Sunday 27 October 2013

Scilly 2013: Days 5 - 8: Slow Days & return sea crossing

Wednesday 16th October was windy and it rained for much of the day but early morning we were up on the Garrison and by the football pitch I heard the rasping call of a Brambling and evntually spotted her in the bare branches of a pine before she eventually flew off. In the campsite bushes, a female Blackcap seen plus a Wheatear by one of the Batteries walking back towards Lower Broome platform at the start, a Clouded Yellow posed beautifully on a weed and I took full advantage obtaining several shots. Again walking over past the airport to Porthellick Pool, we saw Wheatear and Rock Pipit and by the Sussex hide, 2 Jack Snipe and a Snipe, 1 of each species seen at close quarters with the other Jack a little further back of the left hand edge of the pool. Fly through Kingfisher and a Grey Wagtail seen too.9 Greenshank seen at the back too. On Thursday 17th October the Black Redstart showed intermitently on Town beach spending some time by the walls and beach before flying down to a boat and posts near the Atlantic. walking along Porthcressa beach, I saw 5 Sandwich Tern perched on a white boat out in the bay, whilst another, sixth, Sandwich Tern flew right fairly close in to the beach. By the time I walked over to the Lower Broome platform, looking back on the boat, 6 were seen on the boat and another, seventh bird on a pink bouy beside it. At lower Moors On Friday 17th October, again sheltering from the rain we went down to the Town beach sheltering under an awning by the Atlantic Hotel, we didn't see a lot, save for Turnstones and immature & adult Herring Gulls. At Lower Moors, a confiding Little Grebe posed well for the camera just left of the hide, whilst Grey wagtail seen also. Clouded Yellows seen plus one in a field by Longstones. In Carreg Dhu garden, persistance paid off when looking at 3 Goldcrests, a Firecrest was seen and it showed reasonably well half way up the sycamore. Walking along Green lane, we definitely saw a Scilly Shrew, this time a dead one with a stone on its head. Walking through Holy Vale we heard and saw a very active Yellow- browed Warbler. At Burial chamber a Rat seen scrabbling around in a bramble whilst a Merlin flew right out to sea and over to St. Martins, 15 Shag seen on the sea. On Friday 18th October by the pottery, 7 House Martin flew over us and towards the Garrison. On Saturday 19th October, on the Garrison, we saw a resonably confiding stunning male Black Redstart on rocks below the Battery. On the Boat trip back just clearing the Scillies, I saw a small grey white wader flying left and Dick then shouted Grey Phalarope confirming my suspicions to its ID. 2 Great Skuas seen, plus another Balearic Shearwater flying left on the horizon, another great call from Dick and & fine Sooty Shearwater also flew left and behind the boat. We also saw several groups of Common Dolphins, a group of 4 heading for the bow of the boat, a group of 8 behind the boat and a group of 4 leaping out of the water. A fine end to the trip.

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