A quiet Scilly 2014

This year on Scilly was disappointing. No big birds and few opportunities for photography. The best chance I nudged the camera onto the wrong (manual setting) and messed up what would have been good shots of Barred Warbler, the only excuse that I can pass muster is that I'd had no sleep the previous night having co-driven down to Penzance from Lowestoft. On the boat trip over we saw a close Balearic Shearwaters. several Auks flew past, a Pomarine Skua flew by, plus a Great Skua and several Meadow Pipits and Linnets seen flying low over the waves. Arriving on Scilly, after dumping the luggage, we walked up to the Health centre and in gardens opposite the lane, particularly on the right side, by a flowering Palm, a superb bulky grey Barred Warbler skulked among the flowers, firstly it was obscured and then it sat almost right out head on and its breast and head seen really well as it showed for a couple of minutes before it flew right. A trip to the airfield revealed the fine pale Short- toed Lark feeding on the grassy area beyond the closest runway. Several planes taking off and loading forced it to fly a short way slightly further back. Meanwhile first one the 2 Clouded Yellows flew past. A Redstart, female type was seen in a gap of some gorse bushes. Further down on a fence Whinchat perched.