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Friday, 16 November 2018

Eastern Yellow and Citrine Wagtail at Kittidown!

This 1st winter Citrine Wagtail turned up yesterday and joined the Eastern Yellow Wagtail at Kittidown where both birds were present today 

  Yesterday amazingly, a Citrine Wagtail joined the Eastern Yellow Wagtail at Kittidown!! So first thing this morning I was at the horse paddock that both wagtails had been favouring and there was not one bird in sight. A minutes walk from the paddocks and I was at Porth Hellick where in over an hour I had cleared up everything that has been present in the area for the last few weeks. they were the Dusky Warbler, 2 Siberian Chiffchaff, 3 Yellow-browed Warbler, 1 Jack Snipe and new in was a Firecrest. The Cetti's Warbler was very vocal but stayed out of sight and I also kicked 5 Woodcock.  Overhead in the strong SE, Chaffinch were moving, with the odd Brambling heard now and then and I observed small flocks flying SSE out to sea into the overcast skies.



There were 2 Siberian Chiffchaff at Porth Hellick including this ringed singing male


There were only a handful of Redwing 

  I returned to the horse paddock at Kittidown and immediately found both the 1st winter Eastern Yellow and Citrine Wagtail feeding with White and Pied Wagtail. All the wagtails showed superbly at very close range until a female Sparrowhawk spooked them and they scattered. It wasn't long until they returned and continued feeding but I moved on. A few hours later I found them in a cow field at the crossroads at Normandy. I had to get to work, not after seeing the Yellow-browed Warbler at Newford Duckpond and scanning the 100's of gull at Porthloo. There were up to 6 Mediterranean Gull and a personal Scilly record of 13 Common Gull and a probable 1st winter Scandinavian Herring Gull . A Black Redstart was on the rocks.


 



The 1st winter Citrine Wagtail taken in the dull light in the horse paddock


The Citrine Wagtail was feeding with both White and Pied Wagtail







And a few hours later in better light it was in the cow field nearby at Kittidown



1st winter Eastern Yellow Wagtail didn't show as well as the Citrine Wagtail If all are accepted there has been this autumn, four Citrine and three Eastern Yellow Wagtail on Scilly!! Also this is the first time that these two species have been observed in the UK together and the latest record of Citrine Wagtail for Scilly.

There were also up to 4 White Wagtail

  
The Yellow-browed Warbler still at Newford Duckpond



This probable 1st winter Scandinavian Gull was at Porthloo

Also at Porthloo there were 6 Mediterranean Gull


Yesterday morning at Porthloo I heard a Richard's Pipit and observed it flying east towards Trewince. Also att Lower Moors I had the Dusky, 4 Yellow-browed Warbler, 3 Siberian Chiffchaff, 3 Woodcock, 1 Siskin and this poss 'Northern' Willow Warbler


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Klinghoffer, Walsh and Gardner were all previously members of the touring incarnation of Gnarls Barkley, and were subsequently joined by Hella bassist Jonathan Hischke to create Dot Hacker. Prior to Klinghoffer joining the Red Hot Chili Peppers, the band recorded its debut album, Inhibition, which was released on May 1, 2012.

Wednesday, 14 November 2018

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.