Rustic Bunting ringed at Porth Hellick

what a shock when Jim pulled this female Rustic Bunting out of the nets at Porth Hellick! Robin Mawer

 

The only other Rustic Bunting that I've observed outside the Oct/Nov period was a cracking male found by Paul Stancliffe at Carn Friars in March. I was busy watching a summer plumage Pied-billed Grebe on Porth Hellick when I got the shout. The bottom pic was taken by Robin Mawer

Carrion Crow

 

Male Linnet coming in to feed one of it's young

 

some fighting goin on in town..

 

...while Higgo in his typical exciting pose when he's just about to see a rare bird! Or is he pleased to see Jim? 

 

Low is an American indie rock^[1] group from Duluth, Minnesota, formed in 1993. The music of Low is characterized by slow tempos and minimalist arrangements. Early descriptions sometimes referred to it as rock subgenre called "slowcore". However, Low's members ultimately disapproved of the term. Parker and Sparhawk's striking vocal harmonies represent perhaps the group's most distinctive element; critic Denise Sullivan writes that their shared vocals are "as chilling as anything Gram and Emmylou ever conspired on—though that's not to say it's country-tinged, just straight from the heart."

Rose-coloured Starling in Joe's garden!

Joe Pender got a surprise when this 1st summer male Rose-coloured Starling turned up his garden late this afternoon in Hugh Town

It was very aggresive to any birds that came too close 

It's a long time since I've seen an adult. What a cracking bird!

My first Humming-bird Hawkmoth of the year was on the Garrison a few days ago.

 

 

I'm sure a lot of you are glued to 'FARGO' on channel 4 starring Billy Bob Thornton as Lorne Malvo and Martin Freeman also stars. How many of you knew that he is also a singer songwriter as well as a screenwriter and director. I'm not keen on any of his songs, infact there crap! That's my opinion. However, this one is bloody good!

Woodchat Shrike at Deep Point

Female Woodchat Shrike found by Ritchie two days ago. It spent most of it's time around Chris Ridgards garden at Deep Point. I called him to let him know about the shrike, only to be told by Martin that he was on the mainlannd. Our mission was to get a shot of it in his garden!

 

With Starlings on a rock just outside Chris Ridgards garden

On another rock looking in the direction of Chris's garden

On a fence post bordering Chris's garden

 

Flying towards Chris's garden

And again

and again

 

And yes, smack, bang in the middle of the Chris's garden! Sorry mate

 

This was taken a long ways off from Chris's garden

 

On the 24th, Higgo had up to 12 Turtle Dove at Holy Vale. The following morning, after Elle had trapped 3 Spotted Flycatcher at Porth hellick, we went to have a look at them, but could only find three birds. 

 

This male Red-backed Shrike was found by one of the guest at Star Castle on the 21st at Popplestone Bay, Bryher Alan Hine

Cuckoo at Innisidgen Alan Hine

Gary Clark, Jr. (born February 15, 1984) is an American Grammy-winning guitarist and actor based in Austin, Texas. Described as being the future of Texas blues, Clark's resume has included sharing the stage with various legends of rock and roll.^[6] He has stated that he is "influenced by blues, jazz, soul [and] country, as well as hip hop". Clark's musical trademarks are his extremely fuzzy guitar sound and smooth vocal style.

Woodchat Shrike at the Golf Course

1st summer Yellow-legged Gull on St Mary's  

 

I didn't get out until gone mid-day. I kicked a lot of fields and got a single Tree Pipit at Pungies Lane. A call came through from Martin Elliot replying to me questioning him yesterday about the interesting Yellow-legged Gull that's been hanging around on St Mary's for well over a month now. He asked me to get some more pics of the gull and send them on. The Golf Course is a good bet and there it was feeding with 4 LBBG. I took a few shots on the deck when I noticed, some distance away, what looked like a shrike land on top of a bramble. It turned out to be a male Woodchat Shrike and for the next three minutes it bombed around the golf course, never settling down, until it flew through the pines in the direction of Barts Carn. At a guess, I would say that it had just arrived. As it disappeared, Will Scott arrived and whistled me to get my attention as he could see I had somethin. For the next hour we could not find it. Up to 5 Greenland Wheatear were also on the golf course. Robin was returning from St Martins, and can you believe this? He picked the Woodchat up on top of a bush near the quarry while passing in the tripper boat!! When he was on dry land, he rushed to spot where he had seen it and flushed a female 'type' Golden Oriole instead! As a result of this, Will Scott returned in seach of the Golden Oriole and got a male Pied Flycatcher and relocated the Woodchat. Then returning home, an immature male Golden Oriele flew past him and briefly showed very well in Carreg dhu Gardens. He waited for it to return and as he steped out of the entrance gate, above him, was a female NIGHTJAR!! 

At the same time that found the Woodchat a Bee-eater was heard over the cricket pitch, St Agnes and on Bryer there was a Wood Warbler.

 

This male Woodchat Shrike was so mobile I couldn't keep up with it and was always distant as you can tell by the heavly cropped shots

 

 

This 1st summer Yellow-legged Gull is believed (by it's bigger chunkier appearance and darker underwing and upperparts) of that from the Atlantic region instead of the Mediterranean.

A pair of Stonechat were busy feeding 2 juveniles on the golf course

 

Goldfinch

 

 

Nina Nastasia was born in Hollywood, California and is of Calabrian and Irish descent.^[1] She began writing songs in 1993,^[2] and released her first album, Dogs, in 2000. Only 1,500 copies of the album were initially pressed, with Nastasia putting together the album packaging herself in her apartment. Nastasia sold them at her shows, quickly selling all of them. By the end of the year 2000, the album was out of print. Famed DJ John Peel took notice of the album (calling it "astonishing") after having been given a copy by Steve Albini. Peel began playing songs from it constantly on his radio show on BBC Radio 1. The album, as well as Nastasia, subsequently gained a cult following

 

2 Black Kite on Scilly

This Short-toed Lark has spent the last three days on the St Mary's Airfield

 

  But I only saw one! But, that's good enough for me. On the morning of 4th, I found myself kayaking towards Tresco in search of Dave's GLOSSY IBIS and pair of Garganey that turned up the day before on the Great pool. I walked the whole island and for my efforts all I could manage of note were a single whitethroat, 35 Wheatear, Iceland Gull, 1 Black-tailed Godwit and Common Sandpiper and a single male Wigeon.
  A Ten minute paddle to Samson and just 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 15 Wheatear and 8 Whimbrel. Shipman's Down on Bryher held more Wheatear with 80+. The other highlights were singles of both Common Sandpiper, Redstart and Tree Pipit. Throughout the day in the heat, I kept my eyes to skies looking for raptors. So it was no surprise when I returned to St Mary's to find out that Dave had a BLACK KITE on Tresco. The following day he couldn't believe he's eyes when he observed 2 BLACK KITE together! It wasn't until the 6th, while I was watching a Wood Warbler at Higher Moors, that one of them flew high overhead and after half an hour, disappeared into the clouds. The next day, both birds were back on Tresco.
  Today on St Martins the second Purple Heron of the year was found with yesterdays Red-backed Shrike still present and there was a Hoopoe on st Agnes.

 

The Short-toed Lark showed well in the dull light on the airfield

 

The Red-rumped Swallow was still present on the 30th April spending most of the day at Porth hellick

 

 

BLACK KITE high over St Mary's

 

The juvenile Iceland Gull was still favouring the heliport on Tresco

 

This Mute Swan flew over while observing the gull

 

On the Great pool there are three pairs of Pochard with a single male

 

male Shelduck on Samson

 

Lesser-black backed Gulls breeding in large numbers on Samson

 

Up to 8 Whimbrel were also on Samson

My first Garden Warbler of the year was at Maypole (29th April)

 

 

There was well over 80 Wheatear (mainly Greenland race) up on Shipman's Down, Bryher. I also had a female Redstart and a single Tree Pipit on the island 

 

Male Linnet

 

Female Chaffinch

  

This female Merlin was chasing Linnets on the Golf Course (1st May)

 

My first Oil Beetle of the year

 

The kayak is named 'Dagger' and while paddling from island to island, I found myself singing the Jimi Hendrix song 'Dolly Dagger' 

 

Jimi Hendrix is so great that he has to sing to the biggist microphone in the world!