Possible OAK NYCTEOLINE MOTH would be a first for Scilly!

A possible OAK NYCTEOLINE that Ralph Parks trapped two nights ago at Pelistry Farm would be a first for Scilly! However, the rearer Southern Nycteoline has not been ruled out and as Oak Nycteoline is a resident on the mainland, the Southern Nycteoline would be a mega for the UK.

  In the last two days there has been an increase in common migrants with a few not so common migrants slipping in. It was my day off and so I tried to get out in the field today and just outside from my home were 3 Spotted Flycatcher on the Dead Pine Walk, Garrison. After feeding 'Dave' the gull, I made my ways to the airfield and walking across I could see there was less numbers of Wheatear with singles numbers compared to over 40 Wheatear yesterday. However, the Skylark, 3 Whinchat and 80+Meadow Pipit were still present. I met Will Scott up there and just missed out on a Lapland Bunting fly out NE towards Porth Hellick.

I just had ten minutes to do the Dead Pine Walk and had 3 Spotted Flycatcher 

Skylark at the airfield

Over 20 Goldfinch were also at the airfield

  I left Will at the airfield and at Lower Moors I had a quick look at the Jack Snipe that was found yesterday. Nearby at the Standing Stones field I got 2 Siskin, 50+Meadow Pipit and 6 Whinchat. 4 Yellow Wagtail were seen yesterday in the Belted Galloway field next to Old Town Inn and there following the cows, were the 4 wagtails. The birds were at close range and as I was taking pics of one of them, I heard one of the wagtails give a eastern flava call. Observing the wagtails feeding, the only one that I could see that looked different from the rest was an individual showing a paler blue head and oliver back but that was it. I continued to bird in the area and in total got 20+Chiffchaff and 10+Blackcap. 

This male Siskin was my first of the year only only to be joined by a female.

There were up to 6 Whinchat in the Standing Stone field with the Siskin.

Yellow Wagtails

This interesting flave wagtail, showing a paler blue head and nape compared to the other 3 Yellow Wagtail it was feeding with, got my attention when I heard it giving a rasping call. 

    Overnight Mick Scott trapped a Death's Head Hawkmoth at Longstone and Ralph Parks had it on show at Pelistry Farm. More interesting to me and others was the possible OAK NYCTEOLINE that Ralph himself trapped two nights ago at the farm and would be a first for Scilly! However, the rearer Southern Nycteoline has not been ruled out and as Oak Nycteoline is a resident on the mainland, the Southern would be a mega for the UK.
  After seeing the moths I had 2 Tree Pipit with 150+Meadow Pipit at Content and 5 Yellow Wagtail at Pungies Lanes. When observing the flavas, I could hear that rasping call again but again it proved difficult to pick out when observing all five flavas.

Death's Head Hawkmoth trapped overnight at Longstones

There were 2 Tree Pipit with over 150 Meadow Pipit at Content.

Yellow Wagtail??

 

This striking male Pied Wagtail was also feeding with the Yellow Wagtail

On Bryher the Tawny Pipit was still present at Great Popplestones Pic by Rik Addison. A Common Rosefinch was also on latter island. Also today there were Yellow-browed Warbler, Wryneck and Common Rosefinch on St Agnes. On St Mary's there was a Firecrest and Yellow-browed Warbler at Longstones and a report of another Yellow-browed Warbler at the campsite. 

 Yesterday afternoon, I got out of me wagon at Telegraph Road to scan the fields, when I heard a Lapland Bunting overhead but couldn't see it. It was heading NW towards the Golf Course and ten minutes later I found it near to the stone wall at the latter site with Meadow Pipits. Unfortunately it was flushed by golfers and only a few birders managed to see before it flew off NE.
  Driving up airport lane I flushed a Redstart off the road and a quick look at the Standing Stones Field produced 1 Whitethroat, 2 Tree Pipit, 2 Whinchat, 7 Blackcap and 40+House Martin with 200+Swallow. 

I was lucky to get this shot of the adult Lapland Bunting at the golf course before it was flushed off by golfers

I had a total of 15 Wheatear in the golf course area with another 40+on the airfield

Up to 60+Linnet were in the Telegraph area

One of my favorite artists, out of the other 1000+, Sharon Van Etten.