7th ISABELINE WHEATEAR for Scilly

After going missing for two days, I relocated the ISABELLINE WHEATEAR in the same area on the airfield. Nice way to end the day!

  Yesterday at 14.30, I found myself looking into a small patch of brambles hoping that the ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK might show it's face. It was last seen an hour before I got there and was another hour before Andy Holden gave the shout that he had got it. I was there in a flash but could I see the damn thing! It turned out I was looking to far away as the bird was only a few meters directly in front of me and what a cracker! After twenty minutes of it showing well it disappeared back deep in cover and I made my ways around the corner to hopefully connect with the other yank,  Red-eyed Vireo that had been found in The Parsonage just before we arrived on St Agnes. I came around the corner and could see they were looking at it. Ideal! It moved through the Elms in a few minutes but gave good views in the dull light. In the last hour of light I tried for Graham Gordon's Marsh Warbler he had that morning near to Porth Killier. 2 Chiffchaff and a Wryneck was the best I could do
  I was staying overnight with Graham and his mates, including the finder of the grozzer, Jamie Partridge, at Rosevian. Laurence cooked a tasty chili and with the strong SW and rain overnight, I was looking forward to getting up and falling over yanks!

The last grozzer I saw was back in '98 on Bryher and like this one it showed at incredible close range. Before that was the Tresco individual in '93.  

This Red-eyed Vireo is believed to be a different one to the other vireo that was last reported over a week ago on St Agnes.

Willow Warbler\

Pied Flycatcher

Spotted Flycatcher

Chiffchaff All these birds were seen in The Parsonage area

The entrance to the digs where I stayed at Rosevian 

Periglis Beach

   This morning I was out in the wind and rain and the only thing I tripped over was someones wellies! In over two hours that I had before returning home, I pushed hard searching for that elusive yank. Instead I had to make do with most of the birds I saw yesterday, the Wryneck, 2 Firecrest, 4 Willow Warbler, 2 Blackcap, 3 Chiffchaff and 1 Pied and 2 Spotted Flycatcher. No sign of the grozzer or vireo but later when I left the island, both birds were relocated.
  Early afternoon I did a lot areas on St Mary's and finally got the Pectoral Sandpiper at Porth Hellick. On the airfield the American Golden Plover had been joined by a single Golden Plover and there were also 5 Wheatear.
   At 17.15 I returned to the airfield as news came out that the AGP was at Porth Hellick shortly after I left the airfield earlier on and thought it might be a good idea to check that it's not a new arrival with the ideal conditions we've had. There was no sign of any plovers when I got there but as I returned to me wagon I flushed a pale wheatear. It hit the deck and putting me bins up I could clear see I was looking at the ISABELINE WHEATEAR that was only seen by two observers two days ago in the same area. I put the news out on the radio and within seconds 'Rocky' Robin pulled up from nowhere! It wasn't til ten minutes later that more birders arrived and the sun came out as the wheatear performed at close range til 19.00 when it was almost dark. What away to finish off a great weeken!
  

Finally got the Pectoral Sandpiper at Porth Hellick

  

This is my third Isabelline Wheatear for Scilly after the bird two years ago also on the airfield and the Bryher individual in '98 that has yet to be accepted. Before we saw the Bryher bird we had been observing a Pied-billed Grebe and a Rose-breasted Grosbeak nearby within an hour!! Including the Bryher Issy, this is the 7th Scilly record.

Has anyone told the plane spotters that there is no flying on a Sunday?

Great song by Steve Earle