4th IBERIAN CHIFFCHAFF for Scilly

Yesterday I discovered this male IBERIAN CHIFFCHAFF at the Dump Clump making it the forth for Scilly or did I relocate the individual that Robin Mawer had down the road at Porth Hellick on Thursday, 3rd March.

  Yesterday, like last week, I worked a few hours in the morning on what should of been my day off. If I didn't work last Sunday, then I would never of seen the Alpine Swift over my work place as I would of been up the north end of the island instead! Up north of the island is where I wanted to go after I had done my jobs yesterday morning. I got to town and Kevin Sherris drove me up country. However, the road was blocked as we hit the entrance of the dump. Here I got out and this turned out to be a blessing in disguise. I made my ways through the Dump Clump and as I was nearing the end, I stopped in my tracks when I heard the start of what sounded like an Iberian Chiffchaff singing! But after four notes it went quiet. I found myself in a field at the south side looking into the Sallows and after a few minutes, it gave the same four notes. This is how it was for the next ten minutes and although this is all I heard, I let other birders know that I had a possible Iberian Chiffchaff. Just before Martin arrived it went into full song with the rattle at the end. This time I called everyone to say it was an IBERIAN CHIFFCHAFF and for the next hour a few of us observed showing well on and off in the warm sun. During this time it stuck mostly to it's four notes only hearing it in full song on a few occasions. I also heard only my second Willow Warbler of the year and a walk around the south end of the island produced 10+Chiffchaff and a male Merlin. Common migrants were very thin on the ground.

Martin and 925 observing the Iberian Chiffchaff but by late afternoon it had moved on and there was no sign of it today

IBERIAN CHIFFCHAFF showing well at the Dump Clump. We thought that maybe it was only heard in full song on a few occasions because it seemed to have somethin dislodged in it's throat. Iberian Chiffchaff has been noted on Scilly five times, including Robins bird last week. There was a male on Tresco last year with another male only a stones throw away from yesterdays individual at Lower Moors two years ago. So are we expecting Iberian Chiffchaff to occur on Scilly on a regular basis? I reckon there might be another record before the end of this spring! 

And a Chiffchaff nearby

  This afternoon a few of us spent most the time chasing an adult Purple Heron from Lower Moors to Porth Hellick and back again. Just after 09.00 I got a text from Will Scott of a heron he saw from a moving car over Lower Moors. It was more than likely goin to be a purple and Higgo was down there like a flash! He observed an adult Purple Heron fly across from Rose Hill to Lower Moors. However, it wasn't until mid-afternoon I had a shout from Paul Varney who saw it fly towards Lower Moors. Ren and I were at Porth Hellick at the time and it was some 30 minutes later that we all got it with Martin and 925 as it flew overhead. Will Scott picked it up again flying towards Porth Hellick. Higgo joined us and at the latter sight we got better views as it circled low over the pool before makeing its ways back to Lower Moors. There also 4 Swallow at Porth Hellick and on the Garrison 925 had a VAGRANT EMPEROR! This was the 4th on Scilly in less than two weeks after Darren Mason had the third on Porth Hellick Down three days ago. Despite a few of us getting there as quick as we could after Darren had seen it, we all dipped!

Just coming into Porth Hellick

Record shots in the dull light of the Adult Purple Heron commuting with Lower Moors and Porth Hellick 

I had this Rook on the golf course, 1st

While this Little Grebe spent one day at Porth Hellick, 31st. On the same pool and day, Ren found 2 Red-rumped Swallow but only a few connected with them as they were only present for an hour.

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This female Shoveler has been hanging out with the local ducks at Newford Duckpond for the last few weeks

Marie Fisker is a young Danish singer who include is known for his collaboration with Steen Jørgensen ( Black Sun ) and musicianAnders Trentemøller on their reinterpretation of the old Sods (later Black Sun) number "Copenhagen" to 1978.

She has also toured with Kira Skov and composed the song "I Love You So", which is included in Martin De Thurah short film "We were back" (2008).

In 2008, Marie Fisker ready to stand on their own feet, and the single "City Lies" is taken from a digital EP, which was released in the middle of November 2008.

The EP was a precursor to a full-length album Ghost Of Love , released in 2009 on Playground Music in Denmark. ^[1]

On stage, Marie Fisker usually drummer Jacob Høyer, bassist Anders Christensen and guitarist Rune Kjeldsen .