3rd AMERICAN HERRING GULL for Scilly

If accepted this will 3rd winter AMERICAN HERRING GULL at the dump this afternoon

  I wasn't thinking about a yank today while getting blown all over the shop by the gale force easterlies. However, that's what happened. I always scan the gulls when passing the dump and on this occasion, one gull on the roof looked to me a very good candidate for an American Herring Gull. But it's been easterlies for weeks! I fired of some shots then called Rocky Robin as I had just spoken to him and he's got a car. I was telling him about the gull when the damn thing got up. I had to get flight shots and in my haste all the settings were wrong. It flew off north towards Porth Mellon. I ran like the devil but there was no sign of it anywhere after ten minutes of searching the area. As Nigel Hudson lived just up road, I continued running. I needed to see the flight shots and although they looked good on the back of the camera, I needed to see them on the computer. The pics looked even better on his PC and we needed to send the pics off to the gull experts. That we did and it was only until after dark that Peter Adriaens replied with 'This bird looks perfect for a 3rd-cycle ('3rd-year') AMERICAN HERRING GULL! Not an easily clinched plumage in a European context! This one checks all the right boxes though' Magic Stuff!!

  When I left Nigel's, any birders I saw I showed the pics to and I called a few of the locals. I didn't put the news out as a possible because all the crap mistakes I've made in the past. Although I'm not a good birder, I knew this was more than likely goin to be a Smiths and on this occasion,  it was!

Cheers to Peter Adriaens, Mashuq Ahmad, Chris Batty and Nigel Hudson
   

3rd winter AMERICAN HERRING GULL

  Before all this happpened, at 08.30, I made my ways up to the Trewince fields and got 100 Chaffinch, 150+Redwing, 50+Fieldfare and 2 Mistle Thrush. There were 2 Black Redstart at Porthloo and 3 Whinchat at the golf course. Up to 16 Snipe and a single Woodcock were in the Standing Stones field.
  Three hours later Rocky Robin went up to Trewince to get the Mistle Thrush and told me there were hundreds of Chaffinch up there. At 15.00 I returned I there were now at 250 Chaffinch in the area but when a Kestrel flew over, over 600 Chaffinch flew into the pine belt with 2 Brambling, although I'm sure there were more. With them were now 350+Redwing, 150+Fieldfare, 29 Skylark, 8 Pied Wagtail and overhead, a single House Martin.

There were 2 Mistle Thrush at Trewince. Other birds were at Sunnyside, Parting Carn and the Garrison.

I had over 500 Redwing today with 350 at Trewince

and over 300 Fieldfare

The Trewince fields were covered with 600+Chaffinch

2 black Redstart were at Porthloo

3 Whinchat were on the golf course

  Other good news is that yesterdays Siberian Stonechat that Mark Halliday found at Maypole, has been re-identified as Scillies second CASPIAN STONECHAT

I saw this cat while in California at Hotel Cafe just off Sunset Strip

Siberian Stonechat at Maypole

Siberian Stonechat showing well at Maypole found by Mark Halliday

  There were more winter thrushes first thing this morning than yesterday over me digs. Dots high up in the sky heading NE turned out to be 40+Fieldare and 25+Redwing. A quick look along the Dead Pine Walk and there were single Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Yellow-browed Warbler and 2 Swallow. At the same time, I missed out on a Short-eared Owl over the football field by another birder and at Longstones a Richard's Pipit flew over.
  Inbetween working, a look at Newford produced 3 Grey Wagtail, 4 Chiffchaff, 2 Yellow-browed Warbler, 1 Firecrest and the Pied Flycatcher. Thrushes were on the move with the largest flock, 150+Redwing and 100+Fieldfare. 

100's of winter thrushes arrived today with a flock of 300 dropping out of the sky on St Agnes. Altogether I saw up to 250+Redwing and 200+Fieldfare

  Graham Gorden text me with news that two birders had a PALLIED HARRIER performing well over Browarth, St Agnes, before flying out over The Roads towards Tresco/St Mary's. With the easterlies, everyone was expecting more birds to hit Scilly. By mid-morning there was no sign of any of yesterdays Red-flanked Bluetails but the Little Bunting was still on Tresco.

  At 12.20 I got a call from Mark Halliday telling me that he had just found a Siberian Stonechat at Maypole. It was nearly an hour later when I arrived with Higgo and Chesney and found the stonechat showing at some distance at the other end of the field. However, five minutes later it was only a few meters away from us but soon returned to the far corner. I made my ways back to work and returned again later in the afternoon and observed it a lot longer at close range.

 

The only other Siberian Stonechat that I've ever seen is a bird on Peninnis found by John Chapple over ten years ago I think?

I went to tell Nigel Hudson about the stonechat and found himself and Jim messing around with the Pale-legged or Sakhalin Leaf Warbler that was found dead yesterday on St Agnes. It weighed in at over 9 grams. Took with my iPhone.

Slackwax is a German musical duo of electronic music formed in 2005 and made up of Bernd Batke and Peter Hoppe. Batke, at the same time frontman, singer and bass player of the neo-country band Smokestack Lightnin' whereas Hoppe was a Nuremberg-based music producer. The style of the duo is electro, moody and atmospheric with elements of jazz, blues, soul, country together with contemporary beats and modern production techniques. They are signed to the German label Modernsoul. The duo released a self-titled EP titled Slackwax in 2008, followed by EP "Close to My Fire (in 2010), their best known hit and EP Night Out (2012) and are preparing for a full studio album for 2013 with "Night Out" as the first single from the release.^[1] They also released two mix EPs, Night Out – The Remixes in 2012 and Slackwax reworks Mousse T. also in 2012 offering a completely new perspective on Mousse T. hits with vocals from Anna Leyne on the tracks.

1st PALE-LEGGED/SAKHALIN LEAF WARBLER for scilly

This PALE-LEGGED or SAKHALIN LEAF WARBLER (1st for scilly and 2nd for the Western Palearctic) was still warm when Fran Hicks picked it up from under his conservatory window in the Lighthouse garden, St Agnes!! Picture Laurence Pitcher

  A switch from a north easterly to east-south easterly breeze overnight payed off. Early morning I had just arrived at Porth hellick when Big Al called to say that Jim had trapped a Yellow-browed Warbler. I had already heard one near the road. A cracker to see close up in the hand and before this Jim had also trapped a Jack Snipe. I nipped over to Carn Friars and relocated the Barred Warbler that Jim trapped yesterday.  2 Swallow, 2 Fieldfare and good numbers of Redwing were also in the area.

including this one, Jim has trapped 12 Yellow-browed Warbler at Porth Hellick already this month

Relocated the Barred Warbler at Carn Friars that Jim trapped yesterday.

  On St Agnes, there was a male Mandarin was on the Big Pool. Later news broke of a mega PALE-LEGGED/SAKHALAN WARBLER on St Agnes! Unfortunately this 1st for Scilly was found dead after hitting a window! This was quickly followed by the sixth Red-flanked Bluetail for Scilly in the Chapel Fields.

  Just after 16.00, a Red-flanked Bluetail was found by Barry Hunt. Only this time it was just up road at Inisidgen where it showed well for the small crowd at the new plantation. After an hour, the birders had moved on and there were only a few us left as we all had cracking views of the bluetail. At 17.45 I was just about to leave when two birders arrived and the bird had gone missing. I stayed to help them find it. It didn't take long and while it was perched up just in front of me, another bird pushed it off. All I could see were 2 Red-flanked Bluetail chasing each other in and out of the bush. I turned around and shouted to the others who behind me 'There's two!! There's two birds!!' however, when I turned back, there wasn't even a single one in sight. I walked around on my own on the lower path searching but there was no sign. Perhaps I was goin nuts and it was the Robin that's been busy before chasing the bluetail off. However, while I was away looking, unknown to me, two birds were being observed on the upper path by other birders! Earlier, Martin Goodey and I thought there were two bluetails present but kind of passed it off.

Up to 3 Red-flanked Bluetail turned up on Scilly today including two together at Inisidgen! If accepted these would be the 6th, 7th and 8th for Scilly. 

A flock of 140+Redwing were observed just before dark at Inisidgen

And birders twitched this male Mandarin on St Agnes Robin Mawer

  Ok, I'm very angry at the moment and after reading this, I reckon you will be angry as well. Only last week on BBC R2 Jeremy Vine Show, John Rees of Stop the War was interviewed by Vine arguing against that liar Boris Johnson plan for an air war with Russia as well as protesting outside the Russian Embassy in London! Now, I'm always angry and frustrated when that Buffoon Johnson opens his mouth and what he said just proves that he is not capable of being the Foreign Secretary. However, on this occasion it's not Boris but Jeremey Vine. He's doing an interview with Stop the War and you might not know this, but Vine has made speeches for a five-figure sum for arms dealers at £246-per-head dinners!! It proves that he does not give a danm about human lives and money is more important to him! 

And this is what Jeremy Vine is supporting as our bombs rain down on Yemen. 

Britain is diverting precision-guided bombs once intended for its Royal Air Force to Saudi Arabia so the Gulf State can build up a supply of the bombs it is using against targets in Yemen and Syria.

Jeremy Vine Sparks Outrage With ‘Five-Figure’ Speech To Arms Dealers

  Jeremy Vine represents the BBC and this was there response for the pathetic man that he is! The BBC distanced itself from the presenter, with a spokesman telling the Huffington Post UK: ‘Jeremy is a freelance presenter and so can make personal appearances without speaking on behalf of the BBC, as he did here.’

  Radio 2 host Jeremy Vine has been accused of tarnishing the reputation of the BBC for speaking at a £246-per-head dinner for arms dealers. Vine, who is going to play a leading role in the corporation’s General Election coverage, is reported to have made the appearance at the ADS dinner earlier this week for a “five-figure” sum. The controversial event, hosted at the Hilton Hotel in Park Lane, London, was interrupted at the start by a speech by an anti-arms trade campaigner, who dramatically tore the assembled arms dealers, urging them to “think on what you do and reconsider your jobs!” Senior politicians joined Vine at the dinner, including business secretary Vince Cable, who sat at the top table with the BBC presenter and also gave a speech.

He last year came under fire for failing to back an arms embargo against Israel in favour of a “very weak” threat to suspend 12 export licences if violence breaks out again in the region. The Lib Dem minister sat with Labour’s Vernon Coaker, the shadow defence secretary, and the heads of the ADS, the trade body for UK Aerospace, Defence, Security and Space industries. Vine’s appearance at the dinner sparked a backlash from anti-arms trade campaigners and social media users.

Andrew Smith, from Campaign Against Arms Trade, said: “The BBC is meant to stand for freedom of speech and high quality journalism, yet one of its best known personalities was speaking to a room full of arms dealers who profit from repression around the world.

‘’It’s outrageous that the government actively supports and promotes this deadly trade. The fact that arms dealers were swilling champagne with over 40 MPs is a disgrace and shows the extent of the arms trade’s connections and political lobbying.”

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Sam Earle @samraearle

Disgusting, inexcusable to profit from murderous arms trade, #JeremyVine. http://ind.pn/1KgYZtF 

10:41 AM - 5 Feb 2015

 
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Ben Miles-Davies @BenMilesDavies

Seriously BBC? http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/jeremy-vine-under-fire-over-fivefigure-speech-to-arms-trade-10024364.html … what a pathetic stance you've taken. Your presenters should not be making speeches to the arms trade

10:27 AM - 5 Feb 2015

 
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Barred Warbler trapped at Porth Hellick

Adult Barred Warbler trapped and ringed at Porth Hellick 

  First thing this morning I observed from my digs, 35+Chaffinch, 30+Redwing and 3 Fieldfare heading high east into the northerly breeze from the Garrison. There were also 5 Blackcap and a vocal Yellow-browed Warbler.
  Mid-morning and Jim almond called for a lift up to Watermill for the Woodlark. I was just making my ways up that way and there it was in the same ploughed field it's been in for the last three days. Nearby at Newford my first Brambling flew over with small groups of Chaffinch. Also present were 15+Chiffchaff, 1 Firecrest, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Woodcock, 4 Yellow-browed Warbler and the Pied Flycatcher. This was cut shot when Ralf came on the radio with news that Jim has trapped a Barred Warbler at Porth Hellick! I've always wanted to see one of these stunning sylvias in the hand. At the latter site there was a Yellow-browed Warbler and on the loop trail I had 3 of the latter species and 1 Reed Warbler, 10+Chiffchaff and 2 Firecrest. Later at Tolmans I saw my first female Merlin of the autumn.

I saw over 35 Chiffchaff today

and 9 Yellow-browed Warbler

I ain't seen a Woodlark in 6 years and this individual kept it's distance opposite Watermill Cottage

Star of the show was this cracking Adult Barred Warbler Just before this Jim also trapped the female Great-spotted Woodpecker that was discovered last week.

Thoughout the day Redwings could be heard with smaller numbers of Chaffinch. 

There are now 2 Black-necked Grebe spending time in the St Mary's harbour

A record shot of the Short-toed Lark at the airfield just before dark

  Also seen today were a Serin and Carn Vean, a Richard's Pipit. On Peninnis there were up to 4 Ring Ouzel and the Wryneck and snow bunting with a Lapland Bunting at Giants Castle. A Little Bunting was on St Martins

Nimmo asked me if he could start up his strimmer next to the field where the Woodlark was as he was afraid that he might flush it with he noise? Tony and Ritchie had never seen a Woodlark before and on the otherside of the field they were peeping over the wall. I thought, man, Nimmo's going to make it fly and they ain't seen it. So I said 'Go ahead!'

The Staves are an English acoustic folk rock trio of sisters from Watford, Hertfordshire, England. They began performing as The Staveley-Taylors at open-mic nights at a local pub, The Horns, and later changed their name to The Staves.^[2] The group appeared on the Tom Jones album Praise and Blame, which was released in July 2010.^[3] They supported Mt. Desolation on their UK tour in autumn 2010, with Jessica Staveley-Taylor also performing as part of that band and providing vocals for their eponymous album. The Staves released the Live at Cecil Sharp House EP and the Mexico EP in 2011,^[3] and appeared on Fionn Regan's third studio album, 100 Acres of Sycamore. The Staves attracted notice in the United States while supporting The Civil Wars in January 2012.^[3] They followed with performances at South by Southwest and a tour in March in April with Bear's Den, Nathaniel Rateliff and Ben Howard, which was the subject of the film, "Austin to Boston", a documentary by Marcus Haney. The band supported Bon Iver on their May and June 2012 US and Canadian tour.^[4]