between St Agnes and Samson I got 39 Great Northern Diver. I continued scanning and spotted a single Common Scoter with a grand total of 50+Great Northern Diver.

  Joe Pender had 2 Swallow at Porth Hellick while on St Agnes Graham Gorden got 4 Swallow, 2 Sand Martin and 9 Pied Wagtail

Juvenile Glaucous Gull showing well at Deep Point

Some more pics of birds that I observed while working at Ghandruk, Nepal

Bar-throated Siva

Lemmon-rumped Warbler

Great Parrotbill

Chestnut-fronted Rock Thrush

Lammergeier

Blue-throated Barbet

European Goldfinch (it looks nothing like a European Goldfinch)

Keren Ann Zeidel (Hebrew: קרן אן זיידל‎ born 10 March 1974 in Caesarea, Israel), known professionally as Keren Ann, is a singer, songwriter, composer, producer, and engineer based largely in Paris, Tel Aviv, and New York City. She plays guitar, piano, and clarinet. She also engineers and writes choir and musical arrangements.