GREAT BLUE HERON returns to Lower Moors

The GREAT BLUE HERON showed superbly at Lower Moors throughout the day

 This afternoon I dropped the taxi off at the garage to have new brakes fitted. It was going to take a good two hours for the job to be done. During that time, I made the short walk to Lower Moors to see the GREAT BLUE HERON. For over an hour we had amazing views in front of both hides as it moved around the scrape. After an hour, it flew off towards to Old Town Bay only to return again a few minutes later and continue to fish. It seems to have settled down at Lower Moors and hopefully it will stick around this area instead of nipping off and favoring Bryher. The female Blue-headed Wagtail that I got two days ago at Porth Hellick also showed well with 2 Snipe.

 

This might not happen again!

  

This female Blue-headed Wagtail and male House sparrow also showed well in front of the ISBG hide, Lower Moors

Wren

Male Stonechat 

A record shot of an immature Golden Oriole over stables. There has been up to three birds together on Bryher including two males.

This male Zebra Finch must of felt good being out of a cage at Pelistry. It was first seen last week at Bar Point

Adult Night Heron over Lower Moors Robert  I had 3 birds fly out from their roost at Lower Moors at Dusk towards Porthloo where Robin picked two of them up as they came into the bay to feed. also, on the 25th a female Bluethroat was trapped and ringed at Porth Hellick

Robin Mawer took these flight shots of a Red-rumped Swallow over the Big Pool, St Agnes, 25-27th

  

Also on st Agnes last week were from top, superb shot of a male Blue-headed Wagtail, Short-toed Lark and male Black Redstart Robert 

Still a handful of Ring Ouzel around last week including 2 males together on the heliport, Tresco Paul Morris

Here my singing angel, tean, singing a cover of Taylor Swift 'safe and Sound' on the weekend at Old Town Inn. She just done her exams and got an Astar in music and an Astar in songwriting! 

GREAT BLUE HERON at lower Moors

The 1st winter GREAT BLUE HERON returned to Lower Moors this evening after being on Tresco and Bryher earlier on in the day

  Early this evening I got a call from Martin Goodey to tell me that the GBH was in front of the ISBG hide at Lower Moors. Robin picked me up and I started contacting everyone on our way to the moors. The heron was showing at very close range and was still present when everyone turned up. We all got crippling views when suddenly the bird got up and flew off towards Old Town Bay. However, it turned out that John Headon, from his balcony over looking Lower Moors, observed the heron flying off towards Porth Mellon where he lost it. Shortly afterwards it returned and it seemed to land in the Dump Clump.

Top two pics taken by Loopy Lucy

GBH showing well with 2 Common Sandpiper at Lower Moors

This immature Grey Heron was also present at Lower Moors earlier in the day

Up to 4 Snipe, 1 Jack Snipe and 2 White Wagtail were on the scrape. Also heard my first Reed Warbler of the year and 4 Sedge Warbler

  Leaving Lower Moors, Robin and I made our ways to Porth Hellick where we got a Wood Sandpiper with a single Green and Common Sandpiper. Both Reed and Sedge Warbler were singing and there were over 80 hirundines hawking over the pool, but no sign of the GBH. At dusk we arrived at Porthloo hoping to see a repeat of Robin's 4 Night Heron coming into the bay that he observed last night. At 20.50, 3 vocal Night Heron flew in from the direction of Rose Hill and only 2 landed on the rocks to our right while the other bird returned to Rose Hill. However, it became clear that there were 3 herons present on the rocks (2 adults and a possible immature) and from a height, another adult came in. We were just about to leave when two visiting birders arrived to tell us that they had a Scilly record of 6 maybe 7 Night Heron come out of their roost from Lower Moors and fly towards Porthloo!

Wood Sandpiper with a sleeping Green Sandpiper at Porth Hellick

4 Night Heron came into feed at Porthloo at dusk. However, 6 or 7 Night Heron were seen by other observing flying out from Lower moors

Good numbers of Linnet around at the moment

  On Tresco there were the male Black Duck and a Bee-eater and like the GBH, the Bee-eater made the short flight to Bryher. On the latter island, both Hoopoe and Wryneck were still present, while on St Martins there was a ring-tailed harrier and on St Agnes there was a male Black Redstart, 10 Whimbrel and on the Big pool, a report of an adult Ring-billed Gull.
  Late afternoon, birds were arriving in good numbers on St Mary's and included 200+Wheatear, 120+hirundines and 11 White wagtail.

Mercury just below the moon

A cracking evening for watching Night Herons come in from Porthloo Beach Top three pics taken by Robin Mawer

This was one of Hendrix's favorite songs. Newbury is one of the most recorded artist of our time, from BB King to Bill callahan and Bonnie Prince Billy and 100's more. He is most remembered for his song 'An american Trilogy' that was recorded by many and was the big finish during Elvis Presley's concert in 70's. Many of Newbury's songs, such as "The Thirty-Third Of August", "The Future Is Not What It Used To Be", and "Just Dropped In", delve into the dark recesses of the human psyche.