Another EASTERN YELLOW WAGTAIL on Scilly!

Well who would predict it! I did! I made a detour to specially check the paddocks at the stables thinking there might be an Eastern Yellow Wagtail and guess what? I found this! Ideal! 

   With so many Pallid Swift on the mainland in the last few days and strong southerlies, like others birders here, I thought that there has got to be a chance of one on the cards. So gone 13.00, I went to Porthloo to check the gulls out. Well there might be a swift flying over the beach above them but there wasn't, Instead I got 6 Common and 2 Mediterranean Gull, 2 Whimbrel and a single Black Redstart. There was also a very late Comma Butterfly nearby. I tried other areas before reaching Pelistry where I had a single Brambling and Linnet with over 200 Chaffinch.
 
The light was perfect for photography this afternoon.

There were 6 Common Gull at Porthloo including this 1st winter

A new Black Redstart in at Porthloo

Still good numbers of Robin around

Dunnock

Rock Pipit

Female Stonechat

Goldfinch

Greenfinch

Grey Heron

I also had this late Comma Butterfly taking advantage of the warm sun at Porthloo with 3 Red Admirals elsewhere

  It was close to 16.00 and I was standing at Pelistry Farm deciding whether to skip across the fields to get home quicker or go and check the stables for an Eastern Yellow Wagtail. When I reached the stables, below the horses legs I could see a wagtail and when I put my bins up 'It's a bloody Eastern Yellow Wagtail!!' Well it looks the part anyway. I had to get the pale base on the bill, long hind call and that call. With in ten minutes, I had all three in the bag, including a recording of it's buzz type call! I had already put the news out and while talking to Higgo, I observed it fly towards Pelistry Farm only to return again shortly afterwards. I left the wagtail in the horse paddocks and made my ways home still looking for that swift! Maybe tomorrow.

You can clearly see the pale base to the lower mandible and long hind claw on these two images 

 

In this image you can see the two features that point to EYW. Pale base to bill and long hind claw. I went to the stables purposely to look for a EYW but I really wasn't expecting there to be one there. However, last night I did say to a mate last night that EYW are turning up all over the shop and I'll probably get one tomorrow in my garden! 

  

If this wagtail is accepted, with the other two records this autumn, it will be the forth Scilly record of EYW since the first individual two years ago. However, Dave Wilson found a good looking individual also at the stables two years ago at the beginning of November that stuck around for a few days. I don't think that anyone sent that record off. As I was the only person to see this EYW today, hopefully it will still be around tomorrow for everyone to catch up with it.